Heartbroken goose momma

[Boomerforever]

Hi! So I have mentioned before my Drake is African goose around 5ish going on 6 months old. I have hand raised him and all his siblings. A coyote got my big boy Boomer and Spunky little Tweety. Leaving 3 others. Drake who is male and has now taken over the lead and Princess and Duke who I'm not positive he's a boy,but he's always been so bitey,I just assumed. Drake started trying to mate me for a week almost 3 weeks ago. After that passed,now,every day I go out there he walks up to me and starts biting me! Hard. I have bad bruises up and down myself. He won't stop either. I've tried everything everyone has suggested. I have held him still,holding him. Soon as I put him down he starts biting me I have pinned him carefully on the ground and held him there and even put him back in stall. Idk what to d?!? I thought for sure by now,this phase or whatever he's going thru would've passed. Idk if it's a territory thing a dominance thing or if he's mad at me. But it breaks my heart. I go in crying several times a week. And my question is,will he ever stop? Will he ever be my sweet lovable Drake who we cuddled ? Or is this our new permanent Drake? Bc honestly,I don't think I can deal w that. It would break my heart to get rid of him,but he also attacks my children. He's left bad marks on my son too. And get this-he was my son's goose!!!! I just don't understand. We r heartbroken and confused. Is there any hope? What should I do?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

He isn't going to be able to cuddle with you anymore. You have to show dominance over him so he will respect you. So there will be boundaries for you both.

 

[Goosebaby]

Hi! So I have mentioned before my Drake is African goose around 5ish going on 6 months old. I have hand raised him and all his siblings. A coyote got my big boy Boomer and Spunky little Tweety. Leaving 3 others. Drake who is male and has now taken over the lead and Princess and Duke who I'm not positive he's a boy,but he's always been so bitey,I just assumed. Drake started trying to mate me for a week almost 3 weeks ago. After that passed,now,every day I go out there he walks up to me and starts biting me! Hard. I have bad bruises up and down myself. He won't stop either. I've tried everything everyone has suggested. I have held him still,holding him. Soon as I put him down he starts biting me I have pinned him carefully on the ground and held him there and even put him back in stall. Idk what to d?!? I thought for sure by now,this phase or whatever he's going thru would've passed. Idk if it's a territory thing a dominance thing or if he's mad at me. But it breaks my heart. I go in crying several times a week. And my question is,will he ever stop? Will he ever be my sweet lovable Drake who we cuddled ? Or is this our new permanent Drake? Bc honestly,I don't think I can deal w that. It would break my heart to get rid of him,but he also attacks my children. He's left bad marks on my son too. And get this-he was my son's goose!!!! I just don't understand. We r heartbroken and confused. Is there any hope? What should I do?

His problem is that he’s ultra dominant, but that doesn’t mean you can’t become friends again, just that you might have to work at it a little more.

His issues are that he’s letting his horomones control him, and that may always be part of his personality, it will worsen winter to spring, but then dissipate summer through fall like all ganders.

What’s going on in his head is that he’s trying to sort out who’s a friend and who’s a rival. In extra hormonal ganders they’re more prone to getting into fights more often.

The more time spent with certain individuals, the more likely he’ll see those individuals as his flock. The more time you all spend with him, the better he will be.
Keep picking him up when he’s naughty, but remember to say NO when he’s being aggressive.
You can try offering him a treat after you set him back down to remind him that you’re still his friend, you can also seperate him from the other geese and make him spend more time with you and your son, that will shake up his routine and help him adjust back into seeing you as family too.

I know it’s hard, but it isn’t a permanent issue unless you let it be, some ganders can be stubborn and it can take months, but things can get better.

If it gives you hope, two examples of this are my two ganders Leo and Parsnip. They despised each other for 6 years. Parsnip lost his brother and was lonely, Leo was bonded to his other two sons but had to be separated from them because they turned into murder birds, so Leo was missing them. Leo and Parsnip decided to work things out and are now inseparable. They’ll cry if you try to take one from the other.

Leo also despised me for years, he viewed me as a rival and nuisance, he started appreciating my existence after I saved one of his goslings. It wasn’t until he bonded with Parsnip though that he became friendly, he still charges me sometimes, but he accepts that I’m not evil and is a lot more respectful. Leo I never worked with as much as with others so part of his poor attitude towards me was my own fault.

 

[Isadora]

He's left bad marks on my son too. And get this-he was my son's goose!!!! I just don't understand. We r heartbroken and confused. Is there any hope? What should I do?

One thing I wanted to mention is that, based on things I've read, it's often hand raised geese that attack the worst. Since they grow up seeing you as "another goose", when their hormones start kicking in, they often try to dominate you So please, I understand it's very hard, but don't take his behavior so personally. Geese don't think the way people do. He's not attacking you because he's "mad" or something. He has a lot of hormones going through his system right now and is trying to figure out his place in the world.
My gander is very docile, so unfortunately I don't have first hand experience for your aggression issue, but I hope you can work something out soon. Take heart and keep your chin up!

 

[Boomerforever]

He isn't going to be able to cuddle with you anymore. You have to show dominance over him so he will respect you. So there will be boundaries for you both.

HOW? I've done everything I've seen on here recommended. Afterwards he keeps coming back biting

 

[Boomerforever]

One thing I wanted to mention is that, based on things I've read, it's often hand raised geese that attack the worst. Since they grow up seeing you as "another goose", when their hormones start kicking in, they often try to dominate you So please, I understand it's very hard, but don't take his behavior so personally. Geese don't think the way people do. He's not attacking you because he's "mad" or something. He has a lot of hormones going through his system right now and is trying to figure out his place in the world.
My gander is very docile, so unfortunately I don't have first hand experience for your aggression issue, but I hope you can work something out soon. Take heart and keep your chin up!

Thank you

 

[Magriet]

I do not have an answer for you either, I battle with a very aggressive gander myself at the moment. Unfortunately people moving in in the other house on the plot we live hit him when he attacked them and we did not know it until they told us. We now have them in a separate enclosure that is much smaller. He attacks me very viciously and nothing works. He is fine with my husband. In desperation we contacted the vet and he says the damage has been done he will never be his old self again. So, I understand your heartache.