Can a Flightless Duck be happy and Dominant Goose Behaviour?

[Allears]

Hi All,
A few months back I was considering rehoming my embden girl because I felt bad that she was on her own. The response generally was that it is better for a goose to have company, but because my girl has plenty of space and gets attention, she should be fine.

I nearly rehomed her as a mate to a Chinese goose, but suddenly became carer to a mallard x Muscovy duck. Female I think because it chirps. My goose was very curious about the new arrival, but no nastiness unless the duck tried to use her pool. Well that lasted all of one day and the duck has quickly become a favourite "pool toy"! Is it dominant behaviour if the goose climbs on top of the duck in the water and keeps dunking it and pushing it around? No mating behaviour, she does the same with her other toys. Duck actually seems to enjoy it and follows goose where ever she goes. It even sleeps near gooses nest. Talk about David and Goliath! the duck is more mallard than Muscovy and there's about a 6kg weight difference, thank heaven for buoyancy.

Disaster struck two days after duck arrived though. Something startled duck and it flew away. Goose was actually looking for it! I posted a notice on Facebook and put flyers in post boxes and eventually got a call to say there was a duck on someones roof. I went to catch it and sure enough it was "my" duck with a badly broken wing; a joint fracture in shoulder. It must have struck something and dropped.

I've strapped the wing, but duck'll probably end up with a frozen shoulder because I can't afford the surgery. If it was a wild bird I would euthanase, but surely duck can have a good life without flying? It's eating and drinking and I've got it in a crate for the next two weeks at least.

Input anyone?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi All,
A few months back I was considering rehoming my embden girl because I felt bad that she was on her own. The response generally was that it is better for a goose to have company, but because my girl has plenty of space and gets attention, she should be fine.

I nearly rehomed her as a mate to a Chinese goose, but suddenly became carer to a mallard x Muscovy duck. Female I think because it chirps. My goose was very curious about the new arrival, but no nastiness unless the duck tried to use her pool. Well that lasted all of one day and the duck has quickly become a favourite "pool toy"! Is it dominant behaviour if the goose climbs on top of the duck in the water and keeps dunking it and pushing it around? No mating behaviour, she does the same with her other toys. Duck actually seems to enjoy it and follows goose where ever she goes. It even sleeps near gooses nest. Talk about David and Goliath! the duck is more mallard than Muscovy and there's about a 6kg weight difference, thank heaven for buoyancy.

Disaster struck two days after duck arrived though. Something startled duck and it flew away. Goose was actually looking for it! I posted a notice on Facebook and put flyers in post boxes and eventually got a call to say there was a duck on someones roof. I went to catch it and sure enough it was "my" duck with a badly broken wing; a joint fracture in shoulder. It must have struck something and dropped.

I've strapped the wing, but duck'll probably end up with a frozen shoulder because I can't afford the surgery. If it was a wild bird I would euthanase, but surely duck can have a good life without flying? It's eating and drinking and I've got it in a crate for the next two weeks at least.

Input anyone?

Your so right that duck will be fine not flying and at least she'll stay home now. I think it's so funny she gets on top of the duck like a play toy but it could also be a little mating behavior too. At least so far she hasn't drowned the duck . I am happy your goose has a friend she needed one. and i am also happy you didn't give her up sounds like they have a special place there with you. please post pics of your duck and goose when you can. of course Muscovy's hold a special place in my heart even mixed ones.

 

[Carrosaur]

Yes pictures are a must! Ducks are perfectly fine if they can't fly as long as they're domestic and have a safe place to go!

 

[Allears]

That's such good news.

This is what startled the duck, its a young Grey Heron and they eat small mammals and baby water fowl

Goose and her pool toys,






Orphaned Egyptian geese goslings that I'm fostering. It's breeding seas on here now and they take over peoples swimming pools. When you catch the babies the parents abandon them. They're not bad parents, but it's a survival thing so they can raise another clutch if a predator gets the babies. They are in a safe covered pen if I'm not with them, so the heron won't get them. (One very curious young roo in the background).



Duck Duck in recovery with her strapped wing. I think she may still be a young bird....




Can you see the red lips on the end of her bill?

 

[Carrosaur]

That's such good news. This is what startled the duck, its a young Grey Heron and they eat small mammals and baby water fowl Goose and her pool toys, Orphaned Egyptian geese goslings that I'm fostering. It's breeding seas on here now and they take over peoples swimming pools. When you catch the babies the parents abandon them. They're not bad parents, but it's a survival thing so they can raise another clutch if a predator gets the babies. They are in a safe covered pen if I'm not with them, so the heron won't get them. (One very curious young roo in the background). Duck Duck in recovery with her strapped wing. I think she may still be a young bird.... Can you see the red lips on the end of her bill?

