Goose body language and other ???

[pips&peeps]

Does anybody know about my other question about when to integrate into the flock?

 

[chickenhawk]

I have have been able to put very young geese with an old goose who didnt have any babies and they were adopted into the flock with out any problems.
The only time I have had problems is when I have brought older ganders home.

 

[DuckyBoys]

I've had problems with my younger geese. My American Buffs will not accept my Giant toulouse, they just chase them away whenever they see them. I am expecting 10 goslings Wednesday and I am going to split up my runner ducklings and some of the new gooses and put them in with the Giants to give them their own family group. That way everyone will be more equal. The pasture is big enough for all of them - the buffs just need to get over it.

 

[2dancingrats]

One of my two Toulouse (spelling) geese always greets me with an outstretched neck and lots of chatter. I also thought this was a friendly gesture. He/she also likes to chew on my shoes, clothing, anything that I'm wearing. If I'm sitting by the bird-pool, she/he will chew on my chair everytime I stand up. All this time, I thought the bird really liked me!

 

[Windchyme]

pips&peeps :

What does it mean when your goose "trembles" its head and neck? Is this a sign of submission or aggression? What about when they lower and curl their neck towards their body?

I am pretty sure when they stretch their neck and "yell" at you they are being aggressive. I was just wondering about the other "body language".

Last question for all you waterfowl owners out there. My first two goslings are almost fully grown. Their feathers are coming in nicely. At what age and how do I integrate them into the flock without worrying about them getting their butts whooped or possibly killed by the adults???

I have two hens setting now and the males are all just hanging out so I thought it might be best to get them integrated before the goslings get here.

I'm one who has studied animal behavior my whole life and I have spent alot of time studying my birds.
I don't claim to be completely right in every detail but I am usually pretty dead on.

Trembling is a sign of nervousness or fear, sometimes can be combined with aggression- just means that they are nervous or afraid but determined to keep the threat back for a male or a female on the nest, I have seen it before they move away in the females.

Bending their neck in and lowering their head is a sign of submission/non aggression. My tame african greets me in this way when she gets up close to me. I have seen females greet males this way, and a sub male greet a dominant male this way. In chickens, especially between two rooster, the one who has it's head lower then the other is the dominant (err submissive- sorry) one. My pet goose sees me as part of her flock and so treats me like a dominant flock member.

The outstretched neck with yelling or hissing is a threat, an outstretched neck with chatter is a greeting...I think with the head stretching the intent is transmitted by the sounds they make. All my babies greet me with outstretched necks and chatter. The males of course especially when in breeding condition greet me with outstretched hyper lowered necks and hissing and sometimes trembling if they think I am going to grab them behind the head (to keep them from nipping me).

Voice gives an indication too- soft chattering or "moaning" means a pretty relaxed attitude, as they get stressed they get louder and sharper.

They are prey animals really. When you approach them dead on and looking directly at them if they are not tame and familiar with it they take that as a predatory act and the females will move away (unless on a nest) and the males will come forward and often threaten. If you approach them on an angle, especially with the closest shoulder to them tipped in towards your body (kind of like giving them the cold shoulder) and not looking directly at them, you can get alot closer without triggering them. When I want to take close up pictures and I'm trying not to get them up and moving I'll sit as close as they will let me and scooch backwards towards them on my fanny. Even most tame geese will stand when you go straight at them close up unless it's a female on her nest. Most of this time with this technique I can avoid them all jumping up and destroying whatever picture I am trying to capture. The way of moving towards them works with all prey animals wild and tame (wild animals you can't even get as close to but you can sometimes keep them from immidiately bolting) I have tried it on as well as nervous unsure dogs and cats.

To intergrate your babies it would be helpful if there was a way to cage them near the males every day for a couple days. At first the males will be aggressive and go to the cage screaming and honking and the cage protects the babies. As the days go by the males discover the babies arent a threat and are simply other geese and relax about it. When they stop threatening the babies and just mostly ignore them then you can release the babies. At first the males will chase them back from themselves, the females and sensitive areas but gradually they will let them in to the flock. Since you have 2 babies they will keep each other company until they are intergrated. The really important part is to get the males to the point that they are fairly non interested and non threatened by the babies...the rest will take care of itself.​

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

I just moved my Sebbies (4 @ 5.5 weeks old) into my large goose pen which has three adult and 4 teenage Roman Tufted. I had them in a pen right next to the larger pen all day yesterday. Last night theY went to sleep in their own little house which I lock up each night. The Romans slept in their own house which is also locked each night. This morning I went into the pen...let out the Romans and then opened the door for the baby Sebbies. My RT male went right over stuck his head into the doorway and started to "talk" to the babies. Yesterday, I noticed he was already acting very protective of them while they were in the pen next to his.


One by one each baby came down the ramp and joined the flock. The only goose that paid any negative attetion to them was my teenaged gander and he picked at them once or twice. Nothing serious at all. After they finished their breakfast and had a nice swim I let them out of the pen to free range - the four babies included. The 3 Adults stay right near the babies and are very protective of them. I just came in from checking on them a few minutes ago and all is well - with the Adult male keeping watch over everyone.

They are really wonderful creatures - I hope you enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Cottage Rose]

Jean when the goslings are fully feathered out I free range them together so they have space to run away from each other. I never have overly aggressive pecking order battles going on unless I put 2 breeding age ganders together.
You will just have to try it and see what happens.
If they are enclosed in close quarters it could be a whole different story.

 

[pips&peeps]

This post is from last year...........

 

[Peeper]

My pekin duck is married to a game rooster! They also have RELATIONS! My duck pulls feathers out of the henns when they get too close to him and he goes wild if my drake tries to TALK to her!!!

 

[Kim65]

It might be an old thread but it's a classic!

I love Windchyme's observations

The long stretchy neck is kind of an acknowledgment of your presence, but the "verbalizations" tell you what the goose is thinking.

It's when the head is down low and the neck is snaked back on itself that I know I'm in trouble

.

It was so cute when the evil gander Pinhead in my first flock would run at me to warn me away, then run back to the flock with his head stuck straight up in the air honking away, bragging that he vanquished the interloper. The other geese would join in with long stretchy necks to congratulate him lol.

He would alternately eat out of my hand and bite the daylights out of me, all within the same moment. He couldn't decide what to do.

I love how the whole flock sleeps at the same time, grooms and fluffs at the same time.