I really don't want my geese to hate me

[Starfire669]

I don't cuddle my geese so I can't give you advice about that; but I can say that every single one of my geese (American Buff) go NUTS over celery.  Tops or stalks, doesn't matter.  They also like tomatoes but I do too so they don't get those so often.  But, at least with my flock, celery seems to be Goose Crack. (blueberries or peas are duck crack, the turkeys would just rather hunt snakes and frogs, the chickens eat anything and everything with relish.)

Oh and this might be a little late but, while I agree completely with Satrfire669's post about aggression, you can usually nip it before it gets to the point where you have to pin them.  It may depend on the breed, but I would bet generally you don't need to let it get that far as long as you don't mind looking like an idiot.  (I had to do this once while someone was working on some wiring in my house.  I forgot he was there until I "gained dominance" and looked up to see this guy watching me like ***?)

The stages are right.  If your geese start to hiss at you charge them and hiss back, extend your arms like wings and be proud!  (this is what the wiring guy caught me doing).  If they back down, great!.  If they back down but come back at you or don't really back down at all, simulate the goose chest bump by, well, not exactly kicking them.  But firmly move your foot so it connects and shoves them back a foot or two.  You're not kicking at all so it's not a sharp movement, but you want a firm thump on their chest and follow through so they get lifted on your foot and set back.  I don't know of a better way to explain this, but I do want to be clear, it's not an actual kick.  Maybe more like a shove/lift with your foot?

And again, look like an idiot and spread your arms and tell them how you're the man!  (woman, whatever).  Talk  bunch of smack.  It can be in english, it doesn't have to be in goose, just express your pride.  It sounds stupid but it's important.  It signals to not only your nemesis but the rest of the flock that YOU are the winner. 

Usually the arms spread and hiss is as far as you need to go.  Sometimes you need to do the chest-punt.  If they're still feisty after that, then totally pin them. I usually only have to pin in mid summer because I allow them to be protective and angry while raising young and when the goslings are old enough I have to retrain the adults.  But while there are young around, I totally want those geese and ganders to feel like and be the royalty of the yard.

I have used the chest bump with Snow once, as well as the pin. I pinned Snow because he had his head down, his body at an angle to me, and was going full attack on my youngest son. No way for me to chest bump him without hitting his neck and hurting him, but real easy to grab that head and prevent the attack on my son. After I stopped the attack, I pinned him as it was too late for any other discipline. The next time he got out of line, just yesterday when he tried to go after my daughter (she graduated high school yesterday, she was in a dress and high heels, which Snow thought was dangerous) Iwas able to chest bump him and then took a few steps after him with my arms stretched out. Snow took off like lightning, and yeah I got the "she is crazy" look from neighbors, lol.

Guess what I am trying to say is that I use the method that fits/handles the situation best. I always strive to quickly resolve these kinds of issues with the least force possible while still ensuring the my point is made and understood. Snow now knows, without a doubt, that I am top goose, and he hasn't bothered either of my sons since. And Snow and the others will still come up to me to chat, eat the weeds when I weed the gardens that are fenced off from them, or just for some scratches or nap time. So enjoy your geese, but make sure they understand that you are the boss. Good luck!

 

[Carrosaur]

Thank you! This thread has really reassured me that geese will be geese!

 

[livininbrazil]

Lap therapy with all three babies!

 

[Starfire669]

Thank you! This thread has really reassured me that geese will be geese!

Pretty much. I was surprised at the attack on my daughter, Snow had been on good behavior for a couple weeks after I pinned him for attacking my son. He did not let my boys near him, if they got close he would put his head down and walk sideways away from them, warning them to keep their distance, his body bewteen the female geese and my sons. But he didn't attack them, and Snow had never bothered my daughter before. I found a thread about a gander attacking that mentioned shoes. My daughter had on a flappy dress and bright sparkly high heels, both of which my geese had never seen before, we are jeans people here. So I think his attack was provoked by the sparkle shoes or the dress skirt waving around. I have always worn either my tennis shoes or black boots, and pants, around the geese, no problem. My daughter's shoes were really bright, lots of flashing in the sunlight, I think that at least started the whole thing by getting his attention. But it is also possible that Snow could have also picked up how excited/agitated we were due to getting ready to attend her graduation. Geese are not dumb, and we were giving off a different vibe from normal due to our excitement and pride in my daughter (she graduated top 10% of her class, was part of the honor society, vice president of the thespian chapter at her school, is a black belt in martial arts, and has scholarships to a major university!)

Just figured I would mention my thought about why Snow attacked the 2nd time. It may be nothing, or there could be something to it. Who knows how a goose thinks, lol.

 

[livininbrazil]

Pretty much. I was surprised at the attack on my daughter, Snow had been on good behavior for a couple weeks after I pinned him for attacking my son. He did not let my boys near him, if they got close he would put his head down and walk sideways away from them, warning them to keep their distance, his body bewteen the female geese and my sons. But he didn't attack them, and Snow had never bothered my daughter before. I found a thread about a gander attacking that mentioned shoes. My daughter had on a flappy dress and bright sparkly high heels, both of which my geese had never seen before, we are jeans people here. So I think his attack was provoked by the sparkle shoes or the dress skirt waving around. I have always worn either my tennis shoes or black boots, and pants, around the geese, no problem. My daughter's shoes were really bright, lots of flashing in the sunlight, I think that at least started the whole thing by getting his attention. But it is also possible that Snow could have also picked up how excited/agitated we were due to getting ready to attend her graduation. Geese are not dumb, and we were giving off a different vibe from normal due to our excitement and pride in my daughter (she graduated top 10% of her class, was part of the honor society, vice president of the thespian chapter at her school, is a black belt in martial arts, and has scholarships to a major university!)

