gander aggression questions

[AKMommaF8]

@AKMommaF8, good question. You directed it to @Goosebaby, so I won't answer it for her. I do, however, want to commend you for asking about the proper way to handle what are, potentially, large and strong birds. If you handle them incorrectly, you may find yourself bruised and battered - I had to grab a goose (I have Pilgrims) to put her back on the right side of a poultry net she'd flown over and she wasn't at all cooperative. She decided to flap her strong wings while I lifted her over the fence and gently set her on the ground...I've done martial arts and it felt very similar to being punched in the upper chest. Later, I sported colorful bruises all over the area. Formidable creatures!

I find my Muscovy more similar to geese than ducks and have been slapped silly by their strong wings, too. Oh, and scratched by sharp nails. Lesson learned? Tuck wings in and keep arms/hands clear of the feet!

@AKMommaF8, good question. You directed it to @Goosebaby, so I won't answer it for her. I do, however, want to commend you for asking about the proper way to handle what are, potentially, large and strong birds. If you handle them incorrectly, you may find yourself bruised and battered - I had to grab a goose (I have Pilgrims) to put her back on the right side of a poultry net she'd flown over and she wasn't at all cooperative. She decided to flap her strong wings while I lifted her over the fence and gently set her on the ground...I've done martial arts and it felt very similar to being punched in the upper chest. Later, I sported colorful bruises all over the area. Formidable creatures!

I find my Muscovy more similar to geese than ducks and have been slapped silly by their strong wings, too. Oh, and scratched by sharp nails. Lesson learned? Tuck wings in and keep arms/hands clear of the feet!

Thank you so much for writing! I too have Muscovy, & have had them smack me really hard in the face with their powerful wings, (ouch!) so I totally get what you mean. I also have Pilgrims!

 

[Leader Bee]

Thankfully ive hand raised mine feom being very young and most times pickig them up is as simple as putting a hand under his butt and another arm around his chest. Then saying "are you ready?" A few times...beep is better than norbie at it butbthen, he's always been the smarter of the two, but they'll generally just lower their keel into my arms and slowly lift up their legs when they feel my hands make contact with them.

 

[Goosebaby]

Thank you, Goosebaby, for sharing your wisdom! While I've had chickens & ducks for years, I'm a newbie to geese.

I do have a question... how on earth does one lift a Toulouse goose? I've only had my pair for about 2 months, & haven't had to do any lifting, but my pair look really heavy... like turkey heavy. At 5'3", I'm really impressed y'all can heft them... though I guess when you're ticked off, they might seem small! (No, I'm not helpless or weak, but they aren't puny birds like my Welsh Harlequin ducks, either!)

It depends on the goose. Those that are used to being picked up and enjoy it like being scooped up from the front, you place both hands under their center of weight, between the legs and lift, mine usually prepare themselves to be picked up if I say SCOOP.
Others even if they’re friendly don’t like being picked up, mine that are like this tend to get a full body hug, legs faced away from my body because they tend to kick.
Agressive geese have a different method of being picked up, you have to restrain their head and wings.

I’m 5’3” too, most of the heaviest ganders are around 20 pounds so they’re lighter than they look, the hardest thing to deal with is the wings, that’s where all of their strength is at, bites can be bad but the wings can be worse.

When dealing with an attacking gander the same philosophy applies to them as when walking around the back end of a horse, the closer you are the less damage they can do to you, so when a gander is charging grab them by the head so they can’t bite, pull them towards you and as fast as you can hook your other arm around their torso to pin their wings and lift.

 

[Goosebaby]

@AKMommaF8, good question. You directed it to @Goosebaby, so I won't answer it for her. I do, however, want to commend you for asking about the proper way to handle what are, potentially, large and strong birds. If you handle them incorrectly, you may find yourself bruised and battered - I had to grab a goose (I have Pilgrims) to put her back on the right side of a poultry net she'd flown over and she wasn't at all cooperative. She decided to flap her strong wings while I lifted her over the fence and gently set her on the ground...I've done martial arts and it felt very similar to being punched in the upper chest. Later, I sported colorful bruises all over the area. Formidable creatures!

I find my Muscovy more similar to geese than ducks and have been slapped silly by their strong wings, too. Oh, and scratched by sharp nails. Lesson learned? Tuck wings in and keep arms/hands clear of the feet!

I got smacked across the face by my sweet tiny Buff Apricot last month, I was trying to get a blood sample and she wasn’t having it, i thought she broke my nose at first!

 

[AKMommaF8]

Thank you for taking the time to reply! I truly appreciate it. I never, EVER imagined I'd have geese. I was terrified of then after being chased by a Canadian goose ( A friend & I , along with our 7 children unknowingly walked next to a nest in a park. I had to grab my 2 yo in her umbrella stroller & LEAP up on to a picnic table!)
I swore I'd never have them & just stick w chickens. Ha...I switched to ducks, adopted a sweet,special needs goose (Skully, a Toulouse with a crooked spine) who I adore! It's because of her I now have 5 geese. The "plan" is to raise both Pilgrim & Toulouse along w my 3 duck breeds.
My neighbors are patient!

 

[Goosebaby]

Thank you for taking the time to reply! I truly appreciate it. I never, EVER imagined I'd have geese. I was terrified of then after being chased by a Canadian goose ( A friend & I , along with our 7 children unknowingly walked next to a nest in a park. I had to grab my 2 yo in her umbrella stroller & LEAP up on to a picnic table!)
I swore I'd never have them & just stick w chickens. Ha...I switched to ducks, adopted a sweet,special needs goose (Skully, a Toulouse with a crooked spine) who I adore! It's because of her I now have 5 geese. The "plan" is to raise both Pilgrim & Toulouse along w my 3 duck breeds.
My neighbors are patient!

Those wild geese mean business!

 

[Leader Bee]

Ive been "punched" in the face with my gooses wings before too, i always thought it was a myth that a swan could break your arm (i still do) but i certainly have more appreciation for it now and they could deffinitely break your nose if they got it at the right angle.