Flock Dynamics

[judyc]

I have a dominant gander that kills small chicks, ducklings, and goslings if he can get to them. He is scheduled to be removed from the flock on January second. Will his mate go on to choose from two other ganders before the breeding season?

 

[AGeese]

I have a dominant gander that kills small chicks, ducklings, and goslings if he can get to them. He is scheduled to be removed from the flock on January second. Will his mate go on to choose from two other ganders before the breeding season?

That's anyone's guess.

 

[JRies]

I have a dominant gander that kills small chicks, ducklings, and goslings if he can get to them. He is scheduled to be removed from the flock on January second. Will his mate go on to choose from two other ganders before the breeding season?

Some decisions are hard, sounds like your making the right one, It may take some time but eventually she should be able to adjust. The girls may out her a bit. But in time should work out. Girls just want there eggs fertilized. My girls have always adjusted well when I had to pull there Controlling or should I say out of control Gander.

 

[judyc]

Some decisions are hard, sounds like your making the right one, It may take some time but eventually she should be able to adjust. The girls may out her a bit. But in time should work out. Girls just want there eggs fertilized. My girls have always adjusted well when I had to pull there Controlling or should I say out of control Gander.

Well, regardless if she mates this season or not, he's got to go. He's four years old now, so he isn't going to change.

 

[Goosehill]

I’m interested to hear what others have to say in this regard as I removed a gander for the same reasons just before Christmas. One had paired with him but so far she hasn’t shown any signs of upset.
No prizes for guessing where he went, popular and tasty too…

 

[judyc]

I’m interested to hear what others have to say in this regard as I removed a gander for the same reasons just before Christmas. One had paired with him but so far she hasn’t shown any signs of upset.
No prizes for guessing where he went, popular and tasty too…

So, how old was your gander? How did you prepare the feast to make him tasty?

 

[Goosehill]

So, how old was your gander? How did you prepare the feast to make him tasty?

He was 3 years old, raised on grass. Plucked in the usual way and roasted, I must confess I wasn't involved in the kitchen proceedings supervised by my French aunt. It seems that everything tastes better cooked in goose fat and it was carefully filtered into jars.
The dynamic of the flock is totally different now and the girls seem to be accompanied by the dominant gander when grazing rather than being chased and feathers pulled every time.