Goose questions

What's your favorite and why?

Are there breeds more docile or aggressive than others?

The most productive?

Noisy breeds? Quiet breeds?

Bad idea with toddlers? (don't worry toddler lives in the house and would not be in coop unsupervised)

Is solitary (with large ducks) ok or do they need to be paired to be happy?

We are considering a goose, partly for alarm and just to have something else BIGGER in the coop. But I have zilch experience with them...just ducks. Some kind of productivity would be nice (meat? what do you do with a goose egg?)

Looking forward to more information!
Aurelia

My favorite is the Pilgrim goose. Of course they are harder to come by, but they are very plesant to be around and have never been agressive to my children. They will make noise if something is strange though.
We also raise Brown Chinese, they have been great geese as well. Unlike their white counter parts. We started with White ones and even I had to carry a stick to be around them... But the brown seem more docile. They are much more alarming when something is strange and will put the run on the small dog during breeding season. I would hesitate with a toddler at breeding season but most other time they are fine.

I have heard the buff geese are very plesant as well, but never had them. They remind me a lot of the pilgrims in body structure, just color is different.

As for goose eggs, if you dont want to incubate them you can eat them, or blow them out and sell for crafter's. I get a lot of requests every year for goose eggs for crafts.

shetlands are #1! they are very quiet when not in breeding pens, and they have never chased me or bit me. they can be picked up of the field and they dont run away. they are small and eat very little, as they are great foragers. only downside is they are not and APA goose.

Don't have any experience with Pilgrims but gosh I love my Shetlands (Thanks Cornel!). So gentle and relaxed, goose and gander both.

I have Africans, Embdens, and a Grey. The Embdens seem to vary as to aggressiveness, some are, mine aren't. But when it comes to parenthood, they are fantastic at guarding.
The africans "chat" a lot I find, but quietly. But they belt out quite a noise when alarmed. And nice to look at.
I will hopefully have some offspring this year.

Also, geese are much happier when there are more of them. One alone, I would never recommend.

Most productive I think is the chinese, but noisier than most would want.