Is this a dumped domestic goose?

[lightchick]

Hope you find a home for him soon!

 

[HumbleHen207]

Awesome story! Discipline really is the best way to curb aggression, eventually they will see you as higher in the "pecking order" and back down a bit. Hope you find him a home soon, he really is gorgeous!

 

[TracyLovesDucks]

Thanks everyone. Still haven't heard from many people who seem to be seriously interested.

He's getting a little more testy. We had an incident last night while I was in the duck house with them all before I had fenced him off. He came at me wings spread and neck snaked, so I pinned him for quite a while (until I realized the ducks were pecking his butt from behind, then I thought that's probably enough humiliation!). I realized after the fact that I had my hands on my hips while I was watching them, then I put them down and that's when he came at me (maybe he thought I was being aggressive, then thought I backed down and he saw an opening?... either way, I can't be worried about putting my hands on my hips if you know what I mean).

Then this morning, I noticed he found a piece of trash and was trying to eat it. Because of our incident last night, I didn't want to pull it from his mouth, so I hovered until he set it down, then he charged me (wings weren't out, neck wasn't snaked this time) before I ever even started to pick up the trash. I yelled "No" and put my wings out and chased him around the yard like that. He kept running away from me, which is good I guess. Maybe I should have just pulled the trash from his mouth instantly and dealt with his nasty reaction right then?

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone could give me tips on how to be more proactively dominant rather than just reactive to his obvious aggression? Like I said, I'm not naturally dominant so the more help you can offer, the better! I know he can see that in me sometimes, even though I haven't let him get away with anything serious. Thank you!

Like should I be instigating, doing a little bit of goose bullying on occasion?
Or should I pick him up and carry him around for a while each day?
Should I follow him around for a while, get close to him while he is eating?
(Sorry if these ideas seem weird, I'm outta my element,

)

Oh and one more question, could he become more aggressive in general as a response to me correcting his behavior?

 

[livininbrazil]

Thanks everyone. Still haven't heard from many people who seem to be seriously interested.

He's getting a little more testy. We had an incident last night while I was in the duck house with them all before I had fenced him off. He came at me wings spread and neck snaked, so I pinned him for quite a while (until I realized the ducks were pecking his butt from behind, then I thought that's probably enough humiliation!). I realized after the fact that I had my hands on my hips while I was watching them, then I put them down and that's when he came at me (maybe he thought I was being aggressive, then thought I backed down and he saw an opening?... either way, I can't be worried about putting my hands on my hips if you know what I mean).

Then this morning, I noticed he found a piece of trash and was trying to eat it. Because of our incident last night, I didn't want to pull it from his mouth, so I hovered until he set it down, then he charged me (wings weren't out, neck wasn't snaked this time) before I ever even started to pick up the trash. I yelled "No" and put my wings out and chased him around the yard like that. He kept running away from me, which is good I guess. Maybe I should have just pulled the trash from his mouth instantly and dealt with his nasty reaction right then?

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone could give me tips on how to be more proactively dominant rather than just reactive to his obvious aggression? Like I said, I'm not naturally dominant so the more help you can offer, the better! I know he can see that in me sometimes, even though I haven't let him get away with anything serious. Thank you!

Like should I be instigating, doing a little bit of goose bullying on occasion?
Or should I pick him up and carry him around for a while each day?
Should I follow him around for a while, get close to him while he is eating?
(Sorry if these ideas seem weird, I'm outta my element,

)

Oh and one more question, could he become more aggressive in general as a response to me correcting his behavior?

