Dont forget to separate your breeders

[flockman]

Today I had to inform the geese that they would not be able to freerange in the yard for a while.

Boris' hormones seem to have kicked into gear. No breeding but as of today he has become so protective of Natasha that the kids couldn't go outside without an escort. Until today he would back down from them easily. Today he did not want to back down from me. Thanks to Olivehills response to a thread I put him in his place. I also got a nest area set up in their stall. Hope she likes it.

 

[psue]

It's that time of year.... I've got 1 gander I can't have ducks with and he was raised with them. Oh well, everyone to their corners till breeding season is over.

 

[Haunted55]

Today I had to inform the geese that they would not be able to freerange in the yard for a while.

Boris' hormones seem to have kicked into gear. No breeding but as of today he has become so protective of Natasha that the kids couldn't go outside without an escort. Until today he would back down from them easily. Today he did not want to back down from me. Thanks to Olivehills response to a thread I put him in his place. I also got a nest area set up in their stall. Hope she likes it.

It's that time of year.... I've got 1 gander I can't have ducks with and he was raised with them. Oh well, everyone to their corners till breeding season is over.

So far the geese have left the ducks alone but I am not going to take anymore chances. The ducks can have a room in their house and the geese the other. Not ideal conditions but can't build anymore this winter, no other place to house them and the weather is going to be so darned cold they are not going to be able to be out for at least a week. I need an addition on their building. Another 8x12' would do it. My husband is so going to kill me, lol, as we still have to build the housing for the extra roos I have.

If I had a place I could work inside, I could build some insulated pallet houses for their pen but I don't and maybe I'm wrong but I am not going to try and work outside in temps. below zero. I guess we're all going to have to hunker down and get through this the best we can.

 

[psue]

I don't have their daytime yard divided so everyone gets rotating days or part of days depending on the temps. I need at least 3 decent days in a row to let everyone out. 3 pair of geese and 2 sets of ducks

This is only my second year with geese so I'm still learning as well.

At this point ... when I get hissed at I can verbally respond and they all back down quickly. "Oh ****! It's Mom!" type attitude.

The old gander I had last year got bad enough I needed to block him from the nest so I could safely collect the eggs. We got them during breeding season last year.

I'm hoping the fact I've instilled I'm flock leader and keep reminding them of that will make this season a little better. Not counting on it though.

 

[EmAbTo48]

Question for anyone.

My geese have not been split yet and I am debating on even doing it since they have bonded with their mates totally. I have one pair of white sebs and a pair of cotton patch geese.

My cotton patch gander and seb gander never fight nor do they try to mate with the other ones mate at all. My seb female will actually kick the cotton patch female out of the pool so her and the seb gander can mate.... I am seeing more agression from my females then my males towards each other.

I know its early and things have just started but do you think I would even need to seperate into pens? Or will they be fine. The only thing I worry about is that they all stay together in a group. Will they seperate once the females are sitting? Will the females lay in the same nest and raise the babies together?

Hopefully I am not jinxing myself and in a few weeks from now my ganders are killing each other but they truly don't seem interested in any other goose besides their mates.

 

[psue]

Question for anyone.

My geese have not been split yet and I am debating on even doing it since they have bonded with their mates totally. I have one pair of white sebs and a pair of cotton patch geese.

My cotton patch gander and seb gander never fight Yet nor do they try to mate with the other ones mate Yet at all. My seb female will actually kick the cotton patch female out of the pool so her and the seb gander can mate.... I am seeing more agression from my females then my males towards each other.

I know its early and things have just started but do you think I would even need to seperate into pens? If you want pure babies... Yes Or will they be fine. The only thing I worry about is that they all stay together in a group. Will they seperate once the females are sitting? Will the females lay in the same nest Maybe and raise the babies together? Maybe

Hopefully I am not jinxing myself and in a few weeks from now my ganders are killing each other but they truly don't seem interested in any other goose besides their mates.

In my opinion either go ahead and separate or at least set things up so you can quickly. I believe as the breeding season progresses you will see fighting.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

geese are NOT monogamous, they will cross breed if allowed to free range together. If you want pure bred goslings, you separate them 30 days before eggs are ever laid to get everything in place the way you want it.

 

[Haunted55]

In my opinion either go ahead and separate or at least set things up so you can quickly. I believe as the breeding season progresses you will see fighting.

I have to agree with this, even though I am guilty of not doing so yet. I have 5 ganders who have mated but are still unattached, between the Embdens and Toulouse. Ling-Ling my Chinese gander came up with the gold watch. He has two Toulouse females and they will fight tooth and nail, so to speak, if another gander comes near them. One of the T is sitting a nest, well, pretending to sit a nest. She's playing house and practising for the real thing from the looks of it and what Celtic said. There isn't much fighting now. Some grabbing and chasing but I know this will change as the seasons start changing. A couple of weeks ago I had 3 ganders who looked like syncronised swimmers running in a circle holding onto the goose in front of him and flapping the outside wing. After I got my mouth closed, I broke that up and sent them to their respective corners.

I have the wood and the wire to seperate them and a huge dog crate if it comes down to it. Today, insulating in their house was finished, tomorrow, nesting boxes and brooder over them. Maybe the rough work for the pens as well. After what happened to my duck, I am not leaving anything to chance again.

 

[Haunted55]

geese are NOT monogamous, they will cross breed if allowed to free range together. If you want pure bred goslings, you separate them 30 days before eggs are ever laid to get everything in place the way you want it.

I don't mean to sound dumb but really? I honestly thought they were. Wow, okay 3 steps back and tomorrow 1 step forward. Like we discussed before Celtic, in my case it doesn't matter as much because they are hatchery broods but I would like to have some Toulouse and Embdens as close to pure as I can get. Now do I just say this is who you are going to be with, deal? Being new to them this just seems a bit mean. If it's how it's supposed to be I'll do it. Now another question, can they have 2 different partners during a breeding season?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

We as owners/breeders select who they are paired with. Then isolate them as pairs or trios with their own sleeping and turn out areas. I wouldnt swap girls around between ganders during a season, but thats just me. I rather see what is produced and make changes for the next year if needed.