HEAVY GEESE

African The African

Exhibition Africans weigh up to 26lbs, the size that they reportedly reach in their area of origin in SE China. The large head, with a stout bill, carries a crescent-shaped dewlap. The body is large and quite long, but carried fairly upright giving the birds a height of 3 feet or more in the show pen. Like the lighter weight Chinese, they are a most attractive colour with a brown stripe down the back of the neck in contrast to the cream dewlap and throat. The body feathers are ashy brown, edged with a lighter shade. Africans are bold, vocal birds and appear very imposing because of their height. Hand reared, they make wonderful pets in the large exhibition strains.

 

American Buff The American Buff

The American Buff goose is heavy breed, with a stance like an Embden, smooth-breasted and dual lobed. Exhibition birds weigh between 20 and 28 lbs. They were originally developed in the USA through 40 years of selective breeding from the general farm goose. This development was not documented.

The birds are characterised by orange-buff feathers, with markings similar to the Toulouse. This means that the feathers are edged with a lighter shade. The underbelly and stern of the bird shades to white.

Embden The Embden

The Embden originated in Germany, but is a popular breed in the UK and USA. Along with the Toulouse, it was the first goose breed standardized in the UK in 1865. Birds in the UK differ from standard-bred birds in Germany. British birds are heavier and reach up to 32 lbs in exhibition strain ganders. Any white goose is not an Embden. There are many varieties of commercial geese which are white, but these are generally smaller, and also easier to breed because they have been developed as commercial crosses for a high output. The true Embden has a proud stature and reaches a metre in height. Ganders weigh 28-34lbs and females can reach 28lbs. They typically lay about 30 eggs.

 

Toulouse The Toulouse

Toulouse range tremendously in size and quality. Exhibition birds weigh 20-24lbs in the females and 26-30lbs in the ganders. They are usually grey, the pearly grey being preferred to dark grey or brown-grey birds. Toulouse have also been bred in white (rare) and buff, but grey is the most popular and readily obtainable.

Because of their weight and blocky body, with a prominent keel on the breast, these birds should not be rushed about and are happiest on flat ground. They are popular as garden pets because of their quiet temperament and also because of their looks. The dewlap on the throat and loose feathers gives them a soft appearance, and they are rarely aggressive. The breed is often in high demand but relatively short supply because the exhibition quality birds are hard to breed (because they are big).

Footnote

Egg production, in all domestic geese, depends on the strain as much as the breed. In general, the heavy geese lay fewer eggs than the light geese. Toulouse can lay up to 40 eggs in the breeding season; Africans, American Buff and Embdens may lay 30, but large exhibition strains can lay smaller numbers.

For more about other breeds follow the following links.

  • Medium Geese (Brecon Buff, Buff Back, Grey Back, Pomeranian and West of England)
  • Light Geese (Chinese, Pilgrim, Roman, Sebastopol and Steinbacher