She's gorgeous! And those babies!

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's such good news.

This is what startled the duck, its a young Grey Heron and they eat small mammals and baby water fowl

Goose and her pool toys,






Orphaned Egyptian geese goslings that I'm fostering. It's breeding seas on here now and they take over peoples swimming pools. When you catch the babies the parents abandon them. They're not bad parents, but it's a survival thing so they can raise another clutch if a predator gets the babies. They are in a safe covered pen if I'm not with them, so the heron won't get them. (One very curious young roo in the background).



Duck Duck in recovery with her strapped wing. I think she may still be a young bird....




Can you see the red lips on the end of her bill?

Aww she is gorgeous and looks like she is going to have some red caruncles, glad she is on the mend. those baby Egyptian goslings are so precious do they get released when old enough? And goose with her pool toys such a sweet girl, does she get visitation times to visit her friend duck duck ? Your doing an excellent job there. We have herons in our mountain river I always worry they will get some of the Canada goslings. I'm sure they try.

 

[Allears]

Aww she is gorgeous and looks like she is going to have some red caruncles, glad she is on the mend. those baby Egyptian goslings are so precious do they get released when old enough? And goose with her pool toys such a sweet girl, does she get visitation times to visit her friend duck duck ? Your doing an excellent job there. We have herons in our mountain river I always worry they will get some of the Canada goslings I'm sure they try.

I thought Duck-Duck may be more mallard than muscovey and that's why she doesn't have the caruncles. At what age do the caruncles start developing, she must be pretty young then?
Goose and Duck-Duck only hear each other at this stage, but I'll put Duck-Ducks crate in the yard and let them visit that way. That's it for the next month at least because goose is SO much bigger and could do some serious damage to that wing. Duck weighs only 1.7kg.
The goslings get released onto farm land as soon as they start attempting their "running take-off". I don't handle more than is absolutely necessary so they stay pretty wild, which gives them a better chance at survival when they get released.
I tried to put them under Goose because she is still laying,but she is terrified of them. She ran, the goslings ran after her, which made her run even faster

The little ones were exhausted, but I think they're also safer in an enclosure since the heron moved in.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I thought Duck-Duck may be more mallard than muscovey and that's why she doesn't have the caruncles. At what age do the caruncles start developing, she must be pretty young then?
Goose and Duck-Duck only hear each other at this stage, but I'll put Duck-Ducks crate in the yard and let them visit that way. That's it for the next month at least because goose is SO much bigger and could do some serious damage to that wing. Duck weighs only 1.7kg.
The goslings get released onto farm land as soon as they start attempting their "running take-off". I don't handle more than is absolutely necessary so they stay pretty wild, which gives them a better chance at survival when they get released.
I tried to put them under Goose because she is still laying,but she is terrified of them. She ran, the goslings ran after her, which made her run even faster

The little ones were exhausted, but I think they're also safer in an enclosure since the heron moved in.

sorry but I was picturing your goose running from those lil gosling, I have seen it here the adults scared of the ducklings and gosling and running from them. lol Looks like she has some red above her bill? or am I seeing something else? she could be last years hatch or do they hatch year round there because of temps? here they stop laying in Oct and don't start back up till spring then brooding and hatching begins. That's a good idea that goose only gets to visit through the crate even an accidental step on could be serious. I bet you enjoy caring for all your babies, Do they hunt Egyptian geese in SA?

 

[Miss Lydia]

sorry but I was picturing your goose running from those lil gosling, I have seen it here the adults scared of the ducklings and gosling and running from them. lol Looks like she has some red above her bill? or am I seeing something else? she could be last years hatch or do they hatch year round there because of temps? here they stop laying in Oct and don't start back up till spring then brooding and hatching begins. That's a good idea that goose only gets to visit through the crate even an accidental step on could be serious. I bet you enjoy caring for all your babies, Do they hunt Egyptian geese in SA?

usually around 4 months you begin to see the caruncles start to develop she maybe pretty young or because she is Mallard/Muscovy she may not get much if any.

 

[Allears]

It was very funny to see and I had a good giggle too

My eyes aren't that great so you may see something I don't

I can only see the little red patch at the end of Ducks bill, which looks like lipstick to me. I'll find out about the Muscovey's breeding habits, but you're most likely right that they breed year round due to the warmer climate.

Hunting of Egyptian Geese is permitted here :-( The aggressive territorial breeding habits of the geese means they take over nesting sites of our indigenous water fowl. I've never heard of anyone actually hunting them though, not in these parts. There are still a good number of smallholdings on the outskirts of P.E and that's where these little ones will go when they start to fly.

Thanks so much for your input Miss Lydia and Carrosaur.