How do you tell your geese apart....sex wise?

[PetesMom]

I can't for the life of me figure out if my youngest goose is a goose or a gander? It's about 2 months old now....I tried vent sexing it when I recieved it about a month ago and I thought it was a girl? I've been pretty accurate at venting my ducks but this one had me stumped as I never vented a goose before lol They are both American Buff. I read that when they walk with their heads straight up its a gander....this one does this sometimes.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

We vent sex and band everyone. Anyone questionable will get DNA sexed once feathers come in.

 

[Going Bhonkers]

I dont know how to vent sex, so my next option was to do the feather DNA test. I think its about $20 per sample that you send. My guys (tern used loosely) are two months old and are getting their feathers, but I dont think I'm going to go through with the test because it really isnt crucial for us to know right now. But their behavior is interesting, we think one is a gander because he(?) is very protective of his little buddy. He puts his neck and head over the other one whenever we go to pet her(?). And he's always the first to attack a new pair of shoes.

We think the other one is a female because she is smaller, even though they're from the same hatch. Also, her voice is starting to change a little bit and she lets out deep honks every now and then, which in geese, females have a deeper voice compared to males.

 

[Kevin565]

I can always tell the sexes of my Geese by their behavior. However, it usually takes a few months before the behavior traits are more prominent. However, behavior sexing doesn't work for a lot of people so learning to vent sex is really your best bet.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

DNA testing is currently running 24.95 at the labs here in FL last I checked.

 

[Going Bhonkers]

DNA testing is currently running 24.95 at the labs here in FL last I checked.

Yeah! That was it!

 

[PetesMom]

Do they just pluck a feather or something? Does the vet do this then send it off?

 

[kandyg_99]

You Would Order The Kits & Pluck The Feathers Yourself.Then Send In The Test...

 

[Iain Utah]

My vet vent sexes my geese and she charges next to nothing.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Pete's mom, it is very easy. You can't cut the feather, it has to be plucked. Or you can clip a toenail and submit a drop of blood. The labs send free kits with instructions on how to collect and submit. No need to visit a vet to do it, you will need to have an ID system in place (wing band with number, or leg band with number) as you submit the sample with the ID.

Of course this is a back up system to vent sexing, which any owner is very capable of doing at home themselves.