StillwaterHomestead
In the Brooder
- Feb 20, 2023
- 1
- 5
- 11
I've been raising chickens forever, but I'm new to waterfowl. I have a trio of ducks and a Brown Chinese pair of geese, all coming up on a year old. The gander (Elliot) and the ducks are about a month or two older than the goose (Goose), but they have been raised together since she was old enough to go in with them. They have always gotten along fairly well. He's always been very attached to me and Goose scolds him sometimes when he's asking for human attention, and they will get into a little gentle spat for a moment, but that's it. Goose laid her first egg the other day while they were out free ranging. She just plopped it down on the walkway, no nest or anything. I came out to close them up in their pen for the night (we have large raccoons here), and she was standing over it quite proudly, making quite the fuss. Elliot was next to her, on guard. It was an adorable scene and I was quite excited for her first egg. I picked her up, took the egg (I couldn't just leave it, it was literally in the middle of the walkway to the henhouse door), and put them away. The next morning everything was normal when I let them out, but later that afternoon I saw Elliot in the pool in the heat of it with one of the duck hens, which definitely displeased Goose. At some point there was a fight. I didn't see it, my husband just came in and asked why Goose was limping. I went outside and sure enough, she was off by herself and limping pretty badly. Elliot heard me come outside and came to say hi, but as soon as he saw Goose he flew into a rage and attacked her. I separated them and locked him up. It's been 3 days of him being separated from them in a different cage at night, then during the day I let them free range and he goes into their normal nighttime pen (10x10 with wire mesh sides). He has not changes his disposition towards Goose. I'm not sure what to do. Each morning I've tried to reintroduce them, and each morning I've had to stop him from brutalizing her. He is still acting enamored with the duck hen, and giving Goose the boot.
Has anyone had a gander behave like this all of a sudden? I'm at a loss! I know they will sometimes try to mate with ducks in the spring when hormones are flying, but he seems to have fully rejected his actual mate and claimed the duck. Is this a thing?
Side note- her leg was fine by the next morning and she's no longer limping nor seems to have any other injuries other than a broken heart!
Has anyone had a gander behave like this all of a sudden? I'm at a loss! I know they will sometimes try to mate with ducks in the spring when hormones are flying, but he seems to have fully rejected his actual mate and claimed the duck. Is this a thing?
Side note- her leg was fine by the next morning and she's no longer limping nor seems to have any other injuries other than a broken heart!