Blizzard conditions, ganders fighting, drama!!!

[dianneS]

My geese have their own pasture next door to the goats, however, they do go under the fence and hang out with the goats. I feed them on their own side of the fence to keep the goats from devouring their food.

We just had a near blizzard and we've got over a foot of snow on the ground and 3 foot drifts. The geese couldn't get under the fence to their own side until I shoveled them a spot where they normally scoot under the fence, but they aren't using it!

The geese have claimed one of the goat's hutches as their own. They have a nest in there too. They do allow the goats inside with them. However, I have two or three ganders (still not sure on the head count) and four or five girls. Now that they are all living in such close proximity due to the snow, we've got all sorts of fighting going on!

Yesterday, I found one gander in the goat hutch standing on top of two geese (or one goose and one gander or two ganders, I'm not sure?) and was pecking the heck out of both! I chased him off of them and the one poor bird just laid in the corner with his or her head tucked in fear. I picked that one up and took it to the other side of the fence and he/she now has private quarters and has no desire to re-join the flock.

I'm not sure what to do in this situation? If I can't get them back on their own side of the fence then I'm stuck standing guard when I feed them to keep the goats away from the goose food.

I do have food out for them on the goose side of the fence with a path dug to it in the snow. They could get over there and eat it if they're hungry enough, but they don't seem to be making the effort.

 

[ralph a]

You should only have one gander for 4 to 6 females. If you have more ganders than females they will fight all the time from about late march to mid june . I know this because my ganders are about 3 to 1 and its fight and fight every day . When one of my few female make a nest one or more gander as a rule almost always stay close to her . But some times more then one will try and then they fight . I also had ganders that i had to do in because they would pick on a gander and kill it if given a chance. They go looking for it again after breaking them up.As for the feed if your feed does not float you could put it in a bucket of water . But fasten the bucket because if your goats are as smart as mine they will knock it over to get the feed.

 

[dianneS]

Thanks for the feedback.

The feed issue has worked itself out. The geese discovered my shoveled spot and have squeezed under the fence to their own side and are getting fed daily.

Yesterday, that dominant gander went after the same one that I moved to the opposite side of the fence again. I feel bad for the two submissive ganders, because they truly are submissive and they try very hard to stay out of the way of the dominant guy. The one who's getting beat up recently stays by himself on his own side of the fence now and never joins the rest of the flock, but they now cross over to his side of the fence and he gets attacked.

My poor livestock guardian dog is so stressed out about the goose fighting. He tries to break them up, but they usually just ignore him.

I think one of the girls may be broody now. I think she's been on the nest since yesterday and hasn't gotten off of it.

Of course I got my geese as goslings so had no idea how many were males/females until they mature. I guess I'll have to wait and see what happens next. If I have to get rid of a few, I guess I will, or maybe give them their own territory?