Are my geese mating?

[cottontail farm]

I haven't seen any mating with my own eyes but both my ladies are starting to get ragged tails. They and my male will be a year old around April. Thoughts?

 

[Welshies]

The best way to tell is to take an egg, crack it open, and look for the bullseye.

 

[cottontail farm]

No eggs yet. I can't wait.

 

[Welshies]

No eggs yet. I can't wait.

Have you witnessed mating behaviors? That's the best way to know.

 

[Gray Farms]

Either they are chewing on their feather out of boredom. Or they are getting ready to molt.

 

[cottontail farm]

I think they're mating when I'm not around. I've caught the gander nudging the girl's backs with his bill. Plus the ragged tails are only on the ladiea.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Gander nudges his mate and she gets out of the tub. lol Mating season isn't quite there yet for them.

 

[SunshineMary]

I'm not sure if ragged tails are indicative of mating. Ragged or broken feathers on the back of the goose's neck could be a sign, though, because when the male mounts the female, he holds on to the back of her neck to keep his balance.

My pair of Pilgrims produced 22 goslings last year (some the goose hatched and some I incubated), yet I never witnessed them mating. They were really secretive about it, but she did have some of the fluff pulled off her neck.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That with the tail makes me think they maybe sleeping up against something and breaking the feathers.

I know when my geese are mating. My gander gives the Tarzan yell lol