3yr Old before laying? Toulouse

[NYchickenMama1215]

Well, I got geese.... a pair of toulouse ganders popped up on our local craigslist that needed a new home. They are 3yrs old and the one was starting to fight with the head gander and the other supposedly kept escaping because of trying to get to the neighbors goose. One is also a little bit bigger than the other. When I went and gave them fresh water this morning I noticed the bigger one grabbing and kinda “fighting” I thought with the smaller one, thinking about it now it kinda looked like he was maybe trying to mount him/her. The man we got them from had many geese and I think he has had geese for a while. He told us 2 ganders, and since I’ve never had geese before I didn’t question. I am just super curious now to find out what we actually have im just thinking if it is a female wouldn’t she have laid eggs by now seeing that she is 3yrd old??Definitely learning as we go here haha

 

[Jack3291]

Well from what I know about geese (very little) they should start laying eggs from mid February to mid May. Also, when you said that one was smaller, I suspect that the seller you got them from may have been mistaken on what age the smaller goose. Geese can start laying at 9 months old but some start at 2 years so this could possibly be her first time.

 

[Goosebaby]

Well, I got geese.... a pair of toulouse ganders popped up on our local craigslist that needed a new home. They are 3yrs old and the one was starting to fight with the head gander and the other supposedly kept escaping because of trying to get to the neighbors goose. One is also a little bit bigger than the other. When I went and gave them fresh water this morning I noticed the bigger one grabbing and kinda “fighting” I thought with the smaller one, thinking about it now it kinda looked like he was maybe trying to mount him/her. The man we got them from had many geese and I think he has had geese for a while. He told us 2 ganders, and since I’ve never had geese before I didn’t question. I am just super curious now to find out what we actually have im just thinking if it is a female wouldn’t she have laid eggs by now seeing that she is 3yrd old??Definitely learning as we go here haha

Could you post pictures of your geese? Pictures can help determine if they’re male or female, not always but it can help.

How long have you had these geese? Some geese start laying sometime in the winter and carry on through spring and sometimes through summer. An underlying health issue can cause a goose to not lay but it can also be because she just has a slightly different biological clock and she’ll start laying later than others.

More than likely you do have two ganders, if the breeder thinks they’re ganders he’s probably right. Males will mount other males and females will mount other females. Some ganders are smaller than others too.

 

[NatJ]

The man we got them from had many geese and I think he has had geese for a while. He told us 2 ganders...im just thinking if it is a female wouldn’t she have laid eggs by now seeing that she is 3yrd old??

Depending on how many geese he had, he might not know exactly which ones are laying and which ones are not.

 

[NYchickenMama1215]

Could you post pictures of your geese? Pictures can help determine if they’re male or female, not always but it can help.

How long have you had these geese? Some geese start laying sometime in the winter and carry on through spring and sometimes through summer. An underlying health issue can cause a goose to not lay but it can also be because she just has a slightly different biological clock and she’ll start laying later than others.

More than likely you do have two ganders, if the breeder thinks they’re ganders he’s probably right. Males will mount other males and females will mount other females. Some ganders are smaller than others too.

Yes I will try and get some nice pics of them both to post. The smaller is still occasionally giving me a “low half hearted hiss” is what I’d call it haha. It’s was definite hissing yesterday but they seem to be settling in now. The larger one seems more curious about me and the chickens and hasn’t hissed at all at me. I gave them a tub big enough that they could sit in with water and I think all they’ve done is take baths today haha! Every time I check on them they get in the tub. They are both a bit beat up from their antics of escaping the run and fighting with his head gander, hence the need to rehome them. Quite a few broken wing feathers but nothing seems to have bled. I assume they will come back in eventually? We got them yesterday so I’m probably looking wayyyy too much into their behavior haha. Just super excited to get them and learn more about them and observe them. I’ve never had geese before. They are in a smaller pen at the moment where they can see our chickens while we are working on the new big coop. Once the big coop is done all the birds can be together and have lots of room and be able to free range as well.

 

[NYchickenMama1215]

Here are pics like I said before they are a bit beat up especially the bigger ones’ wing, but nothing is bleeding or looks like it has bled. This is always how they stand too, bigger one in the front and the smaller one in the back. They both have more of a white tip on their bill too, I’ve heard of some having black tips so not sure if that means anything.

 

[Goosebaby]

I’m 70% positive they’re both ganders, the bigger boy is naturally protective of the smaller gander because of size, he’ll probably always be like that. The feathers will grow back in by the next molt which happens adound late spring or sometime in summer.

Keep in mind geese don’t always like smaller birds like ducks or chickens so if you put them together keep a close watch Incase you have to rescue the chickens from them.

 

[NYchickenMama1215]

I’m 70% positive they’re both ganders, the bigger boy is naturally protective of the smaller gander because of size, he’ll probably always be like that. The feathers will grow back in by the next molt which happens adound late spring or sometime in summer.

Keep in mind geese don’t always like smaller birds like ducks or chickens so if you put them together keep a close watch Incase you have to rescue the chickens from them.

Ok thanks, I figured they probably were both ganders, but started second guessing after this morning haha. Maybe just sorting out the pecking order since they are no longer with their bigger flock. Yes I will be careful with chicken introductions. They have been raised with all different types of poultry including chickens though. The guy we got them from said he never had any problems between the geese and chickens so I’m hopeful that it will go smoothly. Glad to know his feathers will come back, will keep an eye on that. Thank you! Their names can stay as Gary and Barry at the moment then