Birdydeb
Songster
Last year when I got my ducklings from Metzers, I also got two goslings....Tufted Buff. I lost the gander last summer and the goose has been alone with the ducks ever since. There have been zero problems with her staying with the ducks. At night sometimes ,just as they have since they were babies, they would still snuggle up together to sleep. The ducks started laying in December, my goose last month.
Evidently spring has changed everything....my drake is terrorizing my goose. At first we thought it was because he was trying to mate her. But since Sunday, I have decided he is trying to kill her. I have them separated and today we should get finished with the pen and shelter for her. The pen will share a side with the ducks who she gets along well with. The only thing I can think of is that she decided a week ago to lay her egg in the spot where the ducks are laying...then all hell broke loose after almost a year of calm coexistence.
Does he think he is trying to protect his ducks? They are Welsh Harlequins. He had her pinned by the neck in the duck house when I rescued her. Anybody ever see anything like this before? Today she will get her own pen and shelter. I can't believe how scared she is of him. It would be comical concerning size between them if it weren't apparent that her terror is real. I have new goslings coming in two weeks so eventually she won't be alone. Will the goslings be okay in her pen with her? I intended to build that pen anyway for the goslings, now she is in it ahead of them. She has from the beginning almost acted like a mother to the ducks. Thoughts? Advice?
Evidently spring has changed everything....my drake is terrorizing my goose. At first we thought it was because he was trying to mate her. But since Sunday, I have decided he is trying to kill her. I have them separated and today we should get finished with the pen and shelter for her. The pen will share a side with the ducks who she gets along well with. The only thing I can think of is that she decided a week ago to lay her egg in the spot where the ducks are laying...then all hell broke loose after almost a year of calm coexistence.
Does he think he is trying to protect his ducks? They are Welsh Harlequins. He had her pinned by the neck in the duck house when I rescued her. Anybody ever see anything like this before? Today she will get her own pen and shelter. I can't believe how scared she is of him. It would be comical concerning size between them if it weren't apparent that her terror is real. I have new goslings coming in two weeks so eventually she won't be alone. Will the goslings be okay in her pen with her? I intended to build that pen anyway for the goslings, now she is in it ahead of them. She has from the beginning almost acted like a mother to the ducks. Thoughts? Advice?
