Aggressive goose - sorry, stupid question

[tofupup]

I apologize in advance because I know this is a really remedial question about geese, but I was hoping someone could tell me WHY my Embden goose is attacking everything.

He simply attacks everything that moves past him -- the dogs, the trash can, the buckets, the hose, the wading pool, the broom, me, etc.

Today he kept knocking the buckets of water over and then jumping on top of them. When I went to refill them, he attacked me and latched onto my finger like a vise grip.

I am wondering if this is misdirected aggression owing to frustrated mating urges? He has two geese friends (2 Chinese geese) that he sits with all day, but I think they might be a boy and a girl. The Chinese geese are fine, but this Embden goose is a maniac. Does he need another goose of his own kind?

I adopted this guy from a shelter about a month ago, so I'm not sure how old he is or even of his gender, but I assume he is male, owing to his aggression.

Thanks for any input!

 

[violets812]

Hi!

I will wait along with you for an answer, if you don't mind! I've had geese for several years so I know about my experiences but that's all. I had a pair of Chinese geese who wanted me dead. The female was like that as a baby when I took her out of the hatcheries box!!! Sheeesh! Maybe she wouldn't have been that way if she were my only goose. I think geese and people become closer if there are no other geese, but I worry about people with initial good intentions who are overwhelmed by how needy a lone gosling can be - worse than a baby - at least babies take naps!

When I come inside my lone goose lays down underneath the window I see her out of. I'm sure she'd like to be with someone/thing 24/7 so when I am busy in side and I look out and see her, I feel guilty and thinking about commercial geese who truly have terrible lives - that doesn't help me a bit!! Violet is still lying out there by herself. We have a pen indoors and I've practically lined my house in heavy sheets of plastic. They are washed off with a brush and the hose each day and hung on the laundry line.

She comes in, in the evenings and loves it when I put geese videos on YouTube for her. She poops a lot though. That's an understatement! We have two more vacuuming machines since getting her! Now I am looking for a friend for her. I will keep her either way - maybe I can get a gosling in the spring. She was pinioned by the breeder who sells to Stromburg's Hatchery.

Good luck and keep us all up to date!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have an Embden gander he is now going on 7 yrs there were times he was almost cooked goose[jk] but they can be a handful and need to be taught to look to you as dominant goose in the flock. He maybe having some hormonal issues but mating season isn't till usually Jan- May, My gander will grab at the broom, buckets if I'm caring them the wheel barrow. and he loves to turn over a bucket of water if he gets the chance, now I put things in front of them like pieces of firewood or 4X4 that we have used and these are smaller pieces. Biting is not good, and may have been why he ended up in the shelter to begin with. So read this thread and use the techniques and see if you noticed any difference, I have a Embden gander Toulouse goose so don't think it has anything to do with breed so to speak. but you may want to pick up an extra female to even the odds if the other 2 are a pair.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/561849/geese-training Please try to work it out with him so he doesn't end up back at the shelter if your thinking on these lines. They can be worked out.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi!

I will wait along with you for an answer, if you don't mind! I've had geese for several years so I know about my experiences but that's all. I had a pair of Chinese geese who wanted me dead. The female was like that as a baby when I took her out of the hatcheries box!!! Sheeesh! Maybe she wouldn't have been that way if she were my only goose. I think geese and people become closer if there are no other geese, but I worry about people with initial good intentions who are overwhelmed by how needy a lone gosling can be - worse than a baby - at least babies take naps!

When I come inside my lone goose lays down underneath the window I see her out of. I'm sure she'd like to be with someone/thing 24/7 so when I am busy in side and I look out and see her, I feel guilty and thinking about commercial geese who truly have terrible lives - that doesn't help me a bit!! Violet is still lying out there by herself. We have a pen indoors and I've practically lined my house in heavy sheets of plastic. They are washed off with a brush and the hose each day and hung on the laundry line.

She comes in, in the evenings and loves it when I put geese videos on YouTube for her. She poops a lot though. That's an understatement! We have two more vacuuming machines since getting her! Now I am looking for a friend for her. I will keep her either way - maybe I can get a gosling in the spring. She was pinioned by the breeder who sells to Stromburg's Hatchery.

Good luck and keep us all up to date!

Aww I thought you had found a friend for your goose.

 

[tofupup]

Thank you for directing me to that thread about goose training! It was very informative and I will try those techniques of dominance assertion today.

(I was not even remotely considering surrendering him to a shelter or otherwise abandoning him, by the way. I just wanted to know how to deal with him before he amputates someone's fingers and I get sued.)

Thanks again!!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you for directing me to that thread about goose training! It was very informative and I will try those techniques of dominance assertion today.

(I was not even remotely considering surrendering him to a shelter or otherwise abandoning him, by the way. I just wanted to know how to deal with him before he amputates someone's fingers and I get sued.)

Thanks again!!!!

I know what you mean my gander bit me on the upper lip about 3 years ago it's amazing he didn't take the lip off with the serrated bill. I did look like I had been in a brawl for a couple of weeks.

 

[RURU]

I know what you mean my gander bit me on the upper lip about 3 years ago it's amazing he didn't take the lip off with the serrated bill. I did look like I had been in a brawl for a couple of weeks.

Miss Lydia you were in a brawl with your ganders beak!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Miss Lydia you were in a brawl with your ganders beak!!!

Yep RURU and he won.

 

[violets812]

Hi! I thought I had found one too but the person selling it said they had only handled their geese sexing and triming nails and they're not pets nor are they meant to be pets and I am a fool pretty much. So I have a couple of prospects who have curly Sebs (I know I have to learn to spell that sooner or later..) to sell to me as soon as its cool enough to ship. Both birds were hand raised and comfortable around people. I'll just buy one. Thanks for the note!!

 

[The goose girl]

I think your gander is feeling unsafe. It sounds like he's the only or dominant gander, and he's protecting his flock from the dangerous world. He probably hasn't had much human contact during his early days, and he's led a turbulent life. I'm thinking all you can do is show him who's the boss, so he at least doesn't attack you.

I'm on my 10th goose now - my second lone pet goose. The other eight were raised two and two.

The first pair I had were definitely "pet quality", meaning they were so sweet and non-aggressive. They were around three weeks old when I got them, but they must have been used to people - they immediately started following me around. One of them would even climb on my lap if there was a chance. I never knew their gender.

The last pair I had were viciously aggressive ganders. They usually didn't attack me, but if agitated (which happened a lot) they'd attack anything within reach, including me. I got them when they were four weeks old, and it took days of sitting with them in the yard before they wouldn't panic every time i batted an eyelash. They were obviously not used to people at all. I ended up culling them - they did not have good goose lives, and I couldn't provide them with enough space to make them feel secure at least most of the time.

Outside of breeding season, where all geese are a little extra touchy, only a scared goose is an aggressive goose. From my experience, all geese will tend to attack what they perceive as threats. Even my current pet goose attacks my cats - for some reason she's always hated them. But she rarely tries to attack anything or anyone else. I got her almost straight out of the egg, and I've taken care to stress and frighten her as little as possible - she's never been left alone even for five seconds, she's never had to run after me in panic, she's never been left screaming if something scared her. Also I've taken her a lot of places, so she's used driving and to meeting new people. But always at her pace. So unlike all my other geese, she's hardly scared of anything. New objects, places and people are usually treated with happy curiosity, unless running children or jumping dogs scare her.

That said, she's only 4 1/2 months old, and I'm not sure of her gender. She may yet turn into a bully, but I really don't think so. So far she's been behaving very much unlike my other geese, and I'm positive it's due to her protected and secure childhood.

Also, all individuals are different, so maybe he's an especially angry goose.