Guardians at the Gate



My best boy, Honky Tonk, an African



Happy Geese on Grass

 Some people have guard dogs, I have guard geese (and donkeys, but I'll get to them later).  Geese have an undeserved bad reputation.  They are actually beautiful and intelligent and can certainly be a useful addition to a self sufficient homestead.  Geese can provide meat, eggs, feathers and breeding stock to sell.  American Buffs are one of only three breeds listed on the Slow Food Ark of Taste.

Like all animals, different breeds of geese have different dispositions.  I have owned Africans, Chinese, American Buffs, Gray Saddleback Pomeranians, Pilgrims and Embdens and liked all but the Chinese.  Chinese are the chihuahuas of the goose world-loud, snappy and yappy!  All of the other breeds are fairly laid back and a lot quieter then you would expect.  My American Buffs are probably the quietest, only making noise when they first see me in the mornings, or when I come home or when there is an intruder on the farm.  The rest of the time, they graze and play in their water and go about their goose business.  American Buffs and Gray Poms are quiet beautiful out grazing on a bright green pasture. 

 Geese will get a little aggressive during breeding season which is from about February to June.  Ganders will hiss and display more but mine have never bothered me.  Geese are excellent parents and both males and females help guard the young.



Rare American Buffs and Gray Saddleback Pomeranians



Geese need water, but a pond is not necessary for either geese or ducks.  Mine use a half barrel and an old cattle mineral tub to play in and wash their faces.  Geese are heavy grazers and need very little in the way of supplemental feed.  They will flourish on good pasture in the warm months but will need whole corn or some other poultry feed once the grass is gone.  Waterfowl are easy to raise , they have few predators as adults and they are healthy and do not catch a lot of the diseases and parasites that other poultry are more prone to.  They are also very long lived.  Honky Tonk, my one African, is about 11 years old now and still a pet and a big baby.

I  sell processed goose and breeding stock of Gray Poms and American Buffs.   Processed goose must be reserved as quatities are limited and they sell out faster every year.  Goose is a traditional Christmas dinner in Germany and some other countries and some prefer goose over the traditional turkey for Thanksgiving. 





American Buffs and Brown Chinese