My African Goose and Flemish Giant

[darkbrowneggs]

Oh - no stopping me now.

The African was hatched at end April, only egg to hatch so had to buy some young companions, they are (apparently) Flemish Giant. This is the first time I have ever kept geese, and must say I like them and they grew phenomenally quickly

Here goes with photos again - Sue Dark Brown Eggs

 

[foxy]

What stunning photos! Love the African, beautiful, thank you for sharing 08 08

 

[Davidd]

Hello, your "african" is in fact a toulouse A quite nice bird The flemish are big birds and much more placid than embdens- lovely birds.
regards, David

 

[ncotb]

They are lovely!!

 

[darkbrowneggs]

Hello, your "african" is in fact a toulouse A quite nice bird The flemish are big birds and much more placid than embdens- lovely birds.
regards, David

Hi Davidd - I have never kept geese of any description before, and after much research decided on African

Decision made of course it was impossible to find any 06 . I always say never again, but once again a spur of the minute purchase off ebay meant 4 rather expensive eggs - one of which hatched 06 . After more research I came to the conclusion it was not good to keep one alone, so managed to find some goslings locally which I was told were Flemish Giant. (by the way I can find little about these on the web someone mentioned False Embden but I had never heard of those either)

You tell me this one is a Toulouse - is there a particular reason you say this 19 It looks a bit darker than photos of Toulouse on the web. Is it possible its colouring will change, or might it be a Toulouse African cross. I am eager to learn.

It has a lovely personality, what do you think a cross of the 4 in the picture be like, though I must admit I have always kept purebreeds of anything in the past.

Are geese monogamous, or will my one gander keep the 3 girls happy, and will the 3 girls argue next spring.

I had assumed they would lay in their night shelter (8x7ft) but is this not suitable.

So many questions from a goose novice.

all the best
Sue

 

[Davidd]

Hello, your grey bird is a toulouse- no african in it at all- i know because i keep them ( pics in photos of waterfowl) Your one gander will be fine with three geese- no worries there and he will mate them all. 07
The goslings from the toulouse cross will be good, big birds and will make good pets and great eating
The geese should lay in the shed but they may all lay in the same nest and it could cause problems if one or more decide to go broody. you need to try and make three nests if you can- plywood would do - just a two foot square box but try to make them about 30 inches tall- with an open front and a ledge to keep the eggs from rolling out- that would do them all nicely. Let us know how they get on.
regards, David

 

[darkbrowneggs]

Hi David - This is great I just love learning about new things, and you sound as though you REALLY know whats what

What is the difference between an Exhibition Toulouse and a Toulouse?

And what are the different characteristics of the Toulouse as opposed to the African.

Originally (after research) I choose African, but I could be converted, mainly because the (what I know now is a Toulouse) is such a nice character. The others are OK as well , good sized birds, easy to handle and not aggressive in any way, but not as smart, and consequently that bit more trouble to manage.

What are the various sizes of all of them, and if I did have to eat any spare ganders (it sometime happens with my Marans cockerels :roll: ) which makes the best bird on the table

How many eggs will they lay, and what is hatchability likely to be

Lots more questions I am afraid, but I hope you dont mind

All the best
Sue

 

[Lorna1268]

Hi Sue and All

The geese pictures are lovely, in the first picture they look determined! I am considering getting geese next Spring if all is well. I have thought about Pilgrim, I heard they were placid. I have 14 ducks from calls to indian runners and campbells. I would like the geese to grow up with the ducks.

Best Wishes
Lorna

 

[darkbrowneggs]

Hello again - there have been some developments since my first post.

I have decided to go down the African route, and hopefully have a pair - goose and gander - arriving in the middle of the month.

As the white gander in the photos is well established with his little harem I am worried that he and the new gander won't get on, so I will keep the brown "Toulouse" goose who will hopefully bond with the 2 newcomers

As a result I will be selling the three Flemish Giant. I have been able to find out very little about these, or the breed, and although I was sold them as being Flemish Giant I have no real idea that they are good examples or even if they are Flemish Giant. However what I do know is that they are easy to handle, and certainly have show no aggression. The largest is now around 6kilos from a May hatch, so they are good quick growers, and have done so simply on grass and a small handful of wheat each evening when they go in their shelter.

I havnt kept geese before, but I have been suprised at how easy and interesting they are.

I thought about £100 for the trio - Gander and two geese would be fair, what does everyone think, I havent sold any geese before, but at that they will be a lot less than the Africans I am buying. This is a better photos of them

all the best
Sue
Dark Brown Eggs

 

[Cheviot]

Hi Sue,
I don't think you will regret getting african geese, 08 I hatched four out this spring, what great characters they are, I haven't treat them as pets and they haven't been handled much, but if I crouch down they will come right up and have a conversation with me :lol: ( other half is now conviced I've lost the plot :roll: ) one of them even lets me touch it.
Please post some pics when you get them, I'd love to see them.
Regards
Sue

 

[mightymohan]

cant find much on the net about flemish giants, except that they are a bloody big rabbit!

 

[darkbrowneggs]

cant find much on the net about flemish giants, except that they are a bloody big rabbit!

Yes I remember keeping Flemish Giant rabbits as a child in the 50's, but apparently it is a goose as well.

However just an update to say this trio has now been sold. But if anyone is interested in African Geese, then hopefully I may have some next year

all the best
Sue
Dark Brown Eggs