So then, what geese breeds are rare and need help?

[RiverOtter]

Quote:
I agree strongly with this.
DD wants African Geese. To her they are the most beautiful poultry of any kind. Last year we tried to order some from Cackle - they had a bad hatch year and we never got them. After that happened I saw some of Cackle's Africans. They are nice, nicer then the ones we saw from Ideal - but not the giant, heavy birds she has her heart set on.

Metzer has bigger, typier birds, so we're getting some from there this year. After she's raised geese for a couple of years she wants to upgrade to the "real" Africans. We only have room for so many geese, so I'm actually glad it didn't work out last year and she can start with higher quality birds, thanks to the education we got when searching for geese for her last summer. Apparently "real" Africans are a relatively rare and expensive thing - though nearly every hatchery that offers geese carries them.

 

[mominoz]

Interesting info. I actually am looking into the "slow foods" thingie...here in Georgia , there are very few organic or 'slow food ' outlets. I am positioned between Rome, Ga. and Chattanooga,with Atlanta metro 75 minutes. It seems to just be starting here. I am thinking of dipping my foot in. I remember when no one had goats 15+ years ago, now there is a minority demand for meat goats and bunch of people raise them. I sold some geese years ago for 20$ (not realising they were probably for dinner) . And you could buy goose at Walmart for around 25$, they are a bit more now,and usually only around Christmas, although I have seen them at Kroger ....I am seeking info into how to market....Heck

maybe I'll open a 'roast goose' restaurant .

 

[Miss Lydia]

There was someone on here awhile back that raised ABuffs and she wasn't from a hatchery, sure wish I could remember who it was..

 

[Silver Spring Waterfowl]

I raise Buffs. I am also looking for some outcross stock. I only have 2 laying right now. I haven't been encouraging them to start too soon this year. We have started showing, too, and that distraction will likely make it a slim year for us. Too many changes this year for them and unsettled weather extremes are having an effect. We would like to show this spring and can't be there and here taking care of young birds at the same time. I don't necessarily want to hatch a lot of eggs. I am more interested in the results of certain matings.

Marketing dressed goose is not easy. I swear a lot of people hear "roast goose" and by the time their brain processes it, it's become "roast lizard". We freqently prepare it and give it away so that people have a positive first experience. That has helped a lot. Pulled back on that because of the time it takes to properly process the birds. There is only one processor in this area, used them once, and it would be a mortal sin to take another bird there. We do our own slaughtering. We know it's done compassionately and properly. Last time I checked (and I regularly do), Walmart had goose and it was $4.85/lb. I don't see it often anywhere else. We have roasted them, smoked them, and fried them. We bring them whenever were are invited anywhere that we can share a covered dish. People, for the most part, are surprised to learn what it is and want seconds. We've had some orders (and still have 13 YGs (Toulouse)in the finishing pen who will likely just be sold at a loss because we just haven't the time. C'est la vie!

BTW:
Do any of you know how to insert a table on our personal BYC page? I want add our availability schedule, but I'm as smart as that business!

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
I agree strongly with this.
DD wants African Geese. To her they are the most beautiful poultry of any kind. Last year we tried to order some from Cackle - they had a bad hatch year and we never got them. After that happened I saw some of Cackle's Africans. They are nice, nicer then the ones we saw from Ideal - but not the giant, heavy birds she has her heart set on.

Metzer has bigger, typier birds, so we're getting some from there this year. After she's raised geese for a couple of years she wants to upgrade to the "real" Africans. We only have room for so many geese, so I'm actually glad it didn't work out last year and she can start with higher quality birds, thanks to the education we got when searching for geese for her last summer. Apparently "real" Africans are a relatively rare and expensive thing - though nearly every hatchery that offers geese carries them.

I tend to agree with your DD, even a decent African is very impressive! But looks aren't everything. I started out with some trash africans, one parents had been African the other was white China (an attempt to produce white Africans) cheap stock is a good way to learn. after two years I thought I was ready so I invested ~$600 in Holderreads Elite Show(top of the line) goslings a pair of Africans, pair of Pilgrims, pair of Toulouse, and a pair of non-tufted romans. The first day of Brooding I named a gosling for the ffirst and last time. An African named Klansman because he was bound and determined to pick on anything that had dark down or feathers. The second day I split my brooder into two parts, the Klansman went with the Pilgrim male and the two Romans(whites) while the other African went with the Pilgrim female and the toulouse (gray) They stayed seperated until I could turn them out on grass. Either the Klansman forgot about the colors or the others could all out run him. The Africans never reproduced and they both suffered from constant leg problems. so I sold them along with a copy of their bill of sale from Holderreads. The plain Romans were to high strung and got sold for that reason. Both of the sold pairs managed to win Best of Breed in local shows but I just didn't love them like I did the Pilgrims.

 

[RiverOtter]

Thank you!
It is good to hear your experience with the breed. She does eventually want the large-dewlapped ones, but I know that the ones at the highest end of the size tend to have problems reproducing. I think the ones that would take ribbons at the big, national, specialty shows would be a little too extreme for us. She loves Metzer farms Super Africans, but thinks Holderreads truly ginourmous birds are a little much. LOL, kind of like my DH loves American Bulldogs but thinks show-line Neopolitan Mastiffs are more extreme then called for.

We've been doing living history studies and actually brought this into it. We talked about why people used to want far bigger geese then most do today and how geese used to serve so many purposes. She wants the biggest African she can have and still have it be historically accurate. Like able to walk freely (as they were driven to pasture and back every day) and able to reproduce easily, but still with that dewlap for all that useful "goose grease".

We're actually hoping to stock our whole farm with livestock as close to "historically accurate" as we can manage.Such as dual-purpose chickens who are actually bred for the cockerel to give a decent carcass, active foragers, etc. I'll have to find the paper, but eggs from chickens were actually a sideline for most of history.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Someone told me that McMurray gets their geese from Metzer. how true it is I don't know and for the life of me I can't remember who it was that told me....but it was here in the geese section. Because I was saying I wanted to try the American Buffs. I was at a show last fall and fell in love with them. My other choice would be the Lg. Emden from Metzer.