Body Language

[HollyOakFarm]

Hi!
Here's some background:
I have American Buff Geese and recently got a couple of piercingly loud Chinese Geese. Someone heard that I'd gotten the Chinese geese from their previous owners and contacted me asking me to take their "African Goose". It lived alone with sheep in a pasture and their ram wasn't letting it hang around anymore. I felt bad for a lone goose, so I went and picked him/her up today...... unless Africans now come in white with blue eyes, I think he/she is a gigantic Chinese or African x Chinese.
Here's my question:
He (I'll just refer to him/her that way).... is using some new body language that I haven't seen directed at me before. He tries to get close to me, squats like a chicken hen would for mounting, and rubs his head/neck on the ground, sometimes quivering while doing it. He then tries to progress to nibbling my feet/legs (which I don't allow). He isn't really wanting to be left alone (in quarantine pen, but can see/hear the other geese).... and calls to me incessantly when I leave him. I know he's insecure and stressed right now. I'm wondering what the squatting with his neck out, rubbing on the ground and shivering means. Anyone have an interpretation of the behavior for me? Is it aggressive, dominance, submissive, flirting or ? How should I react to his behavior?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

@Goosebaby

 

[Goosebaby]

Hi!
Here's some background:
I have American Buff Geese and recently got a couple of piercingly loud Chinese Geese. Someone heard that I'd gotten the Chinese geese from their previous owners and contacted me asking me to take their "African Goose". It lived alone with sheep in a pasture and their ram wasn't letting it hang around anymore. I felt bad for a lone goose, so I went and picked him/her up today...... unless Africans now come in white with blue eyes, I think he/she is a gigantic Chinese or African x Chinese.
Here's my question:
He (I'll just refer to him/her that way).... is using some new body language that I haven't seen directed at me before. He tries to get close to me, squats like a chicken hen would for mounting, and rubs his head/neck on the ground, sometimes quivering while doing it. He then tries to progress to nibbling my feet/legs (which I don't allow). He isn't really wanting to be left alone (in quarantine pen, but can see/hear the other geese).... and calls to me incessantly when I leave him. I know he's insecure and stressed right now. I'm wondering what the squatting with his neck out, rubbing on the ground and shivering means. Anyone have an interpretation of the behavior for me? Is it aggressive, dominance, submissive, flirting or ? How should I react to his behavior?

Flirting! He/she has a crush on you!


The quivering is nervousness, sometimes it can mean a warning, all in all it’s flirting, but he/she is also letting you know that they’re confused and not sure how they fit into everything and who you are in their life yet.

Generally females squat more than males but sometimes you just never know with geese.

There are white Africans, they aren’t as common though so it could be an African, or a white Chinese African cross.

 

[HollyOakFarm]

Flirting! He/she has a crush on you!


The quivering is nervousness, sometimes it can mean a warning, all in all it’s flirting, but he/she is also letting you know that they’re confused and not sure how they fit into everything and who you are in their life yet.

Generally females squat more than males but sometimes you just never know with geese.

There are white Africans, they aren’t as common though so it could be an African, or a white Chinese African cross.

Thank Goodness! Thank you! I was feeling anxious myself!
My dream goose is an African, because I had one as a teenager, that was just the best guy. So when this one came up, I was like: could this be "the" goose I was looking for..... I get there, it's African sized/built, but white. Has a totally different voice than my Chinese and is a lot more calm. Seems more similar in weight to my American Buffs.
What is the right way to react to the behavior since it seems to escalate into such enthusiastic nibbling/biting? I'm ok with it, I just don't want to encourage aggression.
Again: thank you!

 

[Iain Utah]

I agree with Goosebaby. What you are describing is courting behavior. I had a hatchery quality african gander who was extremely bonded with me and acted that way his whole life until he sadly passed last year at 9yo. If he gets too pushy with nibbling, etc., then pick him up like a baby and carry him around. It works like a charm.

I have a few white africans. They are wonderful birds. Their overall size, thickness through neck, and shape of knob are different from chinese.

 

[HollyOakFarm]

I agree with Goosebaby. What you are describing is courting behavior. I had a hatchery quality african gander who was extremely bonded with me and acted that way his whole life until he sadly passed last year at 9yo. If he gets too pushy with nibbling, etc., then pick him up like a baby and carry him around. It works like a charm.

I have a few white africans. They are wonderful birds. Their overall size, thickness through neck, and shape of knob are different from chinese.
View attachment 2999487

I will do that today! My goose looks exactly like the pic above minus the dewlap. Totally different from the Chinese in all but color and bump. Thank you! I think I finally got my African.

 

[Goosebaby]

Thank Goodness! Thank you! I was feeling anxious myself!
My dream goose is an African, because I had one as a teenager, that was just the best guy. So when this one came up, I was like: could this be "the" goose I was looking for..... I get there, it's African sized/built, but white. Has a totally different voice than my Chinese and is a lot more calm. Seems more similar in weight to my American Buffs.
What is the right way to react to the behavior since it seems to escalate into such enthusiastic nibbling/biting? I'm ok with it, I just don't want to encourage aggression.
Again: thank you!

He’s going to be hormonal for awhile, it will probably settle down mid spring. Just do as @Iain Utah suggested and pick him up if he’s too enthusiastic. Spending time with him will keep him friendly too you, in my expierience if you don’t spend time with ganders they start to assume you’re not a friend and then they can get hostile.
It can be a bit much getting “hit on” by a goose, but it’s better than all out attacks

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Can we see a picture of your geese?

 

[HollyOakFarm]

He’s going to be hormonal for awhile, it will probably settle down mid spring. Just do as @Iain Utah suggested and pick him up if he’s too enthusiastic. Spending time with him will keep him friendly too you, in my expierience if you don’t spend time with ganders they start to assume you’re not a friend and then they can get hostile.
It can be a bit much getting “hit on” by a goose, but it’s better than all out attacks

Truer words have never been said!

 

[HollyOakFarm]

Can we see a picture of your geese?

First pic of white goose alone is the new one, then a pic of some of my Buff Americans, and a pic of my two (LOUD) Chinese.