How do I introduce a new gander to an existing goose flock?

[Pyxis]

Okay, so some background first. I myself don't have geese, but when I move to a new place with a pond sometime in the future, I will have sebbies However, my aunt does. She started out with a pair of African geese, but the male stuck his head through a fence and strangled himself So, down to one lonely female, my aunt bought four Chinese goslings. The female wanted to raise them, so my aunt let her. One female gosling died, so she was left with two ganders and two geese overall. You can probably see where this is going - they all refuse to mate with each other because they've all imprinted on each other and think they're related. Really, the Chinese goose would rather mate with an alpaca than one of her 'family' members - she even tried to take up with one of my aunt's male alpacas this year. Well, my aunt's been great to me and I found someone who may be willing to sell me a pilgrim gander, which I'd like to give to her as a gift. How do I go about introducing him to the flock? My aunt doesn't care about mixed babies, before anyone asks, so that's no problem. She just wants some babies I just want it to all go as smoothly as possible and neither of us have any inkling of how to go about it. I'm more familiar with chicken introductions, which aren't so nice, and ducks, who can attack new males. Any help and advice is appreciated!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Geese don't have human feeling when it comes to relatives. They WILL breed. Adding a third gander will only start fights of an epic proportion when breeding season comes around. You never want more males than females.

Geese don't breed and lay year round. They breed only in the spring time. You are in upstate NY, so I would suspect breeding behavior Jan/Feb with eggs to follow.

 

[Pyxis]

Geese don't have human feeling when it comes to relatives. They WILL breed. Adding a third gander will only start fights of an epic proportion when breeding season comes around. You never want more males than females.

Geese don't breed and lay year round. They breed only in the spring time. You are in upstate NY, so I would suspect breeding behavior Jan/Feb with eggs to follow.

No, I mean she's had these guys for years now and they will never ever breed. Not even a hint of it. It's very odd, but that's how it is at her house. Is it possible for geese to just not want to breed with certain individuals, like in parrot species? In any case, she can't seem to get them to be interested in breeding. Perhaps I'll get her a goose instead of a gander...

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

maybe she has all one gender. if they were not DNA sexed she cant really know for sure. if she has gotten eggs then they may be all females.

if they are extremely old they could be past prime for breeding and egg laying.

i wouldnt be quick to add a young goose or gander of a different breed just because there has been no goslings hatched.

 

[Pyxis]

Well, the African goose she has in undoubtedly female. She even 'adopted' a bunch of ducklings this year to raise. Stole them from their real mother. The other three were vent sexed at a hatchery as being males and females. They'd have to all be female if they were all one gender. I'm not sure if geese have a penis, but if they do, I'm not sure how she would end up with two females though to be males. I could see it happening the other way around, though. It's just really odd. It's been years now and no babies, and the youngest girl is four, and the older girl is five, I do believe. The males are both four. Is there anything to do to encourage them to breed, when the season arrives?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Does he get eggs each spring? If she has geese for sure he should have eggs too. If she isn't finding eggs then A-they aren't girls (ganders can and will raise hatchling), B-Has something stealing the eggs. If they aren't being provided a secure house to lay in anything from crows, to dogs to rats, squirrels, possum, skunks and raccoons will take them.

 

[Going Bhonkers]

Yes, ganders can also raise goslings! And good point about a predator eating the eggs, that could also be the problem

 

[Pyxis]

She has had eggs from the African goose before, back when she also had an African gander, but a fox took them, even though she was brooding them in a corner of the alpaca barn set aside for her. She does get eggs, so I guess she may have all females. In that case, would adding a gander cause issues? Is there a way to tell without DNA sexing in Chinese geese? If not I may have her send out some feathers.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Post pictures of the entire group, maybe we can help look them over, but really DNA is 100%.

 

[Pyxis]

Okay, I'll see if I can get over there tomorrow or Saturday to get some pictures. If it helps at all, the one Chinese goose has a pink beak and legs, while the two that are supposed to be male have orange beaks and legs, and that's how my aunt tells them apart. Not sure if that's helpful at all, but that difference really is noticeable with them.