I'm starting to think my new duck is a goose...?

[Carrosaur]

I understand your experience is different than mine, but it doesn't make mine any less valid than yours.  Jupiter was not nearly as social and happy with the other gosling as she is now.  As I stated, there is enough information on the internet from experienced people (including Metzer Farms from whom a lot of BYC members purchase their poultry) who support raising a single goose under the right circumstances. Now....if something changes down the road with Jupiter's behavior, we will revisit the possibility of getting her a husband or gosling of her own, but right now we have a happy family.  She has full time attentive parents who cater to her every need.  She never has to worry about predators, she will never be culled because she isn't "breed perfect", she is always treated with love and respect, and her food choices are hers to decide, not what will fatten her up for meat or produce the most eggs.  If she falls ill, she won't be put down.  She has an exotic animal vet who specializes in geese, in the same town we live in.  It may not seem optimal to you, but from where I'm sitting, that's a pretty good life for a pet goose.  Dogs are pack animals.  Rather than buy two dogs, a lot of people choose to make their pet dog part of their pack.

If you are of the mind set that a goose cannot ever have a full happy rich life without another goose, by all means don't get a single goose.  I honestly don't mean this is in a snotty way, just that we really need to respect other people's choices, even ones that vastly differ from our own.  There are plenty, and I mean PLENTY of posts criticizing the concept of raising a single goose.  There are very few who report success with such an endeavor.  I have to wonder in my time observing this board, if people who are doing it successfully, are simply reluctant to share because the general mentality is so deeply set against it.

I'm going to be brutally honest for a moment.  The duck forum, which is much more welcoming of diversity, also gets a lot more traffic.  My snow cone machine at Christmas sees more action than the goose forum.  There might be a reason for that.


EvenLater, I did a video review for the Grow with Me Diaper.  I think you can see it from my profile page.  I might do a follow up video as I've had to adapt to her rapidly growing body.  Who did you buy your diapers from?  

Because people on the goose forum are usually very experienced with birds already. Not people who just buy birds at the feed store and don't even know if it's a duck or not. I'm not trying to bash anyone, but really.

And if SO many people are against raising a single goose it's because it rarely is a true success. It's like the Pitbull thing, the reason there are people afraid of pitbulls is because they are naturally dog aggressive, true Pitbull owners will tell you they would never leave their Pitbull alone with any other dog, or even take it to the dog park.
While there are some exceptions, it's generally true. Just like the single goose thing. A goose will always be happier outside, swimming freely and eating grass and bugs. That's what they love. I would never kill my goose for being imperfect or deformed. I have a duck that can't walk right now that I'm trying to save myself. My geese get fresh fruits and veggies to eat whenever they want, but guess what? When I put grass down they ALWAYS 100% pick the grass over the fruits and veggies.

 

[EvenLater]

Honestly I'm not going to be swayed into getting more than i can personally handle. And I'm the type of person that believes most animals are of the same "social" needs. So why get one lonely dog and not two? Why have just one cat instead of three? Of course bringing a duck or goose into the home is NO different than bringing in any other creature. If you can't devote the time to be the creatures companion then either get them a friend or just don't get one period. My husband works from home. I only work part time outside the home. My two children are nearly adults. My point being...There is ALWAYS someone home. I have a cockatoo. A parrot. She demands constant attention. If i have the time, love, and means for a parrot who is incredibly demanding, I'm certain i can manage to keep a goose happy fat and healthy.

I don't mean to come off as snooty but I've only been here a few days and in that time 3 separate people have "suggested" that Cas NEEDS another goose or he'll never really be happy. My friend got two ducklings. She's terribly sad now because they will have nothing to do with her at all and one constantly beats up the other. So is Cas really that bad off having me who loves him completely? He doesn't seem to think he's missing anything and eagerly runs to me to tell me all about it!

For those of you who have offered support my way in raising a single house goose, i thank you greatly.

 

[Carrosaur]

Honestly I'm not going to be swayed into getting more than i can personally handle. And I'm the type of person that believes most animals are of the same "social" needs. So why get one lonely dog and not two? Why have just one cat instead of three? Of course bringing a duck or goose into the home is NO different than bringing in any other creature. If you can't devote the time to be the creatures companion then either get them a friend or just don't get one period. My husband works from home. I only work part time outside the home. My two children are nearly adults. My point being...There is ALWAYS someone home. I have a cockatoo. A parrot. She demands constant attention. If i have the time, love, and means for a parrot who is incredibly demanding, I'm certain i can manage to keep a goose happy fat and healthy.

I don't mean to come off as snooty but I've only been here a few days and in that time 3 separate people have "suggested" that Cas NEEDS another goose or he'll never really be happy. My friend got two ducklings. She's terribly sad now because they will have nothing to do with her at all and one constantly beats up the other. So is Cas really that bad off having me who loves him completely? He doesn't seem to think he's missing anything and eagerly runs to me to tell me all about it!

For those of you who have offered support my way in raising a single house goose, i thank you greatly.

I'm not saying DONT raise a house goose. I'm just suggesting an animal will always be happier in its natural environment. You can take the goose out of the wild but you can never take the wild out of the goose!

And birds are like children, they're going to be mean to each other when they're young to sort out the pecking order. It's how it is.

I support you raising a house goose, I just want you to be fully aware that it may not end up well. They are not dogs, geese do not crave or need human attention. Trust me.

