The West of England is a British breed of domestic goose. The colouration of gander and goose is quite different, so they are easily distinguished.
History The West of England is believed to be an old breed, descending from British farmyard geese of several centuries ago, although the breed was not standardised until 1999. The breed takes its name from the area of England it originated in, particularly the county of Devon. It is believed the Pilgrim goose descends from the West of England.
Characteristics The West of England is auto-sexing, ganders are completely white in colour, whilst geese a have a grey saddle across their backs and grey patches on their necks and thighs. The West of England is considered a medium sized breed of goose, ganders typically weigh between 16–20 pounds (7.3–9.1 kg), and geese between 14–18 pounds (6.4–8.2 kg). Both sexes have orange bills and blue eyes. The West of England is considered a reasonable layer of eggs, producing between 20–30 eggs per year. They are considered a good table and exhibition bird.
See also List of goose breeds
References
Citations
Bibliography Bartlett, Tom (1986). Ducks and geese: A guide to management. Marlborough: The Crowood Press. ISBN 0-946284-23-7. British Waterfowl Association (2008). British Waterfowl Standards. Wales: Welshpool Printing Group. ISBN 9780950337838. Ekarius, Carol (2007). Storey's Illustrated Guide To Poultry Breeds. North Adams: Story Publishing. ISBN 978-1-58017-667-5. Wright, Liz (2008). Choosing and keeping ducks and geese. Neptune City: TFH Publications. ISBN 978-0-7938-0668-3.


