Gander Body Language

[Clodhoppers]

One of my ganders (the former patient) often stands out from the rest of the guys. He'll stand tall but with his head and neck in a very tight S configuration. Looks kind of cute but was wondering if this is a submissive stance? No major fighting going on between the ganders lately.

Also, at what age do geese usually bond with a mate? I mean does it become obvious to see who belongs together.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I'm not sure my ganders do the S formation with their neck. I tend to see them with their neck stretched forward or stretched up with their head kind of back and up. Of course they are usually honking when they do this.

I originally thought that my two ganders and two geese, who were all raised together, would pair off into couples, but they never really did. Instead they are a tight knit group with one more dominant gander. And the ganders do not really become territorial or aggressive during mating season.

 

[livininbrazil]

One of my ganders (the former patient) often stands out from the rest of the guys. He'll stand tall but with his head and neck in a very tight S configuration. Looks kind of cute but was wondering if this is a submissive stance? No major fighting going on between the ganders lately.

Also, at what age do geese usually bond with a mate? I mean does it become obvious to see who belongs together.

I´ve not noticed that it´s to do with dominance..even my females do it, just to a slightly lesser degree. He´s just being a gander.
With mine, a true pair will hardly be apart, in or out of breeding season. The only time a gander hasn´t been really close-by is when his Mrs is sitting and he sneaks off to find an unattached goose! Or, if he´s following up the rear with the rest of their brood.

 

[livininbrazil]

I'm not sure my ganders do the S formation with their neck. I tend to see them with their neck stretched forward or stretched up with their head kind of back and up. Of course they are usually honking when they do this.

I originally thought that my two ganders and two geese, who were all raised together, would pair off into couples, but they never really did. Instead they are a tight knit group with one more dominant gander. And the ganders do not really become territorial or aggressive during mating season.

That´s nice and peaceful for you, then. What breed of geese do you have?

 

[servpolice]

Btw that is mating signals and the female does that mating signal because shes ready to mate and yea its always one gander that starts it (Are they chinese by any chance!?)

 

[livininbrazil]

Btw that is mating signals and the female does that mating signal because shes ready to mate and yea its always one gander that starts it (Are they chinese by any chance!?)

Oh, maybe we´re talking about different things, then. Mine move around with beautiful arched necks, (what I understood to be "S") but all year...they´re like it now, but they have their goslings...mating season is 3-4 months off. You must be thinking of something I´ve not noticed here. So, what´s this "S"?

 

[scratch'n'peck]

That´s nice and peaceful for you, then. What breed of geese do you have?

They are Pilgrim and Sebastopol - gander and goose of each breed. They do some gander wrestling in the pond around mating season, but they all hang out together. The females even share a nest together. The Pilgrim gander is the clear alpha male of the group.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I´ve not noticed that it´s to do with dominance..even my females do it, just to a slightly lesser degree. He´s just being a gander.
With mine, a true pair will hardly be apart, in or out of breeding season. The only time a gander hasn´t been really close-by is when his Mrs is sitting and he sneaks off to find an unattached goose! Or, if he´s following up the rear with the rest of their brood.

The cad messing around while his mate is busy cooking. [sitting on eggs]

 

[Clodhoppers]

Oh, he is showing off... I kind of thought so. A friend was leaning more towards submissive. They are all Toulouse. This is definitely a male. I am happy for him. He missed several weeks of the early mating season due to his injury. Maybe that's why he is more of a show off than the others.

Hm, the tight S thing. Imagine pushing from top down on that S, making it more squat. That's how he carries his head and neck, very close to his body.

Living "he sneaks off to find an unattached goose"

 

[livininbrazil]

They are Pilgrim and Sebastopol - gander and goose of each breed. They do some gander wrestling in the pond around mating season, but they all hang out together. The females even share a nest together. The Pilgrim gander is the clear alpha male of the group.

You have two pretty mild-tempered breeds, then. If you want to breed them in their respective pairs, you will need to pen them separately until they have their goslings a good size, then they can mix together again. Or, the 'alpha' male will breed with the two geese and leave the other on the outside looking in. Oh, and I once let 3 sisters share a nest together, as it was their first year so I wasn´t bothered, and nothing hatched, just got stinky eggs.

Oh, he is showing off... I kind of thought so. A friend was leaning more towards submissive. They are all Toulouse. This is definitely a male. I am happy for him. He missed several weeks of the early mating season due to his injury. Maybe that's why he is more of a show off than the others.

Hm, the tight S thing. Imagine pushing from top down on that S, making it more squat. That's how he carries his head and neck, very close to his body.

Living "he sneaks off to find an unattached goose"

I think he´s trying to gain ground!
So, I did understand the "S", then. I always think they look like a galleon in full sail, with a spinnaker billowing out in front.

It´s more noticeable with the ganders, but my pilgrim geese do it too, to a lesser extent, and all of them do it year-round, except when they have tiny babies, and can´t think of being elegant.

Having said this, I´ve never seen my mix-breed females do it, only the auto-sexings. Interesting. This is the first time i´ve thought about it!

The cad messing around while his mate is busy cooking. [sitting on eggs]