2 geese or a goose/gander pair?

[Amber Dawn]

Hello! We have 2 female Welsh Harlequins and want to expand our flock this summer. We will be getting 2 more female ducks (cayuga and a runner) and would also like to try some geese. Considering a french toulouse, and then a pilgrim or embden possibly. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a goose/gander pair vs 2 geese? Worried if a gander would hurt the ducks if it tried to mate? Our birds are for pets and egg production, the geese just look interesting to add. I will say a mating pair is appealing also from a self sufficiency standpoint as potentially could raise for meat if ever came to that. We have 2.5 acres and neighbors with birds/roosters so noise is not a huge issue but i would still like a less noisy breed so we dont push it TOO far with the neighbors the ducks/geese will be housed together in a shed and roam together to the degree they want to. Any advice on breeds to consider is welcome also! Thanks in advance!

 

[Jenbirdee]

I have a pair of pilgrims, gander and goose, 12 ducks and two chickens. my gander is the only male in the yard.
My chickens, get along with my ducks, pretty well, but put a fence across the middle of the yard to keep the geese on their own side for a couple of reasons. First of all, they attack the ducks given a chance they hate the ducks, and they hate the chickens.
Secondly, ducks and chickens ruin grass, but geese don’t ruin grass they just trim it neatly, and they need their grass to eat.
. As you have enough fencing, to split them up, if you need to or want to then go for a gander and goose.
if you are able to spend time with your geese sitting in their pen, talking to them holding out toys for them to chew on singing them songs, feeding them, treats by hand, etc. etc. they will adopt you into their flock even then when mating season comes around the gander will get aggressive with you, so you have to know how to deal with that . I learned a lot from @Goosebaby on how to handle geese aggression.

 

[Egg Snatcher]

If you get a gander and goose pair, the male will become protective during breeding season, he will bite and hit you with his wings if you arnt carefull.
Some people have had better luck keeping geese with ducks, my geese hate my duck and chickens. My gander dosent try to mate with either my duck or chickens.
Geese are pretty loud, females arnt so lound, mostly the gander. Geese have very dark meat. The meat is chewy but taste pretty good, not like chicken.
Geese are very good lawn mowers so i wouldn't recomend putting them in a garden. They'll eat all you plants.

 

[Amber Dawn]

Ahhhh okay, thank you both! @Jenbirdee definitely enjoy sitting out and hanging with the flock, they are right in our backyard and talk to us all day, they are so much fun and @eggsnatcher ... yes, that is a concern if I cant house them together, we have plenty of grass, but may have to wait until we can get another shed and some more fencing then. Bummer. Do either of you think it would make any difference if they were raised together from babies? I mean, not the 2 adults we already have-- but 2 ducklings with the 2 goslings? Or still likely not.

 

[Strawberry74]

I raised ducklings and goslings together in with my adult chickens. They got along ok until mating season and the gander was trying to mate the ducks and I was fearful of them drowning due to the size difference. I separated them. They geese had also started cornering my chickens so they got a pen of their own to avoid any accidents. I am sure people raise them all together with no issues but I wasn't interested in coming out to an accidental drowning or chicken injury or death. I have Sebastopol geese and they are supposed to be very sweet and docile which they are mostly with me just not as nice with the other birds as I'd like (or maybe too nice with the ducks)