The first part of this was so funny. well done, you´ve got a good idea anyway of how to deal with him.
Only things I´d add is, walk around with hands on hips anyway, when he´s in yyour way, walk over to him with arms out, get him to move...even if you don´t actually want to go over there, get him to move. The ducks getting his butt was very funny... what you need to do, too. Ganders, when sorting out the dominance thing, will pin the other down, then chase it off while holding onto the tail...
Get close to him while he´s eating? Yes, then push him out of the way. Just behave more like a more dominant gander... it´s goose language, they understand it.
I personally don´t go with the carrying around thing, as they generally have a fear of being held, etc, it´s their instinct, so I tend to avoid it myself. My ganders are really quite calm chaps, so I don´t really have much trouble from them, but when they have their goslings, they´re just a little bit more prickly, so I make sure I never back off, I stand my ground until they calm down, then I move off sideways...sometimes I´ll chuck them a bit of lettuce for a treat, for being calm. Oh, and don´t feed him from your hand is best, just chuck him something to eat. Depends on mine, if they´re being well-behaved, they get something. They never receive food from me if they are getting a little bolshy. They have to calm down. They´re smart, they soon learn. You´ll have him nicely trained for his new owner.

Oh, and about correcting him...he should become better behaved if you correct him in the correct way. More aggression comes from those who are corrected in the incorrect way.

 

[PoultryQueen101]

Wish you lived near ohio, we have some scovies, a magpie, and a pekin that live on our pond with a dog house. Something took the big muscovy drake and the bigger magpie hen disappeared the same night. Only found evidence to the drakes doom, but found white feathers in the backyard suspecting the hen got away.... hopefully she will return someday. They were probably coyotes and that was before we had the doghouse and pen set up. They still have acess to water because the pen is 3 sided, with the 4th side against the water. He sounds pretty protective and im sure hed have no trouble. He is very beautiful, my only doubt is his agression... because my 2 yr old cousin loves the color white... and constantly wants to pet the pekin.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Tracy any updates on your gander?

 

[lightchick]

Tracy any updates on your gander?

x2

 

[TracyLovesDucks]

Hi, yep! I still have him and he is doing good!

Still no serious inquiries.

I have to mount him every once in a while, less and less, I think it's working. He hasn't spread his wings at me in a few days and he hasn't hissed either, he mostly just bluffs now (comes at me with his neck straight out until I see him, invade his space and tell him to relax, then he stops).

All of my goose training has been punishing him. What are some ways that I can reward him, or do geese even think like that? I need to start chucking him some lettuce, but he doesn't seem to understand that I'm giving him a treat, he doesn't make the connection. Also, my speedy little ducks will compete with him for it! Maybe it just takes time and repetition.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi, yep! I still have him and he is doing good!

Still no serious inquiries.

I have to mount him every once in a while, less and less, I think it's working. He hasn't spread his wings at me in a few days and he hasn't hissed either, he mostly just bluffs now (comes at me with his neck straight out until I see him, invade his space and tell him to relax, then he stops).

All of my goose training has been punishing him. What are some ways that I can reward him, or do geese even think like that? I need to start chucking him some lettuce, but he doesn't seem to understand that I'm giving him a treat, he doesn't make the connection. Also, my speedy little ducks will compete with him for it! Maybe it just takes time and repetition.

Sounds like your making progress and listen I bet alot geese that get dumped is because who ever had them didn't take the time to try to train, and miss out on having a wonderful member of their flock. My gander seems to be testing me more and more each day. and has come close to nipping me but I try to take care of it before he gets the chance. Rewards well I usually verbally reward him when he behaves but I also give him something he loves more than anything and thats is whole corn. He won't eat much of anything else in the treat department but corn is his fav. I always put it into a plastic butter bowl and after giving everyone else some by tossing on the ground I let him eat out of the bowl holding it in my palm so my fingers aren't exposed. He loves getting the extra special treatment. I can actually walk into the feed room at a certain time of day and they all seem to know it's treat time. so yes repetition will help. happy to hear he is doing good.

 

[TracyLovesDucks]

I'll give that a try, Miss Lydia! I always sweet talk him when he's acting appropriately, but he sorta sees me as a threat no matter what voice I'm using. I think that feeding him lettuce from a bowl will help him to trust me and fear me (is that possible? ha!). Maybe instead of fear I mean respect. Yeah, that's what I mean.

Your flock must be happy to have you

Do you use fresh corn like right off the cob, or is it some kind of dried whole kernel corn that you can get from the feed store?