Confused and shocked

[Boomerforever]

Has anyone on here ever had a goose try to mate you??!! Like I'm shocked and (I'll be honest) a little afraid of my gooses behavior an hour ago. Sitting out in the yard w him next to his pool, feeding him clovers,he suddenly started frantically pecking my head...hard. then jumps in my lap,and literally tries to jump on my head! I sat him down and he starts doing a weird neck swirly thing,that I've never seen him do before. Like dipping his head low and back up. I had to stand up bc he wouldn't stop. Even then,he tried to make himself taller,bumping my stomach w his beak. My daughter walked out then and sat down and he literally walked up to her and did it to her! He like just walked up and jumped in her lap and started pecking her head to hard. Then tried to fly on top of her head. Like IM BAFFLED! He has NEVER done that before! Idk if he is mad and attacking us or is it possible he was trying to mate us? I mean surely not,right? He's almost 5 months old and I hand raised him. Help please...

 

[GooseMom27]

Don't ask me why, but yes ganders will try to mate with you. My gander "adores" me and during mating season, I keep my distance. He'll follow me everywhere but anytime he gets too close, I just step away. I'm hoping his new female will change that this coming spring, but I doubt it.
I do believe hand raising only makes it a stronger bond. My gander was hand raised by my step mom. Long story short, he LOVES women, but hates men.
I would be a little surprised that he's trying to mate with you so late in the season but since he's young, he's just excited.
With everything you described, I'd be 99.99% sure it's a mating attempt and not an attack.
Hoped that helped a bit!

 

[Goosebaby]

Yep, consider it a good sign, it’s better than being attacked.

 

[sweaterthebroodyrooster]

Well, I’ve never owned a goose but we had a Roo that would try to mate my brother several years ago, me and my sister always went out armed with a broom and mop after a few beatings he stoped.

I would never do that to a sweet Roo, drake, or gander but Buddy (Ironically that was our Roos name) was mean from the start so we didn’t care at that point.

 

[Boomerforever]

Don't ask me why, but yes ganders will try to mate with you. My gander "adores" me and during mating season, I keep my distance. He'll follow me everywhere but anytime he gets too close, I just step away. I'm hoping his new female will change that this coming spring, but I doubt it.
I do believe hand raising only makes it a stronger bond. My gander was hand raised by my step mom. Long story short, he LOVES women, but hates men.
I would be a little surprised that he's trying to mate with you so late in the season but since he's young, he's just excited.
With everything you described, I'd be 99.99% sure it's a mating attempt and not an attack.
Hoped that helped a bit!

Thank you so much! So do they peck the goose while mating? That's crazy. Well thank you so much for your help. I also didn't think he was old enough to mate or breed at 4in a half,5 months

 

[Boomerforever]

Yep, consider it a good sign, it’s better than being attacked.

Thank you

 

[Boomerforever]

Don't ask me why, but yes ganders will try to mate with you. My gander "adores" me and during mating season, I keep my distance. He'll follow me everywhere but anytime he gets too close, I just step away. I'm hoping his new female will change that this coming spring, but I doubt it.
I do believe hand raising only makes it a stronger bond. My gander was hand raised by my step mom. Long story short, he LOVES women, but hates men.
I would be a little surprised that he's trying to mate with you so late in the season but since he's young, he's just excited.
With everything you described, I'd be 99.99% sure it's a mating attempt and not an attack.
Hoped that helped a bit!

So update! Yes I am pretty sure he's trying to mate my face! He again this morning tried to grab my hair for leverage and climb on top of my head. I keep gently setting him back down and holding my hand against him so he doesn't keep coming, saying no...., but he keeps coming. I finally had to stand up. I just don't know how to preceed..I usually sit w them twice a day. Now how am I supposed to do that?

 

[GooseMom27]

So update! Yes I am pretty sure he's trying to mate my face! He again this morning tried to grab my hair for leverage and climb on top of my head. I keep gently setting him back down and holding my hand against him so he doesn't keep coming, saying no...., but he keeps coming. I finally had to stand up. I just don't know how to preceed..I usually sit w them twice a day. Now how am I supposed to do that?

I'm not sure I can be of any help since I personally just avoid sitting in one spot to avoid his attempts. Instead we go for little walks. I'll wonder around the yard in small stretches (keep just a step or two ahead of him) and he will follow me in hopes to mate. I figure this way he gets his exercise but we're still bonding and spending time together. If you insist on being able to sit with him, you might have to sit with a barricade of some sorts. For instance, my gander HATES rakes. So sometimes I'll sit with a rake leaning on my shoulder. It's enough to keep him off of me, but not too much so he still sits close by.
I'm sure that wasn't the answer you were hoping for, but hang in there, it probably won't last forever.

 

[GooseMom27]

Thank you so much! So do they peck the goose while mating? That's crazy. Well thank you so much for your help. I also didn't think he was old enough to mate or breed at 4in a half,5 months

I'm not sure about age, but I'm not surprised considering the rapid rate geese grow. When a gander is mating with a female, he will grab at the back of her neck/feathers. It's a way of holding on and having control.

 

[Boomerforever]

I'm not sure I can be of any help since I personally just avoid sitting in one spot to avoid his attempts. Instead we go for little walks. I'll wonder around the yard in small stretches (keep just a step or two ahead of him) and he will follow me in hopes to mate. I figure this way he gets his exercise but we're still bonding and spending time together. If you insist on being able to sit with him, you might have to sit with a barricade of some sorts. For instance, my gander HATES rakes. So sometimes I'll sit with a rake leaning on my shoulder. It's enough to keep him off of me, but not too much so he still sits close by.
I'm sure that wasn't the answer you were hoping for, but hang in there, it probably won't last forever.

Thank you. Well, we're past mating now. He has moved on to attacking my son and now me. We have bruises all over us. Idk if it's a dominance thing or what,but I am exhausted. Every time we go out there,he bites us hard, repeatedly. And leaves bruises. I have tried the picking him up and holding him until I'm ready to let him down. But he just keeps coming right back . I've even tried the hold him down thing like pinning him like geese do when they fight. But he just gets back up and bites again...I'm exhausted and in tears by the time it's over