Introducing goslings

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

I can’t find a previous post about this!

My 4 goslings are 2 weeks old. We have been putting them in a run hubby made quick for them to meet everyone. It’s been about a week. My 2 Pilgrim females (1 yr old) want to kill them im pretty sure. It’s awful. They bite at the cage right where the goslings heads are. The goslings don’t look at all afraid unless they aren’t expecting it. The hardware cloth is 1/2 inch, but I’m afraid the big geese could get ahold of their little bills poking through. I don’t dare let them in their area with the babies because they would kill them in a split second. What do I do? It will be unbearable if these guys can’t all be together as a family. Everyone is free ranged in a large fenced area, and there is no way to separate them and still give them access to the pond.

We were hopeful when she kept sitting beside them, but then later she went back to viscously biting at the cage…

 

[sylviethecochin]

Geese like goslings. I've had issues with an angry gander trampling some in a fit of rage (the goslings were raised by a chicken. He did not like the chicken) but never with a goose or gander attacking goslings on purpose.

I won't give guarantees, because animals can be unpredictable, but I'd bet that if you release the goslings, they'll follow the geese right into the pond.

 

[Iain Utah]

Geese put goslings heads/necks in their mouths as part of bonding/teaching them. While it looks like they are hurting the goslings, they really aren't. If that goose in the picture is laying against the pen all the time, I expect it wants to adopt them. Don't be surprised if the goose starts guarding babies from you before long.

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

Geese put goslings heads/necks in their mouths as part of bonding/teaching them. While it looks like they are hurting the goslings, they really aren't. If that goose in the picture is laying against the pen all the time, I expect it wants to adopt them. Don't be surprised if the goose starts guarding babies from you before long.

Geese like goslings. I've had issues with an angry gander trampling some in a fit of rage (the goslings were raised by a chicken. He did not like the chicken) but never with a goose or gander attacking goslings on purpose.

I won't give guarantees, because animals can be unpredictable, but I'd bet that if you release the goslings, they'll follow the geese right into the pond.

We let the babies out to be around one of the geese (Swana) this morning. Swana started biting them in the butt. It was similar to what the geese do to the chickens. It appeared as though she wanted to keep them away from “her” pond. But then she opened her mouth pretty wide and bit one baby in the side making the baby scream loudly and run away. Swana is the goose that has been biting my husband and I since this horrible mating season. However, she is the one that didn’t bite at the cage nearly as much which is why we chose to try with her first.

Geese like goslings, but whatever bad thing can happen to me does. How can I chance them together when they could bite a goslings head off in a split second?

 

[pspaniel]

We let the babies out to be around one of the geese (Swana) this morning. Swana started biting them in the butt.

Interesting, that exactly what Kadisha (6 week old goose) did when I put Samantha (4 days old) in with her. Maybe that's just how geese get to know each other - like dogs sniffing each others' bottoms? Come to think of it, perhaps that's the origin of the slang "goosing" someone meaning pinching their bottom?

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

Interesting, that exactly what Kadisha (6 week old goose) did when I put Samantha (4 days old) in with her. Maybe that's just how geese get to know each other - like dogs sniffing each others' bottoms? Come to think of it, perhaps that's the origin of the slang "goosing" someone meaning pinching their bottom?

That’s so funny! Did you go ahead and leave the two together? How did it turn out?

 

[pspaniel]

That’s so funny! Did you go ahead and leave the two together? How did it turn out?

The little one still feels the cold, so I left them together for 10 minutes, during which they circled each other warily, then brought her in. I plan to put them together a little longer each day under strict supervision and hope they bond.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Well, if the geese are a danger to the goslings, I guess they have to be kept separate. Since goslings are easier to pen than geese, I suppose this means no pond for them. Gradual integration (as with chickens) might be what you have to do. Which is rather inconvenient for you. Sorry.

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

Both of my adults have succeeded in making the goslings terrified of them by biting them gently in the butt, side, and head. Poor little babies! Now the babies stay locked up for another week of two until they are a little rougher. They can’t go to the pond, but they can go in the garden and play in the kiddie pool… until they are tall enough to see all of my veggies!