toulouse geese 

History;
 The Toulouse Goose is one of the larger goose breeds. In its exhibition or "dewlap" form, the Toulouse Goose may weight 25 pounds and have its body skimming the ground. The "utility" Toulouse Goose is smaller and lacks the dewlap being basically a cross bred grey Heinz with no value other than for the table.

Country of Origin: France . The Toulouse Goose was bred in southern France (near the city of Toulouse) originally for pate de Fois Gras now considered a superior meat bird in Europe. The breeding work to finalize the points and breed true was done in England with a great number being exported to America and Canada prior to the 1950's . At the moment the Club has been importing a number back from the USA as the gene pool in Britain has become too narrow making a number of males virtually infertile.

Breed Background: A heavy breed which does well in confinement since their size restricts foraging and although their goslings tend to grow slower than other geese. The progeny of a Toulouse goose crossed with an Emden gander grow rapidly.

    The progeny of a Toulouse goose crossed with an Emden gander grow rapidly.

Names Also known as L'oie Grise des Landes and L'oie du Toulouse in France/Belgium the name alteration appears to be area ?
   
Country Of Origin;........France

Carriage; like a galleon in full sail or Margaret Rutherford in feathers for the older reader
   
Purpose;.........Eggs..Meat...Broody...exhibition

Egg Colour.....................white
   
Egg Numbers..............Average about 35 per season Best known 60+ per Goose.First layers about 10
   
Broodiness: Incubation:. . . . 28 - 34 days/ good mother but clumsy due to size need a large hay covereed tray for the eggs to prevent cruching as they pip. Otherwise hatch very well under Muscovies

Breed Hints....Kept as trio or pair .. will go broody and hatch
   
Weights; Gander, 12 kg / 26 poundsGoose, 9 kg / 20 pounds

Breed Tip**As a breed succeptible to flystrike (maggots) on open cuts or scratches which are disguised by the open feathering.
   
tip Due to their size in comparison to their leg length they prefer real ponds or shallow edged trays/ childrens sandpits (ELC or IKEA) as many others can produce a snug fit. Wickes builders merchants do a 'cement mixing tray' in black composite. . . cheap!

  Appearance: Grey feathers laced with white, brown eyes with a long deep body with a prominent breast bone. Better show birds have a pronounced front as in the picture and double muscled folds when seen from the front. Better breeding birds often have less front or their 'equipment' does not reach to mate successfully

    Meat Production: The supreme meat cross which tends to pass on the placid (dumb) temperamernt to the off spring. As a pure breed it often resembles a large tub of lard with feet .....so unless a very poor specimen not worth the plucking...... better for the breeding pen for X breds.

      

 Buff Toulouse Pictures by Roger Thibault of Swansea Mass.

 Grey  Toulouse Pictures by Roger Thibault of Swansea Mass.

Breeders

Hicks Waterfowl World  OSWESTRY Tel 01691 655 635 weekends
Tel 07818 036 118 weekdays\

Tony & Sue Axon, Devon            01404 822 459

R & J Jeynes, Rutland                01572 737 310

Ben Jones, Herefordshire            01981 241 048
Grey

Colin Murton, Hampshire            01428 751 408

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