Geese

Goose meat has a high-quality fat content, which adds a depth of flavor. Their nutritious eggs are large—about the equivalent of three chicken eggs—with huge yolks. A chicken’s egg is about one-third yolk, whereas a goose egg is about half yolk. A goose egg is slightly higher in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, but also higher in saturated fat than the chicken egg. While goose eggs aren’t as common as chicken or duck eggs, they are just as nutritious, along with being much richer than either.

Geese are mostly vegetarian and are great foragers if you have enough good pasture to put them on—about one acre of range for 20 mature birds. More than that per area and you risk overgrazing the pasture and damaging your land.

Geese also make excellent watch birds, warning you to any intruders in your yard.