African goose

The African is one of the largest domestic goose breeds. Mature birds carry a thick body, an upright stance, and a prominent knob at the base of the bill, with a pouch of skin called a dewlap hanging beneath the lower jaw. Despite the name, the breed traces to China rather than the African continent, and it shares ancestry with the Chinese goose. Adults commonly weigh 18 to 22 pounds, which places the African among the heavyweight goose breeds kept on farms and smallholdings.

The breed has a settled, deliberate temperament on its home ground but reacts quickly to anything unfamiliar. African geese are alert and vocal, which makes them effective as a living alarm for a yard or paddock. They form strong attachments to their flock and to the people who feed them, and they tolerate cold reasonably well once the knob has hardened with maturity.

Keepers choose the African for its size, its presence, and its dependable watchfulness. The breed suits a household with space, neighbors who are not close by, and an owner who wants a guardian bird as much as a meat or ornamental goose.

Who it suits

The African fits a keeper with room to spare and a tolerance for noise. The breed is a good match for rural properties where a vocal watch goose is an asset rather than a nuisance. First-time poultry owners can manage the breed, though its size and territorial streak during breeding season call for confident handling.

The African descends from the swan goose, the same wild Asian species that gave rise to the Chinese goose. The two breeds are close relatives, distinguished mainly by the African's larger frame, heavier knob, and the dewlap under the jaw. The common name is misleading: the breed did not originate in Africa, and the label is thought to reflect the vague way exotic poultry was sometimes catalogued during the period when these geese were spreading through Western collections.

Asian knobbed geese were domesticated in China over a long span and reached Europe and North America through trade during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. As keepers selected for size and the pronounced knob, the heavier birds came to be grouped under the African name to set them apart from the lighter Chinese type.

The African was admitted to the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection in 1874, which fixed a written description for the breed and supported consistent selection by exhibitors and farmers. Recognized color varieties came to include the Brown and the White, with a Buff added later.

The breed remains a working goose on farms and a fixture at poultry shows. It is kept for its size, its guarding behavior, and its ornamental knob and dewlap rather than for high egg numbers.

The African presents a large, well-rounded body carried in an upright, confident posture. The head sits high on a long, slightly curved neck. The breed's two signature features are the rounded knob that rises from the top of the bill where it meets the head, and the dewlap, a loose fold of skin that hangs from the lower jaw and upper throat. The knob is small at hatching and darkens and enlarges as the bird matures, usually reaching full size in the second or third year.

Coat and colors

In the Brown variety the body is gray-brown, lighter on the breast and belly, with a darker stripe running down the back of the neck and a knob and bill that are black. The White variety is solid white with an orange bill and knob and blue eyes. The Buff carries the same pattern as the Brown in a softer apricot tone. A neat, taut dewlap and a balanced knob are points judges weight heavily in the show ring.

The African is a self-assured bird that holds its ground. On familiar territory it is calm and settled, moving through its routine without much fuss. Anything new, a visitor, a strange dog, a delivery, draws an immediate loud response, which is why the breed is often kept as a watch goose. The honking is deep and carries a long way.

With its own family the African is steady and forms strong bonds, often following a trusted keeper around the yard. It can be territorial during the breeding season, when ganders in particular guard nests and mates and may challenge people or other animals that come too close. Outside that period most birds settle again.

Africans live well alongside other geese, ducks, and poultry when there is enough space and feeding room, though a dominant gander will assert himself in a mixed flock. Calm, consistent handling from a young age produces the most manageable adults. The breed's volume and assertiveness make it a poor fit for properties with close neighbors.

Grooming

• Provide clean bathing water so the bird can keep its plumage in order; geese groom themselves when they can fully wet their heads and necks.
• Check the feet and legs regularly for cuts or signs of bumblefoot, common in heavy breeds on hard ground.
• Inspect the knob and dewlap for frostbite damage after cold snaps.
• Trim no feathers unless preparing for show; the breed needs no clipping for normal keeping.

Exercise

• Allow daily access to a grazing area; grass forms a natural part of the diet and keeps the bird active.
• Give open ground for walking and foraging rather than a confined run.
• Supply a pool or large water container deep enough for the goose to dip its whole head.

Environment

A secure, dry, draft-free shelter is essential at night to protect against predators such as foxes and to shield the knob from severe frost. Bed with straw and keep the floor clean to limit foot problems. Fencing should be sturdy and at least 3 feet high. The African handles cold once mature but appreciates wind protection and a sheltered corner in winter.

Grass is the foundation of the African's diet. Geese are efficient grazers and a good pasture covers much of an adult's needs in the growing season. Supplement with a formulated waterfowl pellet or a poultry ration, increasing the amount in winter when grazing is poor. Provide insoluble grit so the bird can grind its food, and keep fresh drinking water within reach at all times, as geese must be able to wash food down while eating.

Treats and supplements

Leafy greens, lettuce, chopped vegetables, and cracked corn make suitable occasional treats, with corn useful in cold weather for extra energy. Breeding birds benefit from a higher-calcium breeder ration before and during the laying season. Offer oyster shell separately so laying geese can take calcium as needed. Keep treats to a small share of the total diet to prevent overweight in this heavy breed.

The African is generally robust and, with good care, lives 10 to 15 years. Most health problems trace to its size and to its exposed knob rather than to inherited disease. Heavy birds put strain on their feet and legs, so dry footing and clean bedding matter. The large knob is vulnerable to frostbite in severe cold, and the dewlap can collect debris if water is dirty.

Preventive care

• Keep bedding and standing areas dry to protect feet.
• Provide clean bathing and drinking water daily.
• Offer balanced feed and avoid overfeeding goslings to reduce angel wing risk.
• Shelter birds from severe frost and wind.
• Worm and check for external parasites on a schedule suited to your region.

The African is a ground bird that wants open grazing by day and a secure house by night. The breed does best on a property with pasture it can roam and a pool or large water container it can bathe in. Housing has to be solid and predator-proof, since a heavy goose is a target for foxes and dogs at night. The shelter should be dry, ventilated without being drafty, and large enough for the bird to move and stand at full height.

Setup checklist

• Predator-proof night house with a secure latch.
• Dry, well-bedded floor with good drainage outside the door.
• Fresh bathing water changed regularly.
• Shade in summer and a wind-sheltered corner in winter.
• Strong perimeter fencing.
• A separate quiet nesting area for breeding females.

African goose eggs can be hatched under a broody goose or in an incubator. Goose eggs are large and need higher humidity than chicken eggs, along with a daily cooling and misting that imitates a sitting bird leaving the nest. Incubation runs roughly 28 to 31 days. Set clean, fresh eggs and candle around the first week and again later to remove clear or failed eggs.

Hatching steps

1. Select clean, well-shaped eggs and let them settle to room temperature before setting.
2. Set eggs and hold temperature and humidity steady.
3. Turn eggs an even number of times each day through day 25.
4. From about day 7, cool and mist the eggs once daily for a few minutes, then return them to the incubator.
5. On day 25 stop turning, raise humidity for the hatch, and leave the lid closed.
6. Allow goslings to dry fully in the incubator before moving them to a warm brooder.