Help, please! Gander won't let goose & new gosling off nest.

[NEgoosegirl]

Hi Everyone,

If anyone has seen this behavior before and/or has any suggestions, I'd be so appreciative!

THE SITUATION:
I have a pair of nearly-4-year old Sebastopol geese. This year, my goose finally hatched a few goslings. Long story short, there were only two healthy ones -- female I think. I found one of them dead randomly yesterday afternoon on the other side of the goose shed from the nest. It is my suspicion that the gander killed it -- somewhat accidentally. In a panic, I took the other one for the whole afternoon/evening, and returned it to the goose after dark. Today, the gander keeps picking on the gosling (establishing pecking order?). Every time she strays from the goose's side, he nips her, she squeals, and the goose & gosling run back to the nest. And he plays sheep-dog and keeps the little one on the nest.

THE PROBLEM:
I'm VERY concerned that the goose and gosling are not getting enough to eat. If he keeps them prisoner, won't they starve/get dehydrated?

MY QUESTIONS:
What should I do??? Could my presence in the shed, trying to help the little one get food be making him act this way? I watched through the window, where I thought they were paying me little attention, and he did the same thing. Is there anything I can do to convince him that his gosling is not an intruder?

POSSIBLE SOLUTION:
I'm thinking the only option that MAY even possibly result in all of them living is that I create a solid partition in the shed that will separate goose and gosling from the gander. My only concern is that the gander will practically kill himself trying to get to his mate. Any thoughts on this? Would it be better or worse to put a "window" in the partition?

THANK YOU for any help you can give!!

 

[telow6848]

Hi Everyone,

If anyone has seen this behavior before and/or has any suggestions, I'd be so appreciative!

THE SITUATION:
I have a pair of nearly-4-year old Sebastopol geese. This year, my goose finally hatched a few goslings. Long story short, there were only two healthy ones -- female I think. I found one of them dead randomly yesterday afternoon on the other side of the goose shed from the nest. It is my suspicion that the gander killed it -- somewhat accidentally. In a panic, I took the other one for the whole afternoon/evening, and returned it to the goose after dark. Today, the gander keeps picking on the gosling (establishing pecking order?). Every time she strays from the goose's side, he nips her, she squeals, and the goose & gosling run back to the nest. And he plays sheep-dog and keeps the little one on the nest.

THE PROBLEM:
I'm VERY concerned that the goose and gosling are not getting enough to eat. If he keeps them prisoner, won't they starve/get dehydrated?

MY QUESTIONS:
What should I do??? Could my presence in the shed, trying to help the little one get food be making him act this way? I watched through the window, where I thought they were paying me little attention, and he did the same thing. Is there anything I can do to convince him that his gosling is not an intruder?

POSSIBLE SOLUTION:
I'm thinking the only option that MAY even possibly result in all of them living is that I create a solid partition in the shed that will separate goose and gosling from the gander. My only concern is that the gander will practically kill himself trying to get to his mate. Any thoughts on this? Would it be better or worse to put a "window" in the partition?

THANK YOU for any help you can give!!

I would recommend separating them. He may not know that the gosling is his own, in this case he would be trying to kill it. Some ganders get jealous that the goose is paying attention to the gosling and not him. Have you went out at night to see what they are doing? If you peek in the window are they settled and sleeping together?

 

[NEgoosegirl]

I would recommend separating them. He may not know that the gosling is his own, in this case he would be trying to kill it. Some ganders get jealous that the goose is paying attention to the gosling and not him. Have you went out at night to see what they are doing? If you peek in the window are they settled and sleeping together?

Thanks very much, telow6848! I have not peeked in at them at night. However, I do think the gander is spending most of his time standing/laying near the nest during the day. He always come toward me from that direction when I enter, and my mom saw him laying down near the nest at one point. I'm having a hard time figuring out if he's jealous, as you said he could be -- I can see that being likely -- or if he's acting on an over-developed sense of protection and really only goes after the gosling when he knows I'm nearby. He is fierce in protecting his mate from me when she's nesting! I'll see if I can figure out what he's up to.

 

[sourland]

I would separate them before he inadvertently kills the second gosling. When the gosling is older and more mobile gradually integrate them back together.

 

[telow6848]

Thanks very much, telow6848! I have not peeked in at them at night. However, I do think the gander is spending most of his time standing/laying near the nest during the day. He always come toward me from that direction when I enter, and my mom saw him laying down near the nest at one point. I'm having a hard time figuring out if he's jealous, as you said he could be -- I can see that being likely -- or if he's acting on an over-developed sense of protection and really only goes after the gosling when he knows I'm nearby. He is fierce in protecting his mate from me when she's nesting! I'll see if I can figure out what he's up to.

Yes he is most likely just an overprotective papa!

 

[Miss Lydia]

When my pair had goslings [my goose lost hers so I went and bought 2 day olds] I decided to keep them inside until I felt they had bonded with the lil ones so for close to 3 weeks I took them out daily for visits wasn't long till both geese were following us around and I felt it was safe to give them the 2 goslings. I know for a fact my gander who never looks where he is going would accidently step on one or both. best to be safe than sorry.

 

[NEgoosegirl]

Thank you everyone! I really appreciate your input!

 

[NEgoosegirl]

Thank you all again for your help! I thought I would leave an update. My dad set up his game camera for me in the goose shed, and so we caught my gander on video chasing and biting the gosling and keeping the goose and baby basically stuck on the nest. So, we built a plywood partition across the middle of the shed, and everybody seems to be doing very well now! The gander doesn't seem to mind too much being "off duty," and the goose and gosling can hop off the nest to eat as much as they want. I'm very thankful that it worked out so well!

 

[NEgoosegirl]

Hello all!

The gosling is a month old, and doing very well. I'm thinking it will be time to start reintegrating the family soon. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how old the gosling should be before I try that? Any tips on the best way to reintegrate? Right now, they are having almost-daily "porch time" where the gander is in the yard, and the goose and gosling are on a screened-off porch area of their shed. He can see them and get right up to the wire (which he does often). I'm unsure of his attitude toward the gosling. Sometimes he seems protective, other times he acts like he'd love to chase her away. I can't believe how quickly she's grown! (Even though I raised her parents and they grew just as quickly!) She weighed 3 lbs. when I weighed her five days ago, and she's starting to turn white instead of yellow and grey.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Here "she" is at about a day old and then two and a half weeks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

All you can do is try with the gander and be ready to step in if he begins to be mean to the gosling. If he has been with them daily but separated hopefully he'll accept the gosling Most do.