Fighting Geese - Help!

[LindseyM12]

I hopefully have a pair of African geese. They are very young, they just got to the adult size. I ordered them from Ideal as a pair. But I'm not sure if they are a pair though. Every time they try to get in the same pool, they grab each other on there back right behind there neck.

I'm wondering if they are both boys. I'm afraid that they are going to hurt themselves. Please help, Thanks!!

 

[cat1994]

I think they are both males, have you gotten any eggs? If not I think they are boys.

 

[Puddle Foot Farm]

That's just geese being geese and figuring out dominance. My girls do it to each other too. Also, depending on the climate, you will probably not get any eggs until next spring, as that is when the traditional breeding season for geese is (February - May). The best way to tell sex is voice sexing. Males make a screechy noise, and females don't really. Also, male Africans will get bigger knobs than females. This may not be noticeable for a while, though. Do not give up hope on them yet - I find it much more reliable to sex by voices and knobs than by behavior.

If you do end up having two boys, they should get along fine as long as no females are introduced, and they were raised together. If you want though, you could get them a pair or two of girls once you have confirmed sex. Do not do this unless the sex is confirmed though, as oftentimes males will get overwhelmed with several females (my gander only likes having 2 girls), and the excess girls will be ostracized from the flock and beaten up by the gander, especially during breeding season.

 

[RedRoosterFarm]

you would think boys but mine are in the creek all the time and grab each other like that and some are male and some female. Might sex them or wait till breeding season.

 

[LindseyM12]

Thanks guys! I ordered them as a pair from Ideal. They are way too young to be laying eggs yet.

 

[desertdarlene]

I hope they figure it out. I've seen two males get along perfectly with no problem, so I don't think it's a gender thing. Perhaps they're at that almost teenage stage where they like to push each other around a lot.

 

[noahsgeese]

If it's a girl and a boy then geese love to mate in the water and what you have just said makes me think that it is kind-of like mating

Do you have any other female geese?