I joined because I have goose questions. Canada Goose, specifically. I live in NC on a small subdivision pond. About 5 years ago this coming summer, a broken-winged Canada Goose arrived here and made the pond its home. I checked with a wildlife rehabber, but they said that if the broken wing was more than 24 hrs old, they couldn’t do anything to help it and that if they came to get it, it’d just be put down, and so it has remained here. It’s been nicknamed “Ducky” (Duck Duck Goose). We have no real idea as to its gender, but watching prospective mates its first couple of springs, it seemed the suitor goose stood guard more, so maybe that made Ducky the female?
We befriended it and fed it supplemental corn whenever there weren’t other geese around (didn’t want them staying!). This time last year, a goose pair arrived with the intent on making this pond their home for a nest and promptly made Ducky’s life miserable. I tried and tried to chase them off, but it didn’t work. They forced Ducky away. I was broken-hearted for her and worried. I finally saw her at the closet pond and then not again for awhile. She did try to come back after the appropriate amount of nesting time, but wouldn’t you know it—the nesting pair laid duds, and they were trying a second nest, and poor Ducky had to leave again, the same evening she’d arrived. Thankfully, I was in the backyard when she arrived, and I was able to feed her and offer water to her (since the gander wouldn’t let her in the pond) and kept watch over her while she rested. I had to come in at dark, and I’ve no idea when she left, but I didn’t see her again until months later at a pond over a mile away. Oh, and the second nesting was also a dud. Thank goodness….hopefully that left a bad taste in their mouths, and they won’t be back?
She was away from last spring (she was forced out last March, returned for one day at the end of May, then left) until last month. She showed back up one snowy January morning, and I was running through the house, “Ducky’s home, Ducky’s home!” She’s been very skittish of us, even though she recognizes us and accepts corn and our company. I’ve been chasing any pairs of geese I see, hoping to thwart any from thinking this is a nice place to live. I use a slingshot (I can’t / don’t want to hit hard, just sting) and a green laser to chase.
But, poor Ducky. The honking is so forlorn of an evening. She wants to fly away, I can tell. This is no life. If I couldn’t find a mate or a flock to be part of, to fly, to constantly be scared because of the disability, I wouldn’t want to live another 20 years…..
So, thanks for reading this far….. what can I do for Ducky? Should I try and find her a farm pond to go to that has domestic geese? Should I try and find her a companion and bring here (though I don’t know what the subdivision would think, although only one other house backs up to the pond)? Would it matter if it’s a domestic goose (would need to stay here, obviously)? What if it ended up being the same sex? If it were a domestic goose, it’d have to live like Ducky—in the “wild” (it’s a country subdivision with 1+ acre home lots). The pond is nice with ⅓ lined by trees / brush and a couple of acres of field on one side, our house on the other with a nice backyard. Other wildlife passes through, and I often hear Ducky honking a warning at night.
Anyway, I’m just really attached to this goose and want the best for it. I’d love to help it more if I can…… Any thoughts? Thanks so much!
Tab
We befriended it and fed it supplemental corn whenever there weren’t other geese around (didn’t want them staying!). This time last year, a goose pair arrived with the intent on making this pond their home for a nest and promptly made Ducky’s life miserable. I tried and tried to chase them off, but it didn’t work. They forced Ducky away. I was broken-hearted for her and worried. I finally saw her at the closet pond and then not again for awhile. She did try to come back after the appropriate amount of nesting time, but wouldn’t you know it—the nesting pair laid duds, and they were trying a second nest, and poor Ducky had to leave again, the same evening she’d arrived. Thankfully, I was in the backyard when she arrived, and I was able to feed her and offer water to her (since the gander wouldn’t let her in the pond) and kept watch over her while she rested. I had to come in at dark, and I’ve no idea when she left, but I didn’t see her again until months later at a pond over a mile away. Oh, and the second nesting was also a dud. Thank goodness….hopefully that left a bad taste in their mouths, and they won’t be back?
She was away from last spring (she was forced out last March, returned for one day at the end of May, then left) until last month. She showed back up one snowy January morning, and I was running through the house, “Ducky’s home, Ducky’s home!” She’s been very skittish of us, even though she recognizes us and accepts corn and our company. I’ve been chasing any pairs of geese I see, hoping to thwart any from thinking this is a nice place to live. I use a slingshot (I can’t / don’t want to hit hard, just sting) and a green laser to chase.
But, poor Ducky. The honking is so forlorn of an evening. She wants to fly away, I can tell. This is no life. If I couldn’t find a mate or a flock to be part of, to fly, to constantly be scared because of the disability, I wouldn’t want to live another 20 years…..
So, thanks for reading this far….. what can I do for Ducky? Should I try and find her a farm pond to go to that has domestic geese? Should I try and find her a companion and bring here (though I don’t know what the subdivision would think, although only one other house backs up to the pond)? Would it matter if it’s a domestic goose (would need to stay here, obviously)? What if it ended up being the same sex? If it were a domestic goose, it’d have to live like Ducky—in the “wild” (it’s a country subdivision with 1+ acre home lots). The pond is nice with ⅓ lined by trees / brush and a couple of acres of field on one side, our house on the other with a nice backyard. Other wildlife passes through, and I often hear Ducky honking a warning at night.
Anyway, I’m just really attached to this goose and want the best for it. I’d love to help it more if I can…… Any thoughts? Thanks so much!
Tab
