The Embden Goose

The Embden Goose is the very image of what most people think a domestic goose should look like, it is after all white, plump and with a long neck. As a result it is one of the most popular of all domestic geese.

The written history of the Embden Goose is not overly long, and it is generally thought to have come into existence in the last two hundred years. The exact origins of the breed though are somewhat confused. There is evidence that the Embden was produced as a cross breed of the German and English Whites, which is linked to its standardisation in the United Kingdom in 1865. Other evidence though does suggest that it was bred in the Germanic areas of Europe.

Embden Goose  - Noodle snacks - CC-BY-SA-3.0

The Embden is now primarily kept because of the fact that it is a heavy breed of goose. Fast to grow to maturity, the Embden can stand erect at a metre in height. Along with the impressive height is a weight of up to 14.5kg for ganders, and even 12.57kg for females.

One of the most striking of geese, a number of other breeds are often mistaken for the Embden, including the likes of the Tufted Roman Goose. This is mainly due to the misconception that all white geese are Embdens. Embdens are of course covered in pure white feathers, but are distinguished by the long neck, a neck that resembles a swan’s. The eyes of the goose are clear blue, and they have a short, orange bill.

There should be really little confusion between the Embden goose and other breeds of white geese, as the others are normally a lot smaller.

Embden Goose - Ralph Daily - CC-BY-2.0

Embden geese are not just kept for their meat, and indeed they are prolific layers, and can manage up to 40 eggs in a year. Additionally the feathers, though relatively hard, are sought after for pillows and duvets.

Known as great foragers, the Embden goose can strip away bark from tree, and will eat almost any plant life, which could leave a backyard looking extremely bare very quickly. They will happily look for food be it in water or on land.

The size of the Embden goose does make it an intimidating bird, and is often kept around as a substitute guard dog. The Embden Goose can be extremely protective, a characteristic often displayed by the gander when he believes that his mate or youngsters are under threat. They are though at the same time an extremely friendly goose, and when raised from a hatchling will be docile. They are considered to be somewhat of a handful and are normally only recommended for those who have had dealings with geese before.

Copyright - First Published 5th March 2010