How to introduce goose to city park gander?

[FaithMaryella]

Hi!

There's a gander (Nugget) at the city park who thinks I'm his mate. He's very protective of me, preens me, and tries to get me in the pond. He's very sweet. The trouble is he gets quite distressed when I have to leave, and I can't live at the pond.

He has a little "flock" I think. There's a dominant couple (Geese Witherspoon and Liam Geeson) and another male (Lucy) who lost his mate a while back and now isolates himself at the bank across the street most of the time.

I want to introduce an adult female for Nugget, but I know NOTHING about these animals. How do I get them to bond? Will Liam steal her? Will Lucy try to get her? Will Nugget hate her because he thinks he's paired with me?

Assuming I can get an adult female (any suggestions there are also welcome), can you guys please advise me how to give them the best shot at bonding?

Keep in mind this is a city pond. It's a big one, but my ability to separate and group them is a bit limited. I might be able to manage some temporary fencing. The neighborhood loves me and Nugget, so they'll give us some leeway.

 

[R2elk]

Hi!

There's a gander (Nugget) at the city park who thinks I'm his mate. He's very protective of me, preens me, and tries to get me in the pond. He's very sweet. The trouble is he gets quite distressed when I have to leave, and I can't live at the pond.

He has a little "flock" I think. There's a dominant couple (Geese Witherspoon and Liam Geeson) and another male (Lucy) who lost his mate a while back and now isolates himself at the bank across the street most of the time.

I want to introduce an adult female for Nugget, but I know NOTHING about these animals. How do I get them to bond? Will Liam steal her? Will Lucy try to get her? Will Nugget hate her because he thinks he's paired with me?

Assuming I can get an adult female (any suggestions there are also welcome), can you guys please advise me how to give them the best shot at bonding?

Keep in mind this is a city pond. It's a big one, but my ability to separate and group them is a bit limited. I might be able to manage some temporary fencing. The neighborhood loves me and Nugget, so they'll give us some leeway.

It's against the law to "dump" a goose at the city park no matter how good your intentions are.

 

[FaithMaryella]

It's against the law to "dump" a goose at the city park no matter how good your intentions are.

All of the geese at this pond and our other pond were dumped. Our city is poor and doesn't put resources into things like this. In any case, I can either "dump" a female or take Nugget somewhere else. I can't leave him like this. Or I could petition the city for some kind of exception, I suppose, but I don't know anything about that either.

 

[Percheron chick]

You are better off removing the gander which is legal if he's a domestic goose.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Find a home for Nugget where someone has geese he’d be safer and live longer that at the park.

 

[Goosebaby]

Hi!

There's a gander (Nugget) at the city park who thinks I'm his mate. He's very protective of me, preens me, and tries to get me in the pond. He's very sweet. The trouble is he gets quite distressed when I have to leave, and I can't live at the pond.

He has a little "flock" I think. There's a dominant couple (Geese Witherspoon and Liam Geeson) and another male (Lucy) who lost his mate a while back and now isolates himself at the bank across the street most of the time.

I want to introduce an adult female for Nugget, but I know NOTHING about these animals. How do I get them to bond? Will Liam steal her? Will Lucy try to get her? Will Nugget hate her because he thinks he's paired with me?

Assuming I can get an adult female (any suggestions there are also welcome), can you guys please advise me how to give them the best shot at bonding?

Keep in mind this is a city pond. It's a big one, but my ability to separate and group them is a bit limited. I might be able to manage some temporary fencing. The neighborhood loves me and Nugget, so they'll give us some leeway.

Unfortunatly all of the scenarios you mentioned could happen. Geese are such individuals so it’s hard to predict what would happen. Sometimes it can take more than a year for things to settle and sort themselves out.
I feel sorry for Nugget but also for Lucy, he’s clearly grieving and struggling with it, possibly he could even be ill. I’m surprised he and Nugget haven’t adopted each other, usually geese will gravitate to their own kind and ganders will bond with each other if they lose someone or have no one else.

I don’t think bringing another bird to the pond would necesarily be a good idea, I don’t know if you’re feeding them, if you’re not the geese there are basically undergoing slow starvation and it might not fix things with Nugget.

 

[FaithMaryella]

Unfortunatly all of the scenarios you mentioned could happen. Geese are such individuals so it’s hard to predict what would happen. Sometimes it can take more than a year for things to settle and sort themselves out.
I feel sorry for Nugget but also for Lucy, he’s clearly grieving and struggling with it, possibly he could even be ill. I’m surprised he and Nugget haven’t adopted each other, usually geese will gravitate to their own kind and ganders will bond with each other if they lose someone or have no one else.

I don’t think bringing another bird to the pond would necesarily be a good idea, I don’t know if you’re feeding them, if you’re not the geese there are basically undergoing slow starvation and it might not fix things with Nugget.

Thank you for your insight!

Lucy is a sad sight indeed. I wonder if there's someone at the bank he's interested in. He just stands at the drive-through and looks in the windows. Or people may be feeding him in the drive-through, but I've never seen it.

I feed the geese, and I think a lot of other people do too, but there are SO many ducks at this pond. It's hard to imagine everyone has enough food. Then again, Nugget is never too interested in the food I bring. I'm really not sure. They're plenty round if that's any indication. Maybe there are just so many right now because of the season.

Someone told me to call the zoo in a neighboring town - the Gladys Porter Zoo. They have a large water feature that runs through the whole property with a few black swans and stuff. I guess I'll try that.

 

[FaithMaryella]

Find a home for Nugget where someone has geese he’d be safer and live longer that at the park.

It's such a big beautiful park and pond, I hesitate to take him from it. I want to do what's best for him, of course, but I don't know of another place that's as nice as this for him. Maybe Gladys Porter. I'm going to call and ask their advice.

 

[fowltemptress]

It's such a big beautiful park and pond, I hesitate to take him from it. I want to do what's best for him, of course, but I don't know of another place that's as nice as this for him. Maybe Gladys Porter. I'm going to call and ask their advice.

Pretty much any home with someone willing to take in and provide proper nutrition and care will be nicer than being a domestic animal at a city pond, chronically malnourished - slow starvation is an apt description of what those birds undergo. If possible, it would be great if you could get the community to support and help you in rounding up all the domestic birds there and finding them homes.

 

[Jenbirdee]

what are you feeding him/them?