Raising backyard chickens has become a trendy hobby in recent years, but what about backyard geese? Keeping and breeding a variety of goose breeds has a long tradition in the United States. We know that George Washington had geese on his farm at Mount Vernon, and records indicate that he was given three Chinese geese in the time he lived there.
But why keep geese instead of or in addition to chickens, whether it be the graceful and exotic-looking Brown Chinese Geese or other breeds? Well, backyard geese are incredibly versatile. They can provide meat and eggs, though they are also extremely good at “guard dog” duties and even weeding gardens! In fact, the Brown Chinese Goose breed can also be referred to as “Weeder Geese.”
Read on to learn just a bit more about Brown Chinese Geese, which we hatch and ship across the USA!
Quick Fowl Facts: Brown Chinese Geese
Primary Function: Egg Production
Eggs: X-Large, White
Avg. Eggs Laid: Approx. 40-100 per Year
Personality: Active and alert, yet docile
When most people think of geese, they have an image of wild Canada geese that are a common sight in ponds and lakes around the country. Domesticated geese, like the Brown Chinese Goose, tend to be more standard when it comes to mature size. For instance, whereas adult male Canada geese can range from 7.1 all the way to about 14 lbs., Brown Chinese ganders typically mature to a moderate weight of 12 lbs.
According to the Livestock Conservancy, “Chinese geese are considered by many to be the most graceful and beautiful member of the goose family. They are elegant and dignified on both land and water.” In fact, Brown Chinese Geese do have a beak and overall body shape that is more like a swan—the bill is relatively long and slender, with a large, rounded knob that attaches to its forehead, which is swan-like.
Brown Chinese Geese are vocal and alert, which makes them good guard animals on the homestead or farm. They’re also extremely active foragers who eat many types of grasses and herbaceous plants. Need help with the weeding chores? Brown Chinese Geese won’t have to be asked to pitch in!
You can visit our Brown Chinese Geese product page for more information on single-sex or straight run pricing.
At Freedom Ranger, we take pride in hatching birds that meet the highest quality standards for free-range, organic poultry, whether that’s our chickens, geese, ducks, or other fowl. We believe that the art of producing high-quality poultry comes from letting the birds do what comes most naturally to them, right here on our family farms in Lancaster County, Pa.
All of our incubators are on-site at our family hatcheries—our Brown Chinese Geese for sale come from Fifth Day Farm—and we don’t use third-party drop shippers. We pride ourselves on bringing the best egg and meat quality right from our hatchery to your table. If you’re ready to learn more or place an order, send us a message, and we’ll be happy to answer any more questions you have about our Brown Chinese Geese.