 

[EvenLater]

I understand your experience is different than mine, but it doesn't make mine any less valid than yours.  Jupiter was not nearly as social and happy with the other gosling as she is now.  As I stated, there is enough information on the internet from experienced people (including Metzer Farms from whom a lot of BYC members purchase their poultry) who support raising a single goose under the right circumstances. Now....if something changes down the road with Jupiter's behavior, we will revisit the possibility of getting her a husband or gosling of her own, but right now we have a happy family.  She has full time attentive parents who cater to her every need.  She never has to worry about predators, she will never be culled because she isn't "breed perfect", she is always treated with love and respect, and her food choices are hers to decide, not what will fatten her up for meat or produce the most eggs.  If she falls ill, she won't be put down.  She has an exotic animal vet who specializes in geese, in the same town we live in.  It may not seem optimal to you, but from where I'm sitting, that's a pretty good life for a pet goose.  Dogs are pack animals.  Rather than buy two dogs, a lot of people choose to make their pet dog part of their pack.

If you are of the mind set that a goose cannot ever have a full happy rich life without another goose, by all means don't get a single goose.  I honestly don't mean this is in a snotty way, just that we really need to respect other people's choices, even ones that vastly differ from our own.  There are plenty, and I mean PLENTY of posts criticizing the concept of raising a single goose.  There are very few who report success with such an endeavor.  I have to wonder in my time observing this board, if people who are doing it successfully, are simply reluctant to share because the general mentality is so deeply set against it.

I'm going to be brutally honest for a moment.  The duck forum, which is much more welcoming of diversity, also gets a lot more traffic.  My snow cone machine at Christmas sees more action than the goose forum.  There might be a reason for that.


EvenLater, I did a video review for the Grow with Me Diaper.  I think you can see it from my profile page.  I might do a follow up video as I've had to adapt to her rapidly growing body.  Who did you buy your diapers from?  

I was originally going to order from goose mother but after reading reviews about flying poo (lol) i was looking into the grow with me diapers.

When i first picked Cas out of a bunch of what i was told were ducklings he was sitting alone in a corner trying to get away from the other things pulling at him. There's just no way i would have gotten another to bring home and torment him further. When i first placed my hands into the brooder, everyone but him scrambled away. He looked up at me with one eye and climbed right into my hand. I was immediately hooked.

Yes i thought he was a duck. For all of about a day until reading here and seeing his posturing and came to understand he's a goose. I have several critters in my home and I'm able to pretty clearly understand their body language. Cas plays with me. Yes plays. He will run after a toy i toss or tug on toys or run after my fingers. He comes running when either i or my husband call his name and jumps and wiggles his butt. In my eyes he's far happier than he was being picked on by those meanies he shared his brooder with. Nothing here will ever hurt him and he's joined right in being a wonderful part of our family.

 

[Carrosaur]

I was originally going to order from goose mother but after reading reviews about flying poo (lol) i was looking into the grow with me diapers.

When i first picked Cas out of a bunch of what i was told were ducklings he was sitting alone in a corner trying to get away from the other things pulling at him. There's just no way i would have gotten another to bring home and torment him further. When i first placed my hands into the brooder, everyone but him scrambled away. He looked up at me with one eye and climbed right into my hand. I was immediately hooked.

Yes i thought he was a duck. For all of about a day until reading here and seeing his posturing and came to understand he's a goose. I have several critters in my home and I'm able to pretty clearly understand their body language. Cas plays with me. Yes plays. He will run after a toy i toss or tug on toys or run after my fingers. He comes running when either i or my husband call his name and jumps and wiggles his butt. In my eyes he's far happier than he was being picked on by those meanies he shared his brooder with. Nothing here will ever hurt him and he's joined right in being a wonderful part of our family.

Ducks are bullies to begin with, I honestly will never own a duck again other than the special needs duck I have right now. Just wait until he is older, always consider HIS feelings. My geese don't bully each other at all, what-so-ever. The only snuggle together and sit on my feet. I do exactly what you do except my geese get to live outside. They would rather be outside in a storm rather than even be in their goose house, much less my own house.

 

[EvenLater]

If he is lonely for another goose friend as he gets older i will provide him with one. After all that's what Mama's do right? Do whatever it takes to keep their babies happy and healthy?

Altho i will admit i am greatly enjoying this bonding time with him and the more i look into Pomeraian geese the more i'm really hoping he is one! Lol

 

[Carrosaur]

If he is lonely for another goose friend as he gets older i will provide him with one. After all that's what Mama's do right? Do whatever it takes to keep their babies happy and healthy?

Altho i will admit i am greatly enjoying this bonding time with him and the more i look into Pomeraian geese the more i'm really hoping he is one! Lol

He is, I'm 99.8% sure he is.

 

[EvenLater]

He is, I'm 99.8% sure he is.

That is soooooo exciting to hear! They are so pretty

 

[Carrosaur]

That is soooooo exciting to hear! They are so pretty

 

[Skyfire]

I'm not saying DONT raise a house goose. I'm just suggesting an animal will always be happier in its natural environment. You can take the goose out of the wild but you can never take the wild out of the goose!

And birds are like children, they're going to be mean to each other when they're young to sort out the pecking order. It's how it is.

I support you raising a house goose, I just want you to be fully aware that it may not end up well. They are not dogs, geese do not crave or need human attention. Trust

Actually, the wild has already been taken out of domesticated geese. Jupiter is an American Buff, not a wild goose. There was no, "being mean to each other" in my situation. I provided detail in past posts about the situation, so I won't reiterate. According to the goose mother and father website, there is no pecking order among wild geese. A pecking order derived when man domesticated the goose and forced a pecking order upon them. In the wild, the leaders of a goose flock are the best parents, not who can peck who the most. Yes, it may not end up well, but it also may end up one heck of a positive experience. My goose does crave our attention, and seeks it often. I trust the wisdom provided by seasoned geese owners, but above all I trust my own instincts.