Breed Profile: Pilgrim Goose

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The Pilgrim goose is a heritage breed in which sex can be determined from its plumage (an auto-sexing breed). It is one of a few rare breeds developed from historic landrace geese that were otherwise lost to the farmyard. The geese retain the thrifty, self-sufficient traits that make them ideal for the homesteader.

History of the Pilgrim Goose

Origin

Pilgrims, like most domestic geese, are descended from the greylag goose of Europe and North Africa that was domesticated at least 3,000 years ago. Farmyard geese originally had the same gray plumage as the greylag but, like most domestic species, breeders selected for alternative colors as these arose.

There are written accounts of white males with gray or pied females in domestic flocks in the 1800s and early 1900s in England, the United States, and France, particularly Normandy. These have become rare since breeders started to develop larger breeds. In 1902, British writer Harrison Weir described the common goose as “being very plump and full on the breast, and seldom, when fully grown, exceeds ten to twelve pounds in weight … the ganders are invariably white, and that even if the geese are grey. But this may be and is probably attributable to centuries of selection as to colour.” Such birds were recognized as the common goose of Britain at exhibition in 1845. Leonard Jenyns, in A Manual of British Vertebrate Animals also stated that “the Common Gander after attaining a certain age is invariably white.”

Common British geese likely found their way to America with European settlers in the 1600s. Although the origin of early flocks was unknown, many thought they descended from the Pilgrim Fathers’ flocks. However, poultry scientist and breeder Robert O. Hawes established in 1996 that the Mayflower and the Fortune brought no geese. Nevertheless, breeder and writer Paul Ives (later editor of Cackle and Crow) investigated the Pilgrim goose’s origins in the 1930s. He concluded that its ancestor was the common goose of Britain.

Breed Development

Auto-sexing common geese may have been plentiful in New England at one time but were already rare by the 1900s. Waterfowl breeder and geneticist Oscar Grow first documented the breed name in his article of 1934. He maintained that he had developed the breed in Iowa in the early 1900s as a small auto-sexing farmyard goose. His foundation stock was a flock he had purchased around 1895 in Vermont. His wife coined the breed name as referring to the family’s relocation to Missouri during the Great Depression of the 1930s. It may be his knowledge of inheritance that led him to perfect the auto-sexing pattern of the plumage and determine the breed characteristics through careful selection. The American Poultry Association (APA) accepted the breed standard in 1939.

The common goose continued to exist in small numbers in Britain. It was disregarded by poultry authorities until 1982 when breeders adopted the APA standard. The breed was recreated from rare local flocks and imports from Canada. Then in 1999, the landrace flocks gained recognition, some lines following the Pilgrim pattern and others marked more like the Cotton Patch goose.

Similar patterns have emerged in Australian flocks, particularly in the Settler goose, which shares the same coloring. One flock was traced to an import from London, England, in 1836.

Conservation Status

Small auto-sexing breeds in Europe and America have remained small populations since the development of larger breeds. The Pilgrim is classified as “threatened” on the Livestock Conservancy Conservation Priority List.

Characteristics of the Pilgrim Goose

Description

The Pilgrim goose is small to medium-sized with a full, plump body, smooth breast, and deep abdomen with two lobes. This gives only a slight lift to the breast above the horizontal. The neck is medium-length, shorter than many popular modern breeds.

Plumage Color and Auto-sexing

Plumage is mainly white in the male, with some gray markings around the wings and tail. His eyes are blue. The female’s plumage retains the wild pattern but in paler gray. Traces of white appear around the beak, spreading toward the eyes as she matures. Many females develop white markings known as “spectacles” around the eyes. Her eyes are dark brown.

Even on the first day after hatching, a difference can be seen between male and female down color, although this may be slight. Males are paler with more yellow and less gray with paler beaks. Females are grayer with darker beaks. As goslings grow and molt, plumage differences become more apparent.

Temperament

Active and inquisitive, they need space to explore and forage. Geese hiss and make loud calls when defending themselves, their nest, and their young, when unexpected events occur, and when unfamiliar people or animals approach. Pilgrims are no exception, but they are generally quieter and less aggressive than other breeds. They are very alert and their calls warn of any unusual event.

Males compete over females and breeders advise 5 to 6 females for each male to avoid fighting. Otherwise, they are generally calm and can be friendly with familiar humans.

Adaptability

Their hardiness and excellent foraging skills make them easy keepers if allowed to free-range. They excel at natural outdoor living and raising their own young. They do well in both cold damp climates and hot ones. As waterbirds, they require access to fresh water. If you raise goslings at pasture, they grow faster, develop earlier, and are more content. They can live for over 15 years.

Biodiversity

The distinctive sex-linked markings arise from a dilution gene on the Z chromosome. Dilution reduces pigment in the feathers. The male has two of these, so his plumage is almost white. The female has just one, so she is simply paler gray than the wild type. Other auto-sexing breeds, such as Cotton Patch, Normandy, and some British heritage breeds, have another gene called “spot” that works in conjunction with dilution to cause the saddleback pattern in the female. Grow’s technique appears to have isolated and fixed the dilution gene to perfect the patterning of the Pilgrim. In addition, his flock retained many valuable survival traits that enable breed members to fend for themselves and maintain good health.

Productivity of the Pilgrim Goose

Females normally start laying in late January or February. Pilgrims are excellent brooders and mothers. Each goose lays 8 to 10 eggs in a nest before brooding. Naturally brooded eggs take 28 to 30 days to hatch. In an incubator, they may take longer and results can be disappointing as humidity levels need careful control. Goslings grow quickly on pasture. Mating starts once the young females start to show signs of fertility and egg-laying will commence shortly after.

Popular Use

They are traditionally dual-purpose farmyard birds for home production of meat, eggs, and down. Their eggs are appreciated for baking. They also make excellent eco-friendly grazers for chemical-free pasture, orchard, or lawn maintenance. They feed mainly on grass and weeds, especially dandelions, and their manure makes a rich natural fertilizer for the soil. Ensure that they do not have access to plants that have been chemically treated within the last few years, as some residues and medicines can kill goslings. Due to their friendly and docile disposition, they make wonderful pets and homestead birds.

Breed Averages

• Yield: 25 to 45 eggs per year;
• Egg color: white;
• Egg size: large (6 to 7 ounces);
• Weight: adults 13 to 14 pounds.

Sources

• Ashton, C., 1999. Domestic Geese. Crowood.
• Ashton, C., 2010. Autosexing geese now being recognised from Shetland to Australia. Aviculture-Europe.
• Holderread, Dave., 1981. The Book of Geese: A Complete Guide to Raising the Home Flock. Hen House Publications.
• Smith, D.P., 2009. Pilgrim Geese. Backyard Poultry.
• The Livestock Conservancy
• Lead photo of male Pilgrim goose by Mabel Amber/Pixabay.

Originally published in the December 2024/January 2025 issue of Backyard Poultry and regularly vetted for accuracy.