It matters how you interact with your animals!

[Hannahnic14]

This post probably isn't necessary.......but I needed to share!! So I just got a toulouse gosling (Cricket) to go with my roman tufted gosling (Jellybean). Both goslings are 2 weeks old. The lady I got Jellybean from, handled all her poultry and waterfowl all the time so he runs right up to me with happy little cheeps and jumps into my hand. Cricket is a different story....I'm not saying she was mistreated or anything, just maybe not handled. Cricket ducks it's little head and tries to hide everytime I go near it It makes me so sad!! I mean, I have had Jellybean for about a week but he never acted like that...just saying that it matters if you handle your poultry/waterfowl!!

 

[Mutchi]

exactly, hold your poultry and treat them nicly!

 

[Goosebaby]

True!

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

My first geese my Mom spent a lot of time with. They would come from anywhere to the call "Babies" and eat out of your hands. Then we got another goose that she wasn't able to spend as much time with. That goose wouldn't come when called unless following the flock, and wouldn't eat out of your hands.

 

[The goose girl]

Handling matters a lot, but your Cricket hasn't necessarily been mistreated. Bloodline also matters. Some breeds are just more docile and trusting than others, and the same goes for strains within breeds. I've had my gander since he was one day old. He's never liked being handled - not even as a baby. He'd scream in panic whenever I picked him up. And I've spent hours and hours with him E-V-E-R-Y day of his life. Also, he bites. Not aggressively (except in spring); it rather seems exploratory. Never the cute little nibbles; always chomping down hard. He's far from timid, though, he's just very highly strung.

 

[3xhhheather]

I spent loads of time with all my babies, but have one goose who acts like you're an axe murderer if you even look her way. Similar to @The goose girl you can just get that random one that throws you for a loop

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I handle my goslings a lot (and all are incubator-hatched and human-imprinted). They seem to follow an attachment trajectory similar to human young: clingy as babies, still run to me as juveniles, then get a bit more distant as they get older (like teens). Even within the group, some are - and will remain - friendlier than others.

Nurture vs. Nature can be unpredictable, but I still advocate lots of handling and contact to ensure they're easier to handle as fully-grown adults.