Toulouse Geese

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Toulouse Geese

Toulouse Geese (Latin Name Anser anser), as the name suggest originate from the area around Toulouse in Southwest France. The original grey coloured breed is a very old one and the name has been recorded back as far as 1555. The breed was first brought to the United Kingdom by Lord Derby in 1840, who imported some of them to England, and from then onwards the French Toulouse were used as breeding stock with the consequence that by 1894, English breeders had produced a massive bird that was reaching the weight of up to 30lb. The ’Toulouse’ in France although kept in greater numbers have never quite equalled such weights. The bird is of a very trusting nature and has a very placid disposition, with the consequence that these birds do not thrive in flocks of mixed breeds. The more active and aggressive breeds if with the ‘Toulouse’ will greatly distress the bird, putting them off mating and sometimes resulting in them losing out at the feeding trough. They are very domestic birds and will easily be bewildered by more active breeds if mixed. They do not need water or a pond. However, being water fowl, they love bathing and playing in water and the geese do mate while in water. They rarely have problems producing fertile egg although problems can occur during severe weather in the winter and spring, which is the case with most breeds of geese. The breed is a good layer of eggs and will equal the best of any goose breed. A good goose will lay up to 100 eggs a year. However the birds are not good sitters the sitting habit having been breed out of some birds. The breed makes an excellent table bird. The geese are not great wanderers and preferring to stay close to home making them ideal for a large garden or an orchard were the birds will thrive.