Just figured I would mention my thought about why Snow attacked the 2nd time. It may be nothing, or there could be something to it. Who knows how a goose thinks, lol.

Well geese can get a bit wary with new things. sometimes I go out in a skirt and mine get a bit wary as i pass them, but they know it´s me. I wear all manner of shoes near them, save sparkly ones!

What I´m amazed at is Snow being so young with this behaviour. Maybe it´s a Chinese thing, which, as you know, I don´t have.

 

[EeyoreD]

<snip>The next time he got out of line, just yesterday when he tried to go after my daughter (she graduated high school yesterday, she was in a dress and high heels, which Snow thought was dangerous) Iwas able to chest bump him and then took a few steps after him with my arms stretched out. Snow took off like lightning, and yeah I got the "she is crazy" look from neighbors, lol.

Guess what I am trying to say is that I use the method that fits/handles the situation best. I always strive to quickly resolve these kinds of issues with the least force possible while still ensuring the my point is made and understood. Snow now knows, without a doubt, that I am top goose, and he hasn't bothered either of my sons since. And Snow and the others will still come up to me to chat, eat the weeds when I weed the gardens that are fenced off from them, or just for some scratches or nap time. So enjoy your geese, but make sure they understand that you are the boss. Good luck!

Fair point, you're right. It's just me so I don't have to worry about tailoring, it's pretty easy to chest-bump when you're the only one they're getting feisty with. And right again, the best tactic is to quickly resolve aggression in the best way you can.

I'm also so glad that I'm not the only one the postman/neighbors/trash people/whoever catches me thinks they're insane what with the human wing-spread

I love my geese (I would say I love them best but I'm having an affair with my scovy drakes). I tell everyone who doesn't know geese that I love them because they deter opportunistic predators around the yard. And that's totally true! But if I'm honest, I say that because they wouldn't understand that: as annoying as they can be and as on your game as you have to be some times of the year, it's their difficulties and complexities that make them the most interesting birds in the yard.

 

[Starfire669]

Well geese can get a bit wary with new things.  sometimes I go out in a skirt and mine get a bit wary as i pass them, but they know it´s me.  I wear all manner of shoes near them, save sparkly ones!  
What I´m amazed at is Snow being so young with this behaviour.  Maybe it´s a Chinese thing, which, as you know, I don´t have.

His behavior has surprised me too, I didn't think I'd have to worry about aggression and "practice" matings for a while yet, but Snow has other ideas I guess!

 

[Starfire669]

Fair point, you're right.  It's just me so I don't have to worry about tailoring, it's pretty easy to chest-bump when you're the only one they're getting feisty with.  And right again, the best tactic is to quickly resolve aggression in the best way you can.

I'm also so glad that I'm not the only one the postman/neighbors/trash people/whoever catches me thinks they're insane what with the human wing-spread

I love my geese (I would say I love them best but I'm having an affair with my scovy drakes).  I tell everyone who doesn't know geese that I love them because they deter opportunistic predators around the yard.  And that's totally true!  But if I'm honest, I say that because they wouldn't understand that: as annoying as they can be and as on your game as you have to be some times of the year, it's their difficulties and complexities that make them the most interesting birds in the yard.

Lol, much easier to chest bump when your the target. Lol. But my geese never offer me aggression, always other people in my yard, which means I have had to improvise a lot, lol. I think the worst was when Snow went after my mom. He was chasing her, and I was chasing him, because my mom didn't hear me trying to warn her. After I got Snow's attention, but still my mom was oblivious to the whole situation, I kept after him cause every time I stopped he went back after her. You should have seen the crazy looks I got that day! Chasing a goose around waving my arms and yelling like a mad woman, the neighbors thought I had lost it!

Now when company comes over I am glued to their side to keep Snow away. He knows better than to charge when I am next to them and being so close gives me a good angle to nudge him in the chest. Much better and easier than chasing a goose around the yard! It's those unexpected visitors that still cause some issues. Snow usually sounds off before visitors reach the doorbell, which gives me a couple seconds to run for the door, then it's me trying to figure out how to keep the goose off the poor people. I think I need a guard goose sign to go with my guard dog signs, lol.

 

[Carrosaur]

You all are so experienced with geese I'm so jealous. When the time comes I'll just completely forget everything I've learned here oh god! Just moved all the babies outside today and made the pin "baby proof"!! Can't wait for them to be bigger so I don't have to worry about their heads getting stick in the inch wide bars.
They have started letting me pick them up again! As long as I slide my hand under them!

 

[EeyoreD]

Lol, much easier to chest bump when your the target. Lol. But my geese never offer me aggression, always other people in my yard, which means I have had to improvise a lot, lol. I think the worst was when Snow went after my mom. He was chasing her, and I was chasing him, because my mom didn't hear me trying to warn her. After I got Snow's attention, but still my mom was oblivious to the whole situation, I kept after him cause every time I stopped he went back after her. You should have seen the crazy looks I got that day! Chasing a goose around waving my arms and yelling like a mad woman, the neighbors thought I had lost it!

You do realize when I read that the Benny Hill theme was running my my mind... It's hilarious to me but probably not to you or your mom at the time. Wow. Yours really ARE feisty. Is Snow one of the Africans or the Chinese? I thought my buffs were bad, they don't chase anyone unless there's a baby or a nest nearby. I'm starting to think I have things easy!

Someone earlier mentioned that Snow was young? I did have to laugh, my geese aren't particularly fertile so right now I have ONE gosling hatched from a mating pair. I caught that tiny little thing trying to snakeneck a full sized goose - because mom and dad were. Evidently they learn quick from their parents! (the target gander was just confused by this little lemon on legs trying to intimidate it and just wandered off)