Geese aggressive depending on the color of our shirts

[Waylons mommy]

My husband's red rain jacket sets off our gander. He also hated my green mud boots for a bit, but I broke routine the other day and wore black sneakers, he went crazy trying to get my feet. My favorite thing is if you walk out of our garden gate, you're immediately a stranger he's never seen before. I think geese are just quirky, they have their "things" that can throw them off.

I totally get being nervous around them, but asserting your dominance and maintaining a role in the flock will help them become more accepting. So lots of treats, slow movements, and hanging around. It is going to be a bit hard with it being breeding season, but having your partner there (and wearing flannel lol) should help ease things along.

Being a first timer, I am just learning this, but completely agree! My gander started to bite me and holy cow them buggers can leave a Nasty bruise!!
At first I thought he was just protective of his girlfriend. Then he came at me every time I wore anything RED. Then one day he actually CLIMBED UP THE FENCE AND ATACTED MY MOM! who was wearing a red shirt.
NOW....I know....1- she was getting ready to start laying, 2- he hates Red, 3- I think he is wanting to mate with my gray plaid rain boots , and most of all 4- SHOW THEM WHO'S BOSS!!
I've had to throw him back a few feet several times.
But a stern NO and several Bonks on the nose usually work great! I usually keep my aluminum walking stick with me at all times, cause he'll attack it instead, and is rather funny to watch!!

 

[LadyWolf44005]

Now that I think about it. I have a question kinda related. When they were young I always worn hats (baseball caps)but as they grew older all of a sudden hats are a no go! Extreme aggression. Why is this?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Who knows Mine have gotten use to me in hats boots flip flops you name it. Dressing for the weather, I guess after having them going on 14 yrs they are use to anything

 

[Leader Bee]

I have two boys and nothing else, they were such sweethearts a few months ago but now theyll really try to bite me for not much of any reason....please tell me this is just a breeding season thing and it will soon be over because theyre certainly not protecting a lady friend.

 

[Cindarelly]

I have two boys and nothing else, they were such sweethearts a few months ago but now theyll really try to bite me for not much of any reason....please tell me this is just a breeding season thing and it will soon be over because theyre certainly not protecting a lady friend.

They'll be back to their sweet ways around summer time. My dearest gander turned on me and ignored me last year during breeding season and when there were new goslings.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yep breeding season is the pits but once over they are back to normal!

 

[Goosebaby]

My male goose, Marcus. Is obsessed with a pair of black and blue flip flops that I have. (I said this before in a different post) if I am walking in them he will walking right next to me trying to grab my flip flop. Then when I sit down with my geese. Marcus will happily chew my flip flops. Makeing happy sounds and wagging his butt feathers! When I give Marcus one of the flip flops. He very excitedly runs off with my flip flops, lays on it all the while makeing happy noises.View attachment 2512339
With it being winter I have my flip flops in a box on my porch. So I have not worn them in months. When I was out side with my geese. I lost track of Marcus wich never happens becouse he likes to move as a flock and he prefers to stick with me. That's when I hear the most happiest screams I have ever heard from him! I find him on my porch (he knows he is not allowed on the porch) in my summer shoe box! He has his whole head and neck in there happily screaming throwing shoes out of the box untill he found my black and blue flip flops! He was so happy! He carried my flip flop for the rest of the day and brought it to bed with him. At that point I was just like I will just buy another pair! Lol

Little boy loves his flip flops

 

[Goosebaby]

The last few days I’ve been wearing my new rain boots, the flock doesn’t seem to care except Delphi, she had to stop me and perform an intensly thorough visual examination, gave them a few exploratory nibbles, then gave me a sharp bite on my upper leg to scold me for not previously asking her opinion on this choice of footware, then she just walks off like nothing happened.

 

[Jaimemaron]

A few months ago my partner decided to get 2 geese, male and female Grey geese. I'm not a big fan of geese but he wanted them. They were friendly at first and I made sure to bring them treats. But after a few months, they became quite aggressive. I stopped going back to their area and left it up to my partner because aggressive animals stress me out. I tried to still give them treats but in between eating their treats, they'd come back to hiss at me. One day I happened to be wearing my partners flannels outside and I passed by their area. To my surprise, they just looked at me, no hissing, no loud honking. I got closer to test it out and they still did not become aggressive. This shocked me but I haven't tested it further out of fear.

Well, my partner told me today he went out there in a white t-shirt (he usually wears dark blue flannels) and they became aggressive towards him for the 1st time! This somewhat confirms that they recognize patterns / colors, but why would they become so aggressive? I've never heard of this and I can't find much from Google. Any more info on this?

I was just attacked yesterday by my favorite goose while I was wearing black flannel pj pants! He had never done that before! I was so upset until I read this thread. They DO NOT like change at all. I put my jeans back on and he was fine after that. Geese are so weird. I have four, two geese and two ganders, that are about 5 months old. They are getting very strange! Maybe it's puberty? Lol!

 

[Miss Lydia]

It is puberty believe me.
Here is some great info. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/geese-training.561849/