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

If you get a pair of geese the gander won’t mate the ducks. He will be dedicated to his goose
I see so many say ganders attack in mate season. I was terrified to get a gander for my goose
Stella I got at 4 weeks old
I spent a lot of time with her
To this day she is still moms big suck
If I’m sitting on the ground she is right beside me asking to be pet
She will be 1 in April
In November she was showing signs of wanting to mate and started to lay eggs
I happened to come across a gander who is the same breed as Stella
He was 1.5 years old and needing a home
He had never had a mate and lived with ducks and 2 other ganders
He immediately ran to Stella
She ran away
Took about 4 days before she allowed him to be close to her and a few weeks before they paired up
They started to mate at that point
Mate and laying eggs ( was he going to get mean ?)
No not at all
He talks lots but has never made a move towards us at all
He allows Stella to climb on my lap and cuddle with me
He stand by and softly talks to me
I have got the odd hiss but never more then that
He hasn’t hurt any of my ducks
My grandkids run in the yard with them
Stranger have come in and he is well behaved
I hit the jackpot with this boy !
My geese can get loud but are often quiet unless my drakes are fighting or drakes are climbing on girls. The geese are police patrol and break up fights and mating
Mine are Pomeranian saddleback
Stella is my buff and Gary is my grey
I do have separate pens within my coop so everyone is safe at night
I have drakes that will fight in mate season and don’t want anyone being stuck with nowhere ti run
Also stella can get anxiety about closed areas and feeling crowded
She has gone after a few ducks if she gets overwhelmed
So this way she has her own space to sleep
Outside with space she is great with the ducks

 

[Strawberry74]

If you get a pair of geese the gander won’t mate the ducks. He will be dedicated to his goose
I see so many say ganders attack in mate season. I was terrified to get a gander for my goose
Stella I got at 4 weeks old
I spent a lot of time with her
To this day she is still moms big suck
If I’m sitting on the ground she is right beside me asking to be pet
She will be 1 in April
In November she was showing signs of wanting to mate and started to lay eggs
I happened to come across a gander who is the same breed as Stella
He was 1.5 years old and needing a home
He had never had a mate and lived with ducks and 2 other ganders
He immediately ran to Stella
She ran away
Took about 4 days before she allowed him to be close to her and a few weeks before they paired up
They started to mate at that point
Mate and laying eggs ( was he going to get mean ?)
No not at all
He talks lots but has never made a move towards us at all
He allows Stella to climb on my lap and cuddle with me
He stand by and softly talks to me
I have got the odd hiss but never more then that
He hasn’t hurt any of my ducks
My grandkids run in the yard with them
Stranger have come in and he is well behaved
I hit the jackpot with this boy !
My geese can get loud but are often quiet unless my drakes are fighting or drakes are climbing on girls. The geese are police patrol and break up fights and mating
Mine are Pomeranian saddleback
Stella is my buff and Gary is my grey
I do have separate pens within my coop so everyone is safe at night
I have drakes that will fight in mate season and don’t want anyone being stuck with nowhere ti run
Also stella can get anxiety about closed areas and feeling crowded
She has gone after a few ducks if she gets overwhelmed
So this way she has her own space to sleep
Outside with space she is great with the ducksone

On of my ganders did have a goose to mate with and still liked the runner duck females also. He was young though so he may have just been feeling his oats and not in a long term committed relationship as of that time!

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

On of my ganders did have a goose to mate with and still liked the runner duck females also. He was young though so he may have just been feeling his oats and not in a long term committed relationship as of that time!

Young ganders can get a high drive and want to gather all ladies
Maybe that’s what happened
I even find my young drakes are more of a handful then my 2-3 year old drakes
Each year things get a bit better

 

[Amber Dawn]

Oh my goodness! @newduckmommy2021 they are so cute!! It is really sounding like the best bet is to at least have their own shed/housing-- i agree with you @Strawberry74 -- definitely dont want to risk an accident with our sweet ladies! so it may be off the table this year, but very good info, now I know what I need to put in place so we can incorporate them safely. Thank you all so much!

 

[Egg Snatcher]

I raised ducklings and goslings together in with my adult chickens. They got along ok until mating season and the gander was trying to mate the ducks and I was fearful of them drowning due to the size difference. I separated them. They geese had also started cornering my chickens so they got a pen of their own to avoid any accidents. I am sure people raise them all together with no issues but I wasn't interested in coming out to an accidental drowning or chicken injury or death. I have Sebastopol geese and they are supposed to be very sweet and docile which they are mostly with me just not as nice with the other birds as I'd like (or maybe too nice with the ducks)

I have no experience raising ducklings and gosling together, just chicks and gosling.