african geese

[Squishychicken]

i just got an african gosling. the little thing is adorable its already bonded to me follows me everywhere and loves on me. from what ive read you cant sex them by voice or feathers unless certain breeds. seems size and egg laying are really the only factors. vent sexing as an option but i know with chickens theirs over 16 different forms of females so its almost impossible unless trained to do so. can you really vent sex them at home or m=am i right? anyone know any places i can send in blood to be sexed? ive not been able to find somewhere not crazily expensive.

i got it to be a gaurd goose for my chickens. we have hawks out at day and id love to free range, can you and has anyone has success with a guard goose and hawks? it would be with chickens and ducks. also plan to build some shelter for them to get under if hawks do come. also temperment for this breed? plan to raise it young with bein ghwld daily as well as with the chickens,ducks and chicks so its used to all forms of poultry and ages

 

[Gray Farms]

When they full grown the can be sexed fairly easily. African males are larger and have larger knobs. Vent sexing is also very easy when they are grown. Also by sound, males are soft spoken and females make a loud sharp honk. Lone geese do not do well typically. I'd highly recommend getting another. As far as "guarding" that's a myth, they are alarms at best. Geese are just as prone to predators as any other fowl. They can stand up to rats, possums, and maybe the neighbors cat. But any other predator could take down a goose. Including aerial ones. I loose one or two geese a year to owls.

 

[Squishychicken]

i meant guarding as theirs a rumor the honks and hisses scare off hawks but yes i understand that they couldn't kill anything bigger then a rat. what about snakes? i was hoping to figure out the sex so i could another of the opposite gender.

 

[bluemerle]

I have two African goslings! A little over a month old. If you have more than one, it is easier to guess at sex: my presumed-gander has always been much bigger and has had different vocalizations to my presumed-goose. He also feathered out quicker.

As for guarding .... yes and no. I find my geese pay much closer attention to the sky than any other bird I've seen, so they're always the first to know if a hawk or a plane or a crow fly overhead. Their suspicion might convince your other fowl to take cover. But it's not a sure thing, and I'd absolutely recommend lots of cover for your birds to take refuge under.

 

[bluemerle]

Here's a picture of my two when they were little. My presumed gander (left) was darker in color to my presumed goose (right) - especially in their yellow patches. He also talked a lot more than my goose, and spent more time looking around and 'guarding'.

 

[Squishychicken]

mine was smaller then its other siblings its patches dont look darker or lighter and it more so wants to be with me it isnt gaurding all the time

 

[Gray Farms]

i meant guarding as theirs a rumor the honks and hisses scare off hawks but yes i understand that they couldn't kill anything bigger then a rat. what about snakes? i was hoping to figure out the sex so i could another of the opposite gender.

They'd alarm if a hawk flew over but I doubt that'd scare if off. Snakes they typically hiss and surround it until its through the fence and out of their area.

 

[N ID Goose mom]

I bought mine sexed so couldn’t tell you how to guess the gender other than personality. Levi has been different than the girls but opposite of @bluemerle goslings. In the beginning both Levi and Taleah have been larger. Taleah continues to be larger headed, body, and neck. Shine has caught up with Levi size wise but all three girls feathered out way before he did. He is still pretty fuzzy especially his head and neck. Personality wise he likes to stand up right and between the girls and new things. The girls are occasionally honking but he really haven’t said anything other than baby noises. Levi is much more laid back and likes to look and survey his land. He also has a broader stance when walking. The girls are developing lobes and he is more flat across the underside.

Levi king of the lawn chair.

 

[Isaac 0]

Only definite way is to wait til its older or vent sex it .Adult females will have a deeper voice and they go "Oink" like a pig while the males sound like nails on a chalk board.

I would get another goose.Even if there both males or both females they will usually form a strong enough bond and wont fight each other.