geese pairing

[Habibs Hens]

Hi i have 3 embden Geese 1 Gander and 2 Geese

i also have a Chinese Gander aswell

the emben are still young about 3 months old or so

the chinese is a year old

i noticed last few days ago that 2 of my embens are sitting together heads locked and walking in a pair (like the wild swans do)

im guessing they have paired up, as the chinese is alone and the last embden is alone

when i say alone they stick together as a 4 but you can clearly see the 2 that have paired are paired and are stuck like glue

now what i wanted to ask is... is this infact pairing and if so that would suggest the embden left behind will be my 2nd female

i have put a ring on the second female and have been watching them and defo can say that when the 2 sitting next to each other stand no leg rings are seen and when the lone embden stands the leg ring is there



last thing the pair would then be a defo pair how do i determin who is male and who is female from them 2

 

[Marty1876]

The geese are a bit young for pairing, I'd think. However, if you know they are a male and female, I'd leave them too it. If the remaining embden and chinese are oppostie gendors, they will probobly pair up this spring.

You can only sex geese (except pilgrim) by vent sexing, which is not easy with geese. I'd just wait, and let nature run its course. If all but one are a male, he'll probobly still mate them all, and all will have fertile eggs and sit their own nests come springtime. The males aren't abolve having a harem.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

You can DNA sex geese by pulling a feather and submitting it to a lab. We sent off two sets recently, easy peasy to do. Just be sure to have ID bangs to tell them apart of the samples.

All of our adults are paired or trio'd and many of our oldest 2012 juveniles are pairing and or trioing off already as well. Its ok for the most part, some we wont leave in their "selected" pairing others we will. We have three smoothes who love each other, they wont be permitted to be together come December.

 

[Habibs Hens]

thanks for the help guys

unfortunatly DNA sexing is out of the question as i phones all the UK based Avian DNA sexing firms i could find and they all said the only breeds they do not sex is Ducks, Geese and Chicken

they only sex exotic birds like parrots, prey birds etc

so guess i will have to see who is on top when they are older hehe

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

there is at least 1 lab here in FL who accepts international samples

 

[Habibs Hens]

there is at least 1 lab here in FL who accepts international samples

could you pm the details or a website for them please

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

it will be one of these two
www.avianbiotech.com/

www.dnasexing.com

 

[Habibs Hens]

thanks celtic

I have sent them an email to confirm they can do it for me as im in UK

price is good too

 

[Marty1876]

Wow, Celtic, that is so COOL to know! You just know so much, very impressive.

I may even put that info to use, it'll make sexing my turkeys faster for sure!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

best check if they do turkey, only ever sent in goose, and a long time ago a cockatoo