Geese have a reputation for being noisy and mean. While this may be true for some breeds, there are others that are quite docile and friendly (like the Large Dewlap Toulouse, White Embden or Sebastopol). Being social animals, they will form strong relationships within the flock. I call my geese “the biddies” because they excitedly chat amongst themselves quite often and once they get sight of me they let me know all about it.

Housing

A pond is not a necessity for raising geese but they will need a kiddie pool or trough for drinking, bathing and playing. In the cooler months, a simple, dry, and covered shelter along with their feathers and soft down helps to keep geese insulated and warm in the coldest temperatures. Keep in mind special care should be taken for Africans and Chinese to prevent frostbite on their knobs. In the warm summer months, a shady spot and cool, clean drinking water will need to be provided to help your birds to stay cool and hydrated. Once these things are provided, your geese will be able to free-range to their little heart’s content.

Here are your top three breeds for meat:

Large Dewlap Toulouse – 18-25 pounds

Super African – 16-20 pounds

White Emden – 15-20 pounds

Eggs

Geese lay noticeably larger eggs than chickens or ducks, up to three times bigger. An average goose egg is 3-4.5 inches in length and a circumference of more than 7 inches. The yolk of the egg is quite large and there is less egg white than that of a chicken egg. Using them in your baked goods recipe can result in heavier, moister and denser bakes. Goose eggs are quite a delicacy and have a higher price tag per dozen because the laying period is shorter than other birds.

Here are your top three breeds for eggs:   

French Toulouse – 35-50 eggs per year

White Chinese – 45-55 eggs per year

White Emden – 35-45 eggs per year

Weeders

Geese have a lighter footprint and are smaller than humans which means less ground compacting and they can get in between garden rows with ease. The secret to weeder geese is that they tend to avoid broader leaf plants so they are perfect for keeping the rows between you tomatoes or cucumbers weed-free. If you have fruit bushes like blueberries you may want to net them before the berries ripen because geese love berries – frozen blueberries are a favorite treat during the hot summer for my biddies. 

Here are your top three breeds for weeders:

White Chinese

Tufted Buff

American Buff

Watchdogs

Stories of guard geese date back to 390 B.C. where the geese alerted Rome to an attack by the Gauls by wildly flapping their wings and honking loudly. Birds, in general, can hear better than humans and geese have an extra light sensor in their eyes so they can see further and clearer than we would ever hope to. This combined with the noisy honk we all have heard gives geese the reputation of being one of the best guard animals in existence.

Here are your top three breeds for guarding:

White Chinese and Brown Chinese

Tufted Roman

African (Males)

When choosing a goose for a pet, remember to keep their dominant traits in mind so you don’t have a pet goose that is loud and always sassing when people come around, unless you don’t want people to come around. Geese are a great addition to your backyard flock and, just like chickens, and they can provide hours of enjoyment and entertainment.