I witnessed the most horrific thing today...

[Blooming chicks]

I went to the local lake today to feed the ducks and geese. It is not forbidden and there are a lot of domestic ducks and geese that live there permenantly. So we are feeding them some bread pieces and peas when 2 geese start fighting--one goose took the other by the neck and flung it to the ground, and I'm guessing broke its neck and killed it. No kidding--killed it. I was horrified. I ran over to the goose on the ground he flapped his wings a couple times and just died. The flock (of geese) that lives in this park is easily 50+ strong. Additionally there are Canadian geese that migrate through this area and stay here for months. Is this normal behavior in geese? I'm more of a duck person myself--so I just really wanted to know if this is normal?

 

[Olive Hill]

They don't generally kill one another, but yes, fighting is normal. They don't run around fighting all day long, but little tiffs can arise in any flock. The larger and/or more heavily male populated the more likely fights are to occur. And they do grab the other goose by the neck, that one must've gotten a hold of him just right.

 

[zazouse]

That terrible..

From watching my males fight they grab each other, butt their chest together with wings aflapping and see who can push who backwards then it's over.

That gander musta got ahold of the others windpipe when he grabed him , unlucky blow for sure.

 

[duck walk]

my gandes have had a few tiffs but Barney, the eldest is thus far in charge...he just walks over to the offensive up start and bonks him and it is over...it will probably get more serious when breeding season hits us...I did rehome two ganders this year and have only three now...a Pom, a white Chinese and Barney, the Brown China...it was just two or three days ago that I rehomed a gander and two female white Chinas...it was time as breeding season is approaching...when that time comes, I will do some separating so I can have pure bred eggs for the 'bator...the boys will fight for breeding rights and territory...and they are very capable of killing one another...

 

[chickenlady08]

Ok so I am new to geese and I got 2 embdem geese this summer. So mating season is starting now? I still don't have a clue if I have boys or girls. Boy and girl. But it looks like there is some size difference in the 2 and one has a much larger pouch area than the other. Neither one is aggressive at all (unless mating season will start soon). I will try to get some new pictures of them. Oh and one has been honking for weeks now and the other is just starting.

 

[Olive Hill]

Breeding season is in the spring.

 

[Blooming chicks]

I'm glad the consensus agrees this was just a freak accident. I knew they fought--but this was severe. The population seems to be mostly grey and white Pilgrams, a few embdens and the geese with the bump on the beak (really not sure of breed). I'm going to try and get some pictures and post them. Thanks everyone for your replies.

 

[duck walk]

well, I will tell my geese it ain't spring...they have been mating in the pools for the past week...not trying to be a smart a**, just going on observations...and Barney got it right last year...Boris, Bella, and Baby Sue are testimony to that...

 

[Olive Hill]

Quote:
There are exceptions to every rule.

I was responding to when Chickenlady08 asked:

So mating season is starting now?

The "official" answer to that is no, mating season is in the spring. Some geese will mate now, in the fall, most will not. Most that do "mate" will not be productive. That is, the ganders may mate the geese, but very few geese lay eggs in the fall. Those that both mate and lay eggs in the fall are rather rare.​

 

[chickenlady08]

Wow!

for Barney!!! Thank you for the advice. I sure hope I have a boy and girl. If not how many girls to boy ratio should I get?