Goose mauled chicken

[VermontGoose]

Hi all. This is my third year with chickens and geese. I have 9 hens one rooster. My gander which was raised with chickens (I got all the birds at same time), mauled my only white leghorn couple weeks ago. It is mating season and gander has been edgy like every year this time. Usually friendly and has no problems with the chickens, during mating season gander will occasionally try to bite me or my boots.

I separated the injured chicken who had blood all over head and neck and cleaned it up and had it recover separately. Put the chicken back in run yesterday and gander immediately went after her again. The chicken flew on top of coop and stay up there now. I’m hoping this is just a mating season phenomenon.

Soon all the snow outside will be melted and they will all spend their days in fenced in area unmonitored. I’m worried that hen is just going to be killed. Ideas on what to do if this doesn’t improve soon. I figure there about maybe two more weeks of edginess that occurs each spring.

Thanks.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I would keep the gander separated from the hen permanently. The hen has become his target and he'll continue going after her until she's dead. (He may continue even after breeding season.) I would keep the geese gaggle away from the whole flock as he'll eventually start going after others (while his females loudy cheer him on). I suggest penning up the geese or the chickens, which if you do either, ensure the hens aren't flying over any fencing because he'll pin them to the fence.

 

[VermontGoose]

I would keep the gander separated from the hen permanently. The hen has become his target and he'll continue going after her until she's dead. (He may continue even after breeding season.) I would keep the geese gaggle away from the whole flock as he'll eventually start going after others (while his females loudy cheer him on). I suggest penning up the geese or the chickens, which if you do either, ensure the hens aren't flying over any fencing because he'll pin them to the fence.

Hi and thanks for replying. That would be difficult to do. They spend all year together either in large fully fenced in run or outside in the day in fenced in yard area where they can forage. Hmmm. What to do.