The category of Courtyard Geese gatheres togheter all of that breeds which are linked with the humans countrylife. Among them, there is the Swan Goose, a very important and also common breed. This breed is in a wild state in the North of Siberia and in the Eastern part of Asia and it especially inhabits the enormous steppes in which there are a lot of rivers, lakes and meadows. The Swan Goose is widespread from centuries and it has always accompanied the human being through his countrylife with a very peculiar dietary purpose. It is rustic but wonderful at the same time; it lives in the country sides and its sound is peculiar and very nice because the adult drake one looks like a bell. The Swan Goose is gregarious and also very quiet, it easily lives with other ducks and usually it can build a very strong bond with all other courtyard animals. It has a very big pair of wings but it is also slug so it prefers to walk instead of flying. The name of Swan Goose comes from the regal and proud posture of that goose that reminds to us an amazing swan. It is omnivorous even if it loves to eat berries, tubers and seeds. In spring, a very important percentage of dietary is grazing. During spring time, the Swan Goose laies down a lot of eggs. Eggs are medium sized, white and they show an elongated form. Their shell is also very strong. Often, groups are arranged by one gander and four females. Females lay down eggs every 2 days till a very big brood of about 50/60 eggs in one spring only. Female of Swan Goose hatches 20/25 eggs about at the same time and goslings are so wonderful, cute and very quiet; they show a peculiar yellow and green down. Ganders and females are very similar, so there isn’t a peculiar sexual dimorphism. But ganders are bigger than females and their sound is stronger too. Both sexes show a clear gray plumage, white belly that is also slightly black spotted, neck is hazel and it is also very big. Beak is long, black and flat. An important feature of adult ganders is the dark horn that is in the tip of beak. This is the peculiar difference between gander and female. Generally, female is more quiet than gander. Within Allevamento Poggio di Ponte female is used as a “baby sitter” in order to hatch eggs of other rare and peculiar breeds.
