frustrated with my goslings! they don't like me

[Carrosaur]

I have a small pen set up inside the goose yard and I walk them over to that corner very calm and slow and they all just file in the pen, and when they're in there they kinda just give up and let me pick them up if I need to.

 

[donkeydew2farms]

juanb I have 2 goslings and 2 ducklings they will be 4 weeks tomorrow. They are in the house when I am not home and I have to pick them up to go out side I use a dog carrier now to transport them and I leave it out there in there pen against the fence and heard them in at nite it takes time but it is working and they will learn the carrier is safe place.as far as the older ducks and geese they see a bowl of peas and corn on the cobb they all go inside there pens. I fine the geese are not as flighty as the ducklings. good luck.

 

[HeritageGoose13]

There is a lot of misinformation about geese out there. Really, all the books out there have been insufficient. I mostly raise them like hyper-sensitive, hyper-intelligient ducks- if that makes any sense!

 

[Juan B]

Ok, I didn't get a picture of their setup today due to foul (hahaha) weather, BUT the evening "routine" went MUCH MUCH smoother this evening. My wife helped me to corral them into one corner near the opening of their house as calmly as possible. I picked up the first goose, and it reluctantly took the few steps up the ramp and inside. Everyone else ran off.

Then I corralled them back into the corner and did the same with the second goose, really really calmly. By the time the second goose was in, some jumped in on their own to be together. The remaining 4 ran off again, but we're even easier to coax back. My wife and I stepped away a few steps from the door, and they all reluctantly jumped in!

I had stopped to get a couple ears of sweet corn on my way home, but they wouldn't take it from me. So once they were all inside, I put it in their grain bucket. They were predictably scared of it. They would run back, then approach the bucket. When they saw the corn in there, they'd run again. Hopefully they'll discover it before I let them out in the morning!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok, I didn't get a picture of their setup today due to foul (hahaha) weather, BUT the evening "routine" went MUCH MUCH smoother this evening. My wife helped me to corral them into one corner near the opening of their house as calmly as possible. I picked up the first goose, and it reluctantly took the few steps up the ramp and inside. Everyone else ran off.

Then I corralled them back into the corner and did the same with the second goose, really really calmly. By the time the second goose was in, some jumped in on their own to be together. The remaining 4 ran off again, but we're even easier to coax back. My wife and I stepped away a few steps from the door, and they all reluctantly jumped in!

I had stopped to get a couple ears of sweet corn on my way home, but they wouldn't take it from me. So once they were all inside, I put it in their grain bucket. They were predictably scared of it. They would run back, then approach the bucket. When they saw the corn in there, they'd run again. Hopefully they'll discover it before I let them out in the morning!

Sounds like progress and they are so funny with new things. Keep us updated I think your on a roll

 

[The goose girl]

There is a lot of misinformation about geese out there. Really, all the books out there have been insufficient. I mostly raise them like hyper-sensitive, hyper-intelligient ducks- if that makes any sense!

One of my books, "Barnyard in your Backyard", is spot on regarding night time sheltering:

"Because they don't like to be indoors, you'll need to train your bevy or gaggle from the start to go inside at night. Have a plan for getting them from their favorite resting place to the shelter door, perhaps by enlisting help or arranging doors and gates to funnel them in the desired direction. If the first time out they lead you around the barn and through the garden, be prepared to take that same circuitous route every evening from then on."

I laughed out loud when reading that - so typical for geese!

 

[Miss Lydia]

One of my books, "Barnyard in your Backyard", is spot on regarding night time sheltering:

"Because they don't like to be indoors, you'll need to train your bevy or gaggle from the start to go inside at night. Have a plan for getting them from their favorite resting place to the shelter door, perhaps by enlisting help or arranging doors and gates to funnel them in the desired direction. If the first time out they lead you around the barn and through the garden, be prepared to take that same circuitous route every evening from then on."

I laughed out loud when reading that - so typical for geese!

That is funny and very true.

 

[Juan B]

Edit: Picture didn't upload for some reason. I'll check site info and try again later

 

[EvenLater]

Quote: Can't upset me! I know my goose is weird! LOL




But...our relationship built over time, constant daily interaction, praise and rewards. While my goose is imprinted on people and yours are not, he still doesn't like to be chased or corralled, and prefers a game of "can't catch me!" when we're outside. I found early on what his very favorite "I'll do ANYTHING for that!" treat is and now I use it to get him to come to me rather than running all over after him.

For him, it's dried meal worms (which we comically call "Goose Crack" in our house! LOL) and he's even learned what the bag looks like, so even from across the yard all he has to do is see me holding the bag and he comes running! Maybe you can (through much trial and error because they get weird about anything new lol) find a treat they really love, and make it a bedtime special treat they only get once they are in their house? Cas only gets his worms at bedtime too, or on the rare occasion he's run off and I need him to come back to me, I call him with them. They are INCREDIBLY smart and WILL learn a routine that's repeated consistently.

 

[Allears]

I've never "owned" a goose before and know very little about them, but I got my embden goose when she was well over a year. I have no idea what her history was because she came in as an injured bird. I have had her for a just over a year and she now eats from my hand and allows me to sit within arms length of her nest. I always try to move slowly when she is near and when she starts muttering at me, I give her space. Considering that I was the one who had to catch her (with a fishing net) and put her in a cat box to transport her for treatment, she has been very forgiving indeed! She must have been raised as a pet though.