My Growing Gaggle of Geese
My gaggle of geese is growing.
As many of you know, I’ve had Pomeranian guard geese for many years. They keep watch over my flock of chickens. They’re also my pets. I love visiting them in their enclosure, and I appreciate their beauty and their company. Here at my Bedford, New York farm, I also have Sebastopol geese, a breed that originated in southeastern Europe, and is named after the Russian city. I have Toulouse geese, a French breed of large domestic goose, originally from the area of Toulouse in south-western France. And, I have African geese – a large breed known for its docile temperament. Most recently, I added a pair of beautiful Chinese geese to my flock - elegant, large, and sometimes referred to as "swan geese" because of their long and graceful necks.
Enjoy these photos.
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- Geese are very good to have around the coop. Thanks to their honks, geese make excellent guardians for my chickens. They can scare off any animals that would otherwise bother the hens, and they are known to be great at spotting aerial predators, such as hawks and falcons. Here they come – eager to see who is entering their enclosure.
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- All my geese live with the chickens in a large yard next to my vegetable garden.
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- Last week, I got this pair of Chinese geese from Snug Harbor Farm in Kennebunk, Maine. These geese most likely descended from the swan goose in Asia, though over time developed different physical characteristics, such as longer necks and more compact bodies.
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- The breed was admitted into the American Poultry Association in 1874. By 1876, three Chinese geese were exhibited as “Chinese swans” at the Agricultural Show during the Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia, the first official World’s Fair in the United States.
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- The Chinese goose is refined and curvaceous. Its bill is relatively long and slender, with a large, rounded, erect knob that attaches to its forehead. The Chinese goose holds its head high. Its head flows seamlessly into a long, slim, well-arched neck which meets the body at about a 45 degree angle. Its body is short, and has a prominent and well-rounded chest, smooth breast and no keel. Mature ganders average 12 pounds, while mature geese average 10 pounds.
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- White Chinese geese also have white feathering with an orange bill, orange legs, and bright blue eyes. These two seem to be fitting in quite nicely.
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- The Chinese goose is a very hardy and low-maintenance breed. Because they can actively graze and forage for food, they are often nicknamed “weeder geese.” Chinese geese can withstand cold temperatures easily, and their egg-laying capabilities are unsurpassed, laying up to 100 eggs in a single season.
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- Here is my pair of Pomeranians – always en guarde!
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- The Sebastopol goose is also referred to as a Danubian goose. The name ‘Danubian’ was first used for the breed in 1863 Ireland. Sebastopols are considered medium-sized birds. They are also very affectionate and kind-hearted with others in their group, or gaggle.
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- Both males and females have pure white feathers that contrast with their bright blue eyes and orange bills and feet.
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- Sebastopol geese have large, rounded heads, prominent eyes, slightly arched necks, and keelless breasts. And what is most striking is their plumage. The plumage of the head and upper two-thirds of the neck is smooth, while that of the breast and underbody is elongated and well-curled.
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- The two buff-brown geese are Toulouse geese. On this breed, the bill is stout, the head large and broad, and the moderately long neck is thick and nearly straight. Often suspended from the lower bill and upper neck is a heavy, folded dewlap that increases in size and fullness with age. The body is long, broad and deep, ending in a well-spread tail that points up slightly. They have a rounded breast, and often exhibit a wide keel. The abdomen is double-lobed and often brushes the ground, particularly in females during the early spring.
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- This breed was named after the city of Toulouse, France. These geese are varying shades of grayish tan and have a massive appearance. Fall weights average 18 to 20 pounds for males and 12 to 13 pounds for females.
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- Here is one of my pair of African geese – a breed that has a heavy body, thick neck, stout bill, and jaunty posture which give the impression of strength and vitality. The African is a relative of the Chinese goose, both having descended from the wild swan goose native to Asia.
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- The mature African goose has a large knob attached to its forehead, which requires several years to develop. A smooth, crescent-shaped dewlap hangs from its lower jaw and upper neck. The dewlap may become ragged in shape as the bird ages. Its body is nearly as wide as it is long.
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- The plumage is a combination of browns, buffs, grays and white. A dark brown stripe runs over the crown of the head and down the back of the neck. On mature birds, a narrow band of whitish feathers separates the satin-black bill and knob from the brown head.
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- Here is one of the Toulouse geese stopping for a photo as the Chinese geese walk across the yard.
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- These Chinese geese are quite social and are already mingling with the others.
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- Here are four Sebastopols snacking on cracked corn. Because their feathers lay loosely, Sebastopols cannot fly well, but they will still flutter their wings.
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- All geese love water bowls where they can dip their full bills to clean their noses and beaks.
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- This Toulouse, however, wants to dip his feet and legs in the water bowl too.
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- My Pomeranian stopped honking long enough to pose for this photo.
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- These geese are good runners. Here they are going across their enclosure to their pool. My gaggle of geese is fun, friendly, personable and protective. I know my new Chinese Geese will thrive here at Cantitoe Corners.
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