Can you train a goose?

[luvchicks8]

To not be so aggressive? I saved three grown geese from the pot today 3 are nice and one not so much. I just got them home so It's dark but I will post pics tomorrow? I have never owned geese before. I believe 2 are Toulous (spelling?) the other is all white not sure what she is called. The more aggressive goose is a toulose who lost his mate to a neighbor dog after that she has had trouble with him? Anyway I feel bad for him so I want to give him a chance he is in indoor/outdoor incloser with the other 2 geese?

 

[Kim65]

Some ganders are just buttheads. But I'm pretty sure they can be "trained", with constant reinforcement and a lot of YOU working around natural goose behavior.

BTW, thanks for saving them from the pot

I know people eat geese

but it would be like eating a cat or dog to me (and plenty of people eat THOSE).

I had a Toulouse gander named Pinhead, who would eat out of my hand AND bite and attack me. He didn't know what to do first, and often did both at the same time. I had to watch my back around him b/c he would sneak up behind me and let me have it.

You have to relate to an aggressive goose like you were a BIGGER and MEANER goose yourself. There is no "taming" one that I know of, other than being bigger and badder, then he will keep a respectful distance. He can be a beautiful yard ornament, and watch out for his girls, eat your weeds, all that, but he can't be turned into a teddy bear.

Geese have few defenses, and domestic geese can't even fly away. They are prey animals. They have nothing but aggression, obnoxiousness and being "too scary to eat". With that in mind, I systematically taught Pinhead not to mess with me.

If he came up and attacked my legs, I would pick him up and hold him like a football. This is humiliating to them. Or, I would speak "gander" to him by taking him by the back of the neck and pressing his neck to the ground, forcing him to "submit" his manliness to me. Then I would put him down, or let him go, and chase him around a little bit with my arms spread wide (my wings are bigger than your wings). He would lay off me for a couple of weeks, and then I'd have to remind him again. I rehomed that flock during high breeding season, so Pinhead and I went at each other about once a week. He was much more respectful during the other months.

My current gander Petey likes me, but no one else. If a person walks up to him and shows no fear, he runs screaming like a little girl and keeps his distance, but if that person backs up, he's after them.

This probably sounds scary to a person who has never had geese before. A lot of people are afraid of geese. Even the vet techs where I take my birds were all huddled in a corner when I brought my female goose in for a leg xray. They were shocked she just ignored them and preened. A few tried to pet her but fell over themselves avoiding her bill

, like she'd take off a finger and eat it.

My advice for now is keep them penned, show them you are the Food Bringer and hang out near the pen and talk to them till they get used to their new home. The gander will be afraid of you most likely. Keep it that way. Don't back up or run from him, run toward him with your arms out. He won't hate you, he will RESPECT you.

 

[SkyWarrior]

I have two geese -- a Toulouse and an African. Both are a kick. Most of the aggressiveness is posturing as Kim65 said. You act fearful, you get aggressive geese. You act big and in control and they generally respect that. (I'd be careful about my fingers though

) Mine hate it when I pick them up, so they do what I want them to do (namely move from one pen to another) rather than suffer the indignity of being picked up. They squeal like little girls when I do that. My DH said they were "scary big." I picked them up to prove what weenies they are and he laughed and was no longer afraid. They're really like that.

Watch how they approach and act. A lot of their behavior will show you how to behave. I will honk with arms wide running away from them when I want them to follow me or, if I approach using that technique, it's to move them away. And no, I'm not putting that up on YouTube.

 

[luvchicks8]

Ok bigger problem they got out. Not on there own my 5 year old opened the pen and now there at my brook swimming will they come back to the pen or not?

 

[texascowboy1979]

If they are feed trained.. then yes. If they know where they normally get fed.. they should be back..

All my animals are feed trained.. the know exactly whats in the Mega Glup Glass from the gas station.. Food... Ive use two glasses, a white one... and the one from the store which is white with huge red stripes... and they go for the stripes one every time...

Ive even had them wait at the feed trays for me to feed them

Feed trained... GOt to love it...

 

[luvchicks8]

well these I just got yesterday but they did come back to the coop but not in and I am ok with that.

 

[Kim65]

Be careful about your five year old around them, just in case. I don't mean to be TOO cautious and scare you. Teach your five year old to respect the geese, to be "bigger and meaner" than them, to not run from them. But also to not taunt them in their pen. Even kind children can hardly resist the urges sometimes

The geese probably couldn't cause him serious injury, but serious pain? Yes.

Respecting them means to give them their space but also to tolerate your presence.

Keep their feed up by the coop, they'll know where the goods are.

Next year during breeding season (roughly January thru May, depending on your location) the girls will probably nest down by the creek. Something to keep in mind for future planning, in case you don't want them to do that.