aggressive gosling

[parry]

I am new to raising goslings from incubator hatching. The male Pilgrim hatched easily and was very sturdy, the female took help and longer to get stronger. Both doing well but on day 3 the male is biting at her(and everything else too) and will not leave her alone once he starts. Have separated them in two boxes under the brooder lamp, but they are not happy. What should I do?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Give them each a stuffed animal and they should settle down and snuggle with them. If he is picking relentlessly at her they may need more space as geese outgrow brooders faster than ducks and chicks.

They deffinetly need to be out on grass all day and put in the brooder at night. Geese, even goslings, should be grazing all day with fresh water available. 3-5 day olds up to 2 months go in hoop houses as daytime turn outs. We use parrot toys hung over the brooders for them to chew at and play with at night.

 

[parry]

thank you. I don't think it is warm enough here yet for them to outside long. Rainy today and only about 60-62 degrees. It has been a long cool spring. I've been reading that 70 is a better temperature for them or is that for older goslings?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

If its still under 70 then short trips out with you would be good. On rainy days we take grass to the youngest goslings who we don't turn out so they aren't missing out on the daily grazing. Good luck with them and enjoy.

 

[larkflying]

I scraped up big chunks of grass and weeds -- we have it growing around her in the cracks of the pavement, or the corners of the yard. They love dandilion greens, and clover too. They like the dirt too -- and it keeps the grass fresher if it has the roots . . . you'll be amazed at how quickly they eat down a huge chunk of grass!

You must live close to me -- I think we are the only part of the US that is having a rainy cool spring / summer . . . I'm trying to be patient and thankful that we don't have 115 degrees outside, but it is hard when you only get 1 nice day, and then it gets progressively rainier again.

That parrot toy idea is a great one -- there's always a few goslings that can't stop with the chewing -- even my ones outside that are being raised by their parents have moments where they cant stop nibbling on each other.

 

[parry]

Hi everyone and thanks for the advice. Yes larkflying I live just across the water west of you. I think you have had more rain than us, but all in all cool cool cool. The toys helped a little but getting outside today helped for a bit but he is a genuine little stinker, needs to be biting at her and once he starts he doesn't want to stop and she wants to be right beside him. As a result they are leading separate lives when not supervised. I hope he outgrows it or it may make him a poultry swap candidate real soon.

 

[larkflying]

Oh, bother -- what a stinker he is. I wonder if it is something ganders are more likely to do. When I've seen mine, it has been usually one of the bigger goslings. I'd bet that the problem would go away after they can go outside full time. None of my adult geese nibble on each other . . . and the goslings that are outside don't do it nearly as much as the ones that I brooded in the barn last year.

Well, I'm glad you have less rain then we do. This weekend we had thunder and lightening too -- rare for us. Sounds like this next week will be sunshiny a bit, so that will help a lot.