 * Large Goose Breeds:- Toulouse Buff & Grey shown above |
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| Toulouse are a breed of domesticated
goose originating near Toulouse, France a large originally meat / foie
gras bird, with a weight of up to 9 kg Known for its droopy galleon
like appearance and large dewlap. The grey/brown
colouration is an old one and has been recorded as
far back as 1555. First recorded in the UK via
Lord Derby in 1840, who imported some to England, and
'improved' the French Toulouse used as breeding stock with
the consequence that by 1894, English breeders had produced a massive
bird. The 'Toulouse' in France, although kept in greater numbers, have
never quite equalled these weights.This 'exhibition' type is
found in Canada /USA and some in Europe as well as the UK. Many Exhibition Toulouse exhibit breed points slowly, you need to watch goslings closely for their first nine months and avoid premature selling/buying for lack of dewlap or size then to notice it appearing later after selling it . They may be occasionally sold prior to this but seldom attain full size until nearly three and the females drop the egg pouch a little more each year so often the less beautiful breed better remember this when purchasing Because of their loose plumage, they often appear heavier than they actually are and are one breed succeptible to fly strike from maggots if left to get dirty in a drought summer.They need shallow water to splash( making a considerable mess if not watched) although some may swim not all do. For housing use a large dog kennel or small garden shed to house the geese. During the winter they need to be protected against rain, wind, and snow and watched in a drought summer for flystrike as their open feathering makes them vulnerable ( also dim by nature) . The shelter must be waterproof, predator proof and well ventilated ( goose crap is high in ammonia so small places produce quite a smell). At night these geese must be penned up being vulnerable with their trusting nature to two and four legged predators. Toulouse are probably the most difficult domestic goose to raise goslings are expensive, because they do not reproduce consistently until two or three years of age, fertility and hatchibility of eggs is often considerably lower than for other breeds. . .never bother buying eggs through the post they rarely hatch For bedding use straw, paper shreds,wood chip, wood shavings or hay, although I do prefer hay for the nests. Recommend mucking out the geese enclosure every 1-3 weeks, depending on how many geese you have in the enclosure, and how big the enclosure is. Queries ask via the domestic - waterfowl club website
. . . . . Large keels and dewlaps(on Toulouse) are byproducts of selecting for large birds. If not carefully bred, all heavyweight breeds of geese may decrease in size every succeeding generation. Do not use birds with narrow or undersized bodies, excessively arched backs, keels with extremely rough underlines, slender necks, small dewlaps, and weak heads. Except in mature laying geese, tails drooping below the line of the back are often a sign of low fertility and lack of vigor. Breeders of production birds should take care not to select for excessive keels as these inhibit a bird's ability to breed. Matings of pairs or trios are usually the most productive. (Holderread, 1981). |
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