The Sebastopol Goose, sometimes referred to as the Danubian Goose, is an English breed of goose that is incredibly popular as an ornamental bird, although many people raise it as it also seems to be great for those wanting dual-purpose geese. Let’s take a little look at the Sebastopol geese in more depth, after that if you like it, consider the hatcheries we have provided bellow as good options where you can find Sebastopol geese for sale.
The Origin of the Sebastopol Goose
We know that this bird was exhibited in England in the 1800s, although there is no indication that it was actually bred in the country, despite it now being referred to as an English breed of Goose.
We do not actually know where the Sebastopol Goose originates from. However, we know that the English discovered the Goose in Crimea, but it was likely bred somewhere closer to Danube (hence the other name), or at least elsewhere within Europe.
The main reason why the English set their sights on this bird is due to the wonderful plumage that it boasts., Back then, it was common to use Goose feathers in pillows, and the Sebastopol Goose was just the ticket.
Nowadays, as we stated, this is pretty much an ornamental bird, sometimes reared for meat and eggs, but that is very rare.
The Look of the Sebastopol Goose
For the most part, the Sebastopol Goose doesn’t look much different to your typical goose. Well, at least in terms of body shape. Although, they are a bit smaller than your average goose.
This bird is distinguished by the curly, loose feathers that it has in the lower part of its body. It creates quite a fluffy look.
This is, of course, why many people wanted to raise this breed of Goose with using their feathers in mind. It is also why this goose is used as an ornamental goose to this day.
Using The Goose For Show
As we have stated several times already; this is mostly raised as a show goose nowadays. Perhaps not for competitive shows, but certainly for people to have an ornamental goose wandering around their land.
The great thing about this goose is that it actually does look like a ‘normal’ goose. The features are striking, but not necessarily overbearing.
This means that it has all the hallmarks of a good ornamental bird. It is awesome that it is so productive while it looks great too.
As a Meat Goose
The Sebastopol Goose is a goose breed that is a little bit on the smaller side of things. However, it is still a fairly large bird. The male weighs 12-14 lbs while the female weighs 10-12 lbs.
As a result, a lot of people will raise their Sebastopol Goose for meat. It is easy to raise for that purpose and, of course, if you are planning to use the feathers, you will have a decent number of them left over after slaughtering.
The taste of the Sebastopol Goose is pretty standard for a goose, as you may expect. Although, it is still going to be quite delicious! This bird, due to the smaller size, is going to be ready for slaughter a bit quicker than most other meat geese.
The Sebastopol Goose Eggs
For a goose, this bird can lay a decent number of eggs. You should be getting at least 30 eggs per year. They are not the largest goose eggs in the world, but they are decent enough.
Remember; the goose will only be laying eggs at certain times of the year, so there will be long stretches where you are not getting anything. These are not like chickens that lay eggs pretty much every couple of days!
Due to the look of the goose, we can’t imagine that there are that many people that will be raising this particular goose with the intention of eating the eggs. Instead, they will probably want to try and breed more Sebastopol Geese.
Now, we are not going to deny it. This bird is a very broody bird, so it will try to hatch its eggs, and it will raise its young. It may even help with the eggs of other geese. There is a major problem, though. This is the fact that the Sebastopol Goose isn’t all that fertile.
Honestly, we are surprised that this particular bird has lasted this long. A lot of the eggs do not get fertilized, which is incredibly annoying.
Some of the birds it does hatch may not even have all of the traits of the Sebastopol, although that part is pretty rare. It is going to be a challenge to breed this goose, but a surprisingly fun one.
Raising Sebastopol Geese
As you may well know, geese are not the best of fliers normally. However, the Sebastopol Goose is even worse than that. The unique style of its feathers means that it can barely take off. So, you do not have to worry about one of these geese escaping your garden.
Geese do have somewhat of a bad reputation of being aggressive animals at times. However, that is (mostly) not going to be a problem with the Sebastopol Goose.
In fact, they tend to be closer to being skittish, mostly due to having a smaller size than a few other goose breeds. It is their way of protecting themselves.
Many people actually recommended that due to the quieter nature of the Sebastopol Goose, it is the perfect bird to raise
The one thing you will need to be aware of is the feathers. Due to the plumage, they can get quite filthy, so make sure they have a lot of water to bathe themselves and make sure that you are cleaning this water regularly. Yes. You will need to do this with other goose breeds, but it seems to be a bit worse with the Sebastopol.
Finally; it is worth noting that because the feathers on this bird hang loose, they do not do well in cold regions. So, if the winters get especially cold where you live, either do not raise this goose or find some way in which you can keep it warm.
See also: Embden Goose – The best dual purpose goose.
Sebastopol Goose for Sale
If you are lucky enough to live near a local hatchery where you can find Sebastopol goose for sale, that is great. If, however, you are among the unfortunates that are unable to do so, consider the following hatcheries as good options, where you can find Sebastopol geese for sale.
Keep in mind that on average the Sebastopol goose price will range from $80 for males and $150 for females.
