Goslings of 2014 Hatch-a-long

[8GeeseALaying]

Hey 8, how is everything going?

Things are getting better, i still miss mom like crazy. I still catch myself waking up early to have coffee and breakfast with her, old habits are hard to break.
I just started my 15th wk of pregnancy, so far so good. I should be able to find out the gender by the mid to end of July. Never thought i could be this excited about something like this lol
The animals are doing great. I did lose my handicapped duck, Flop. He passed away in his sleep. He lived a lot longer than i thought he would when he hatched 14 mos ago, i never thought he would live a week back then. The whole family cried over him.

How are your babies doing? Well i hope!

 

[8GeeseALaying]

Snow and Jas are 21 weeks old and are the oldest geese. Next in age is a pair of Africans who are 15 weeks old, then a pair of white Chinese who are 14 weeks old, then the last pair of Africans who are 11 weeks old.

I believed that 1 of the 15 week Africans was a male due to behavior, but it is starting to act more girlie. I am fairly sure that 1 of the 14 week old white Chinese is a gander, it's size and behavior has been gander like from the start and with Snow being injured this guy is trying to take over protection duties. But my youngest Africans are causing the biggest problems. The gosling that had bad legs and needed so much extra care is no highly aggressive. In all other ways this African gosling acts like a goose, except that she attacks everyone! This gosling has attacked my mom repeadley, myself, and is starting to be outcast from the flock because she is such a bully. I don't know what to do with Gertrude, her attitude and aggression is simplynot OK. I may have to put her down if she doesn't shape up soon. She is getting too big and strong to allow this to continue for much longer.

P.S. the youngest Africans are in a bad molt and so look mangy right now.

At 21 wks, then the top one in my quote is probably a female then, the bottom is a gander, for sure.
The one thats out of control needs to be put in her place. When she attacks grab her and lay her straight backwards on her back, pin her like they would eachother in a fight, let her up when she calms down a bit. Also use a stick or a broom handle to keep her out of your personal space, you dont need to hit her just put it out in front of her when she gets too close to you if she keeps coming tap her chest with it. She will learn. Otherwise you will have a living hell with her, an attacking goose is not fun.

 

[Starfire669]

At 21 wks, then the top one in my quote is probably a female then, the bottom is a gander, for sure.
The one thats out of control needs to be put in her place. When she attacks grab her and lay her straight backwards on her back, pin her like they would eachother in a fight, let her up when she calms down a bit. Also use a stick or a broom handle to keep her out of your personal space, you dont need to hit her just put it out in front of her when she gets too close to you if she keeps coming tap her chest with it. She will learn. Otherwise you will have a living hell with her, an attacking goose is not fun.

I have never struck her, I believe that hitting only makes things worse. They don't understand spankings. I have pinned her, I have chased her with my arms spread hollering at her when she went after my mom. I have even tried hissing at her when she came for me from behind while I was enjoying some attention from my Chinese geese. That time Snow, Jasmine, and a couple other geese went after her for me! I would swear they were just as upset over her behavior as I was. She often tries to bite and bully the other geese, and she has gone after the ducks and chickens. She just may not be compatible with our flock. She was raised with all these guys, but attacks anyway, even her own kind. I am thinking it may have something to do with badly bred hatchery stock. She needed months of TLC to get her legs strong, and now she is just plain viscous and refuses to learn or back down.

 

[Starfire669]

This one is 15 weeks old. Acts like a gander, is much larger than his hatch mate, but very little knob development. Your thoughts?
His hatch mate is behind and to his right, you can see her head and chest in the photo.

 

[8GeeseALaying]

I never said to hit her, there is a big difference between hit and tap

 

[Starfire669]

I never said to hit her, there is a big difference between hit and tap

I never said you did. I was trying to reassure you that I have never struck my geese. I have chest bumped with my foot, as I never have a stick with me when I'm doing chores. But it was a nudge to push her back a step or 2, not a kick to hurt her. I have not tried pinning her on her back however, I have pinned her down on her belly until she stopped struggling. But as soon as I let her up she came at me again. I think there is something seriously wrong with her. And unfortunately for her, I can't and won't sell such an aggressive goose. I would feel awful if I made her someone else's problem and she ended up hurting a child or animal. So, if she keeps this attitude up, she will end up feeding my family dinner.

But I am hopeful that she settles. We went through an aggressive period with Snow. After a few pinnings and chases he settled down and is now very sweet, for a gander. Maybe she is just at that stage.

Sorry for the confusion, it sounded like what I ment to convey when I typed it.

 

[8GeeseALaying]

This one is 15 weeks old. Acts like a gander, is much larger than his hatch mate, but very little knob development. Your thoughts?
His hatch mate is behind and to his right, you can see her head and chest in the photo.

I would guess "he" is right looks like he may have a flat front knob when it comes in and the one behind is a female doesnt have as much developement as the male

This is a female but you can see what i mean by flat front

With my whites, their knobs do not seem to be as round and "perfect" as my browns

 

[8GeeseALaying]

I never said you did. I was trying to reassure you that I have never struck my geese. I have chest bumped with my foot, as I never have a stick with me when I'm doing chores. But it was a nudge to push her back a step or 2, not a kick to hurt her. I have not tried pinning her on her back however, I have pinned her down on her belly until she stopped struggling. But as soon as I let her up she came at me again. I think there is something seriously wrong with her. And unfortunately for her, I can't and won't sell such an aggressive goose. I would feel awful if I made her someone else's problem and she ended up hurting a child or animal. So, if she keeps this attitude up, she will end up feeding my family dinner.

But I am hopeful that she settles. We went through an aggressive period with Snow. After a few pinnings and chases he settled down and is now very sweet, for a gander. Maybe she is just at that stage.

Sorry for the confusion, it sounded like what I ment to convey when I typed it.

I wasnt mad lol

 

[Starfire669]

I would guess "he" is right looks like he may have a flat front knob when it comes in and the one behind is a female doesnt have as much developement as the male

This is a female but you can see what i mean by flat front

With my whites, their knobs do not seem to be as round and "perfect" as my browns

She is beautiful, and I do think he may have a flat fronted knob. Only time will tell. He is fairly friendly, comes up for scratches and seemed content to be Snow's second. But now he is acting more dominant, my fear is he will try and fight Snow for alpha position now that Snow is hurt. Are they too young for a fight, or is it a legitimate worry? Should I separate the 2 boys?

 

[8GeeseALaying]

She is beautiful, and I do think he may have a flat fronted knob. Only time will tell. He is fairly friendly, comes up for scratches and seemed content to be Snow's second. But now he is acting more dominant, my fear is he will try and fight Snow for alpha position now that Snow is hurt. Are they too young for a fight, or is it a legitimate worry? Should I separate the 2 boys?

The only worry you should have about fighting is during breeding season. Otherwise they should be fine together the rest of the time since they have been raised together. There may be a pecking order developed but that happens with all of them and usually isnt much more then and pinch or feather pull, chickens, ducks, geese etc.