8 month old geese screaming in the middle of the night...can I curb this behavior?

[cranberrychowder]

I have two 8-month old geese that are definitely hormonal now that spring is nearing. They are doing this thing the past week where they will scream 3 times in succession at night. At first, we thought it was a predator, but the sound of the scream is more forlorn. I raised both of these guys since they were 1 day old and though I tried to keep my distance emotionally from them while raising them, but they are still very bonded to me. They make such a ruckus when they see me now, more than before. They are almost needier now than they were as goslings.


I’m reading the book “I Am Here, Where Are You?” about graylag geese behavior and I think the screams are less about a predator, and more about wanting to know where I am.


Do geese outgrow this behavior once they reach a year? Are they just going through “adolescence” and having boundary issues?


How do I curb this behavior? My husband hates it because he goes out to check on them and they are fine. I’m worried he wants to get rid of them, which pains my heart because I love them so much.

 

[Goosebaby]

They’re definitely calling out to you, it won’t really go away as long as they’re bonded to you but it can lessen as they age and get used to the idea that you sleep indoors and that you’re not being eaten by direwolves just because you’re out of sight.
If they “un-bond” with you it can stop alltogether or only rarely happen but I wouldn’t advise distancing yourself from your geese because life can become very difficult if your geese decide you’re not part of their clique. Being called to a night because they miss you is better than being attacked because you’re now an enemy or rival.

 

[3xhhheather]

Is it totally dark in their coop? And are they getting a snack before bed? Being hungry at night can lead them to be more active & stressed. My gander was doing this for a bit around 10/11PM & it definitely wasn't his predator call. I loosely covered up the back windows where a bit of light from my neighbor's yard was getting in and bumped up their before bedtime snack, the calling out has stopped.

 

[cranberrychowder]

Is it totally dark in their coop? And are they getting a snack before bed? Being hungry at night can lead them to be more active & stressed. My gander was doing this for a bit around 10/11PM & it definitely wasn't his predator call. I loosely covered up the back windows where a bit of light from my neighbor's yard was getting in and bumped up their before bedtime snack, the calling out has stopped.

They have free access to pellets all night, from one of those grandpa feeders that they step on to get food. The coop is attached to a run that gets closed at night, but we don't close the coop door. Our trail cam picks them up pacing around the run for awhile before they sleep for 1-2 hours at a time.

 

[cranberrychowder]

They’re definitely calling out to you, it won’t really go away as long as they’re bonded to you but it can lessen as they age and get used to the idea that you sleep indoors and that you’re not being eaten by direwolves just because you’re out of sight.
If they “un-bond” with you it can stop alltogether or only rarely happen but I wouldn’t advise distancing yourself from your geese because life can become very difficult if your geese decide you’re not part of their clique. Being called to a night because they miss you is better than being attacked because you’re now an enemy or rival.

But why is it happening all of a sudden? They have been out sleeping alone in their run since they were 6 weeks old. Is it just because they are nearing maturity at the same time as breeding season? I think one of them is trying to court me (he does the head bob near me).

 

[Goosebaby]

But why is it happening all of a sudden? They have been out sleeping alone in their run since they were 6 weeks old. Is it just because they are nearing maturity at the same time as breeding season? I think one of them is trying to court me (he does the head bob near me).

It is because they’re maturing, they’re becoming adults so the gander is taking on his instinctual responsibility to look after his flock and make sure everyone’s safe and accounted for.

 

[rc4u]

i wish my geese had a coop. my chickens go in at nite but my embdens just sit out in da cold..

 

[Mrs. Light Sussex]

I wish I had geese

 

[Goosebaby]

i wish my geese had a coop. my chickens go in at nite but my embdens just sit out in da cold..

You can encourage them to go in if you give treats and repeat a phrase like “ IN” or “bedtime” to get them used to the idea of going in at night.

 

[LadyWolf44005]

i wish my geese had a coop. my chickens go in at nite but my embdens just sit out in da cold..

Why dont they have a shelter?