Goslings of 2014 Hatch-a-long

[Starfire669]

I lost 3 goslings this morning from one of my families due to unknown sickness and it looks like the other 2 have this disease too

Oh No! I'm so sorry Serv.

 

[Iain Utah]

Thanks, everyone. One of the guys at my local feed store is an experienced fox trapper. He offered to come out tomorrow to help us catch the predator.

Serv, sorry to hear of your losses, too!

Any idea what could be wrong with your geese?

 

[ChickDancer]

Thanks, everyone. One of the guys at my local feed store is an experienced fox trapper. He offered to come out tomorrow to help us catch the predator.

Serv, sorry to hear of your losses, too!

Any idea what could be wrong with your geese?

Ask him what all he uses to catch the foxes, and then let me know. I just lost my best rooster early this morning right before daylight, to a d*mn fox. I'm pretty devastated today, but now I'm in revenge mode on that fricking beast. Predators have been really bad this year, and taking him was just the straw that broke the camel's back!

 

[Iain Utah]

I'm sorry for your loss, chick.

He said that regular live traps do not work, but he has snares and leg holds that will get the job done. He said it helps to do scouting and if possible, determine path that fox uses to go onto property as a fox will use that same path every time. That is where to set the trap.

Most people I've talked to say that doing a stake out with a laser sighted gun is the best way.

 

[Starfire669]

So I am seeing some interesting behavior between Snow and Jas. I saw Snow try to mount Jas and Jas allowed it. However Snow fell off on Jas's head and Jas then proceeded to attack Snow. So do I have dominance behavior or a pair trying to mate? Isn't 14 weeks a bit young to be trying to mate? I am very confused as to what is going on. Thoughts, opinions?

 

[8GeeseALaying]

A red spotlight works too. One about 1million candles or more and a rifle will take care of them. They cant see it when lit up cause they dont see colors like we do. They can see regular light though.

 

[8GeeseALaying]

So I am seeing some interesting behavior between Snow and Jas. I saw Snow try to mount Jas and Jas allowed it. However Snow fell off on Jas's head and Jas then proceeded to attack Snow. So do I have dominance behavior or a pair trying to mate? Isn't 14 weeks a bit young to be trying to mate? I am very confused as to what is going on. Thoughts, opinions?

At that age i would say its a dominance thing. Even geese of the same genders will do this. Its basically saying im the boss so screw you lol
I have seen it when introducing new geese to my flock last year. Bill my dominant gander mounted all 6 new geese last year, 2 ganders and 4 geese. My goslings i raised also did it. Especially when they were moved to their new pens.

 

[Starfire669]

At that age i would say its a dominance thing. Even geese of the same genders will do this. Its basically saying im the boss so screw you lol
I have seen it when introducing new geese to my flock last year. Bill my dominant gander mounted all 6 new geese last year, 2 ganders and 4 geese. My goslings i raised also did it. Especially when they were moved to their new pens.

Oh good. I don't want them mating right now. They are way to young for that and I want them healthy before they start that stuff. I have known for a while now that Snow is the dominant male. Still guessing if Jas is Jasmine or Jasper, but I am leaning towards Jasmine due to behavior. They were in the pool when this all went down so no injuries. But if they tried this on land could they injure themselves or each other? Should I separate them? Jas and Snow are the oldest geese, the rest are a month or more younger. I'm worried this could hurt the little ones.

 

[8GeeseALaying]

Oh good. I don't want them mating right now. They are way to young for that and I want them healthy before they start that stuff. I have known for a while now that Snow is the dominant male. Still guessing if Jas is Jasmine or Jasper, but I am leaning towards Jasmine due to behavior. They were in the pool when this all went down so no injuries. But if they tried this on land could they injure themselves or each other? Should I separate them? Jas and Snow are the oldest geese, the rest are a month or more younger. I'm worried this could hurt the little ones.

Most likely they will only do this in the pool. If anything, while on the ground, they will bite on a wing and push eachother around while smacking eachother with the opposite wing. That is rare in young ones though most likely one may grab a feather on the others back and that one will run around draging the other. You shouldnt need to seperate them unless blood is spilled. They need to establish the pecking order and just think of it as kids arguing and picking on eachother. Just keep an eye on them and they should be fine.

 

[ChickDancer]

I'm sorry for your loss, chick.     He said that regular live traps do not work, but he has snares and leg holds that will get the job done.  He said it helps to do scouting and if possible, determine path that fox uses to go onto property as a fox will use that same path every time.  That is where to set the trap.

Most people I've talked to say that doing a stake out with a laser sighted gun is the best way.

The last time he was here, I saw him. And I was able to "follow" his movement by listening to the crows that were following HIM. So I do know his path. I was looking at leg hold traps on amazon after that discovery this morning, and thinking about buying one soon. I am just THAT fed up with predators now. Taking my top dog roo was it for me.

I can not keep a gun on the premises because of my mentally retarded 18-year-old nephew. But I can shove that sucker into a carrier once caught, and take him to someone that DOES have a gun! Hell, I may just beat him to death with a dead chicken. I'm all for animal rights too, but he killed my baby!