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Ducks and Geese
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The Toulouse is one of the larger goose breeds. In its exhibition or "dewlap" form, the Toulouse may weight up to 25 pounds and have its body practically dragging the ground. The production or "utility" Toulouse is smaller and lacks a dewlap. In fact, it is shaped, sized and colored more like a Pilgrim goose, with dark gray on its back, light gray on it breast, and white on its stomach. The Toulouse was developed in southern France (near the city of Toulouse) and is considered a superior meat bird in Europe. While many fewer geese are consumed in the U.S. than in Europe, the Toulouse is popular among breeder because of its hardiness and ability to withstand the cold winters of the upper Midwest, where it is primarily bred. It lays about 50 eggs per year and will set them if allowed.
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Status: Watch. The Toulouse is the most popular gray goose in America, limited in numbers primarily by the lack of a large market for geese in general.
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The Mallard duck is the ancestor of almost all domestic breeds of ducks and clearly that of the Rouen. Though marked with the same color pattern as Mallards, with drakes having green heads, white collars, claret breast and a blue patch on the wing, Rouens are even brighter in color and larger in size than Mallards. The Rouen was developed in France and was admitted to the American Standard in 1874. It is still considered the superior meat bird in Europe, where much more duck is consumed than in America. In the U.S., Rouens are raised primarily for the restaurant market. These ducks are excellent foragers, calm in disposition and unlikely to fly. Drakes mature at about 8 pounds and ducks at about 7 pounds. Laying rate varies; some strains average 100 eggs per year and other over 150.
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Status: Watch. The Rouen is one of the more common non- commercial ducks in the U.S. Its market seems to be growing since it produced leaner meat than the Pekin, the standard commercial duck in the U.S. Exhibition Rouens do not have the production qualities that production types do.
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These are photos of my flock after a snowy day. Everyone gathers around the waterer when the fresh (unfrozen) water arrives. Although geese can be somewhat aggressive, given enough room, they live peacefully with ducks (and even some free range Plymouth Rock Chickens in back - see the chicken page).
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I will soon be adding the important and rare American Pilgrim goose. The calm, personable Pilgrim is the only goose breed in which males and females come in different colors; the males are creamy white and the females are olive-gray.
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While often described in popular literature as an old breed with originated in England and arrived in America with the Pilgrims, it is likely that the Pilgrim was not standardized as a breed until this century. It is believed that the Pilgrim goose was developed in the 1930's in the midwestern U.S. Whatever it origin, the Pilgrim makes a superior home goose because of its quiet disposition, excellent parenting qualities, and fast growth (10 pounds in about 10 weeks). Adults weight 12-16 pounds. Unlike some of the other breeds, there is not much difference between production and exhibition forms of the Pilgrim.
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Status: Rare. An exact classification of the Pilgrim is difficult. Breeders surveyed had quite different opinions of its status. While it is rare, the national population is probably larger than statistics indicate. There have been serious fertility and deformity problems in some parts of the U.S., probably from inbreeding. Breeders admit that good Pilgrims are very hard to find. Finally, the Pilgrim may well be the next breed of goose to be industrialized, so there is good reason to act now and conserve the population that we have.
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The above quotes are from the Oklahoma State University "Breeds of Livestock" webpage.
Additional references: The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Box 477, Pittsboro, N.C. 27312
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Duck and goose meat are popular favorites at holiday time.
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