The Chinese Goose is one of the most popular goose breeds in the world. For very good reason too. While it is not the largest goose ever, it is a surprisingly versatile breed. Let’s take a little look at its two recognized varieties, the Brown and the White Chinese Goose a bit more depth, shall we?
The Origins of the Chinese Goose
While the name seems to imply that the origins of this goose breed are pretty definite, they are anything but definite. The problem is that this breed has been around for a long time.
Back when it was first developed, nobody was really taking notes on breed development. They just sort-of produced a breed of goose, decided they were happy with it, and then it would spread like wildfire.
The Chinese Goose is said to have descended from the Swan Goose in Asia, but we really do not have much proof of that. It is said that this goose was even around in Ancient Rome well over 1,000 years ago.
Although, we also do not have proof of that. Although, we do have proof that they were around since at least the 17th Century.
it is likely that the Chinese Goose was one of the very first breeds of goose introduced to the United States. In fact, even George Washington was rumored to own a few of these at his farm at Mount Vernon.
Although, once again, there isn’t really any proof, and that is likely just contributing to the legend of this bird.
What we do know, however, is that this breed spread quite quickly, and it remains one of the most popular breeds of goose in the world.
White and Brown Chinese Goose
There are two variants of the Chinese Goose: Brown and White. Both, the Brown and the White Chinese Goose are unlikely to weigh more than 20 lb (9 kg).
White Chinese Goose
The White Chinese variant is the most common. They are pure white. Their eyes are blue. Their bill will be orange, as will their legs and feet.
Brown Chinese Goose
The Brown Chinese variant has the same colored feet, but they will have brown feathering. There will be a small stripe on the feathering. Their bill will be black, and their eyes will be brown.
Due to the way that the Chinese Goose carries itself, a lot of people actually mistake it for a duck. It doesn’t really stand as tall as a lot of other geese, for some reason.
As a Show Bird
Since this goose is so widespread, you can bet your bottom dollar that there will be a lot of shows that the goose can be shown off at.
However, you will probably need to bear in mind that if you are new to owning the Chinese Goose, you probably can’t just be jumping into one of these shows. A lot of the people entering these shows have been raising their birds for a long time.
While the Chinese Goose doesn’t necessarily have a unique look, it probably would make a decent ornamental bird. It likes to forage a lot, and it is nice to look at this foraging on occasion. It can be quite eye-catching.
However, generally speaking, this is not going to be the type of bird that you will be raising to show off. It is a productive bird more than anything.
It is worth noting that in the Unites States it is very difficult to find Chinese geese that will meet the standards of the APA.
Chinese Geese as an Egg Laying Breed
This is probably the main reason as to why the Chinese Goose is so popular. It has egg production far in excess of any other goose you can raise.
While your typical goose is going to lay eggs somewhere in the region of 10-50 per year (dependent on the goose being raised), the Chinese Goose is able to lay a whopping 100 eggs per year. Although, on average the Chinese goose will lay 60 per year.
Of course, all of these are going to be focused on their breeding season, and thus you will not be getting eggs every few days. There isn’t a goose that does that.
This means that the Chinese Goose is probably the only breed where you do not have to make a choice between breeding or eating the eggs.
If you love the taste of goose eggs, then the Chinese Goose is going to be the perfect animal for you. You can even raise some more geese if you wish. There should be plenty of eggs leftover.
The Chinese Goose is broody, and thus it should be easy to breed too. There shouldn’t really be any fertilization issues with this breed.
Some people have reported that they have a lot more success raising their eggs in an incubator than they would if they allowed their geese to raise it. Although, to be honest with you,this is the same for most breeds.
The Chinese Goose for Meat Production
While this is a smaller goose, it is still fantastic for meat production. This is, in part, down to the fact that you can easily breed this bird. It is no wonder that it is used in so many different commercial breeding operations.
This means that if you are a homesteader that enjoys the idea of raising a meat flock of geese, then you are probably going to find no better option than the Chinese Goose.
It is perhaps worth noting that if you do want to raise the Chinese Goose for meat production, you may want to steer clear of birds defined as ‘show quality’, because these do tend to be a bit smaller in size.
In the United States the Chinese geese have never been an important commercial meat bird, as in China.
The Chinese Goose Temperament and Care Tips
This is another reason as to why the breed is so popular. It is dead simple to raise, and it is friendly too. However, do bear in mind that it can be a little bit on the loud side of things. They talk a lot. A lot!
In fact, there is one legend that is tied into their loudness. It is said that they alerted people when Ancient Rome was raided over a thousand years ago!
Your main concern should be ensuring that the Chinese Goose has a lot of space to roam around in. This is a goose that absolutely loves to forage.
Of course, other ‘goose standards’ will also apply here e.g. making sure that they have access to a good body of water.
See also:
– Toulouse Goose
– American Buff Goose
– Sebastopol Goose
