Keeping geese

...Getting them

...Eggs

...Fattening

...Byproducts

>..Breeds

Main Breeds of geese are:

  1. The Embden. This is the largest and probably the most widely available. A full-grown gander can weigh 14 kg and a goose can weigh 9 kg. It is white with an orange bill, legs and feet. If you want geese that the children will recognise from all the story- books, this is the breed to have.
  2. The Toulouse. This has a grey head and some grey in the plumage. The gander grows to 12 kg and the goose to 9 kg. This is the poor goose that was force-fed to produce fat livers for pate de foie gras. Now that the market for this kind of pate is declining, the practice of force-feeding has also declined.
  3. The Brecon Buff. This is similar in colouring to the Toulouse but has a pink bill, legs and feet. The gander grows to 9 kg and the goose to 7 kg.
  4. The Chinese. This looks like an extra-large duck. It is usually brown or white and weighs up to 7 kg for a gander, 6 kg for a goose.
  5. The Roman. This is similar in weight to the Chinese.