Which are better at laying/raising brood - Emden or Pilgrim/

[fordguy]

I am trying to settle on one breed of goose for ease of management - I like the pilgrim traits but haven't had them long enough to tell if one is better at raising their own brood better than the other? can anyone share info on either or both of these geese? thanks.

 

[Omniskies]

Embdens have been bred for production. They will lay more eggs than Pilgrims (not many), and may not be as good at parenting as the Pilgrim (by a little).

Unfortunately at the present time Pilgrim fertility rates in a lot of flocks/strains aren't all that great, so if you set 25 Embdens and 25 Pilgrims in the incubator, you would likely have more of the Embdens hatch. From a business standpoint, Embdens are your better candidate. From a heritage standpoint, the Pilgrims need help and help won't come unless enough breeders boost their numbers enough for them to be out of the danger zone.

I know none of that is really helpful. With all of the goose breeds it can be difficult to pick out one that is "the best" since many are similar (the Toulouse and Embden, the African Dewlap and the Dewlap Toulouse, etc). Ultimately it comes down to what you think is best for what you have in mind _and_ your personal preference.