Ah, Lori, sorry to hear you don't like it. I guess that possibility is why I'm hesitant to recommend someone set up a breeding program without knowing. You ARE talking initial investment plus at least 18 months or so if you only eat their babies. I can't understand why you even thought it smelled bad tho. Wonder if you got some cooked oddly?
It's always hard for me at first to eat "new" things. Duck eggs. My own chickens. Rabbit after many years. Wild boar. Goose. Raw milk. I guess I'm kinda "programmer" and I'm ready for the yuck-factor. My own chickens WERE strongly flavored compared to store-bought. But I know I'm eating better quality and cheaper and soon my tastes adjust.
LOL ORChick ... DEFINTELY a covered roaster. I don't even wanna admit it but that bird took what .... Over 6 hours to roast? I pricked the skin and drew off fat every 30 minutes or so, which was probably unnecessary to do that many times and slowed things down. I got good and fast at it tho.
And Savingdogs, it was a frozen goose I bought at about 12 pounds. I understand 10-12 is average dressed weight for young goose. So I didn't pluck this one and can't answer that yet.
My geese are just starting to make a LOT of noise at the pool and the boys are getting a little protective and hissing, so I'm hoping they're thinking about breeding this spring. You can't expect much with them less than a year old but I have 4 or 5 (hopefully 5) girls, so if they manage to hatch a couple each that's still a nice crop.
I'm still debating possibly adding a Chinese female or two if they DON'T breed, due to faster growth rate and two breeding seasons a year, but I'd rather stick with my heav-bodied Emden and Toulouse (with a pair of Pilgrims thrown in).
I WOULD like to get some Scovies though, to raise them as well and also cuz they should be able to hatch a clutch of goose eggs for me, and the geese will lay a second clutch if the eggs are removed.
That would produce a LOT of meat though ...
And I'm not sure it can actually REPLACE beef. I'd be very interested if I can use it in place of roasts in recipes, and what it's like ground. It's going to be at least this fall before I find out though. Goose is not something I can normally afford at the store.
