6 month old gosling attacked a duck today

[laurajones1]

So I have raised 2 of them since babies, in a coop for geese as I have a 3rd that is full grown and a separte coop for ducks. Every morning I let them all out together and all is fine. Today for some reason the now quite large gosling attacked a duck by the neck, dragged it into the pond pounding it the whole time, and tried to drown it. I had to beat the gosling with a stick to get it to stop. The goslings are now in time out in the goose coop. What on earth!!! They have all been free range flock in the day for months!! Why now, what can I do?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's starting to sexually mature. My geese have killed chickens and try to get my ducks who no longer go in the goose area. It's unfortunately the nature of the goose at times.

 

[laurajones1]

It's starting to sexually mature. My geese have killed chickens and try to get my ducks who no longer go in the goose area. It's unfortunately the nature of the goose at times.

Well that is terrible, my 3 year old goose has never been mean to the ducks. Do I have to separate yard area now ugh I have 1 pond.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would separate if you plan to keep it. First year I had buff geese. A bit of some chasing with my other poultry, but nothing serious. Next year I bought some pilgrims that included a male, and they started to corner and kill any chickens they could get a hold of when they matured. Seems it's hit and miss. I'd like to blame the gander, but the females were just as aggressive.

Geese in general are moody birds that can be territorial.

 

[ruthhope]

So I have raised 2 of them since babies, in a coop for geese as I have a 3rd that is full grown and a separte coop for ducks. Every morning I let them all out together and all is fine. Today for some reason the now quite large gosling attacked a duck by the neck, dragged it into the pond pounding it the whole time, and tried to drown it. I had to beat the gosling with a stick to get it to stop. The goslings are now in time out in the goose coop. What on earth!!! They have all been free range flock in the day for months!! Why now, what can I do?

Keep them housed separately and with different runs

 

[laurajones1]

So I have raised 2 of them since babies, in a coop for geese as I have a 3rd that is full grown and a separte coop for ducks. Every morning I let them all out together and all is fine. Today for some reason the now quite large gosling attacked a duck by the neck, dragged it into the pond pounding it the whole time, and tried to drown it. I had to beat the gosling with a stick to get it to stop. The goslings are now in time out in the goose coop. What on earth!!! They have all been free range flock in the day for months!! Why now, what can I do?

It just dawned on me....My older duck was raised with the older goose. Last week, and a few times before, the older duck jumped on the older goose back and was pecking at her. I shooed her off and didn't think anything of it as the goose is 3 times the ducks size. I wonder now if the duck did it again and the gosling was protecting the older goose?! Just let the goslings out for a little bit to observe....

 

[JRies]

Geese always remember there family there flock. Always, Geese only protect there flock. you might have a clue there. Just watch the dynamics. I raised 4 runners with 4 Huge geese last year and once I separated them to ducks go here and geese go here. Every morning the first thing the geese did was run to the fence that divided them and the runners ran to the same fence. That relationship never stopped. My thought is geese are you are my family forever. however there is a pecking order and geese are very physical at explaining it when the obstuction to that backs down they usually just move on with the I won dance...

 

[Jenbirdee]

I just read this I see its about 3 years old but I wonder how it turned out? were you able to keep them all , seperate? maybe taking turns at the pond?