Keeping two pairs together?

[Bellatrixed]

Sadly, they're already ordered. Plus I didn't want to only have 2 in case something happened to 1.

 

[RURU]

When I was new to breeding Sebastopols had NO idea of how they could get on you at breeding season. I had purchased my first pair Sammie and Samantha both are whites. I grew them up not knowing anything about this breed except they were beautiful. Also had NO idea there were forums out there to help you like now.

So I guess into the 2nd year of having my very first batch of goslings from Sammie and Samantha I was thrilled. Then decided I wanted color.. So went to the Holderreads for a young pair of Greys, Grant and Gloria. The first year together they got along just fine.
Boy did I learn an awful lesson about letting the two pairs in the same pen!!!!!

Grant attacked Sammie so badly he stripped all the feathers off Sammies nek and down his back. If I had not gotten them out of the pen early that morning Sammie would have been killed.... This all was because Grant decided he wanted Samantha and he fought for her. Had to take Sammie out and bring him in the garage until I could get Sammie healed and prayed he would live.
I was not at the time interested in doing breeding just wanted pretty sebbies. Lesson well learned!!!!

Just wanted to make sure others do not have to go through what I did by inexperience.... Sammie almost lost his life because I did not know how nasty ganders get no matter how sweet they seem. Breeding season brings out the tasmanian devil in Ganders!!!!!!!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Barb thanks for sharing that story here. I have read it before when you talked of the ganders fighting, and was hoping you would share it here. We keep our boys separate Dec - June here and tell everyone they shouldnt leave it to chance when it comes to ganders. It is also important to get advice on breeding set ups and how to handle the ganders and what is best to avoid problems at all from those who have been breeding, not those with no past breeding experience.

Since you have the two pairs ordered (although I know Metzers would allow you to phone in a change) then plan ahead for a house for each pair. It would be cruel to isolate (even for just over night) 1 gander. They are social and to force one to sleep alone isnt not good for their mental health.

 

[RURU]

Your welcome Celtic. I would have put pictures but lost all my pictures when our other computer fried. They could not save anything. You read the story on another fourm. Went to the other forum and could not find the posting too long ago....
Even with Sammie in our garage I would allow the other geese to come and visit Sammie during the day while he healed. I hated to keep him by himself but had to because of the damage done to him. I would go out and sit with Sammie and talk to him he considers me his top goose momma anyway..

One thing new comers into geese need to know that not always does the fight kill the other gander but even a small fight can (Stress) some out male or female that it can cause death.

 

[Bellatrixed]

Thank you for the stories! It's looking more and more like I'll have to sell one of the boys because I don't want to risk the aggression.

Do you really think Metzer will allow me to get 1 male/3 females instead of 2 pairs? I sent an email asking if they would revise my order, but for some reason I'm skeptical! I googled and found a post from John Metzer explaining why they don't sell extra females, but here's hoping, lol.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Thank you for the stories! It's looking more and more like I'll have to sell one of the boys because I don't want to risk the aggression.

Do you really think Metzer will allow me to get 1 male/3 females instead of 2 pairs? I sent an email asking if they would revise my order, but for some reason I'm skeptical! I googled and found a post from John Metzer explaining why they don't sell extra females, but here's hoping, lol.

No they wont, but they would let you cancel one pair completely. We also dont ever sell solo females as we too dont want the extra ganders. Its pairs or straight run only. Trying to sell a single gander is very hard unless its a more rare breed and of the highest quality. Extra ganders often are butchered because well you only need so many in a breeding set up.

 

[Bellatrixed]

Oh. Well, like I said, I'd rather just get the two pairs and then choose between the males which I want to keep.

Is Ideal the only hatchery that sells individual females? I like Ideal's chickens (well, most breeds anyway) for my needs but I've just seen such awful things about their geese that I went elsewhere lol.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

i personally dont like ideal for anything. Read post after post of half to 3/4 of recent order just dropping dead 3 and 4 at a time

 

[zekii]

This is an excellent thread thanks for sharing your wealth of information, and this is appropriate for us since we also just ordered two pair of American goslings from Holderread.
We are now planning for acoop/run for the geese, and apparently we'll need to have separate areas if we are going to keep
the two pairs for breeding. Another question is can geese & ducks live together, share housing/runs? Will ganders & drakes attack each
other during breeding season? Today we were watching one of our welsh harlequin drakes run after one of our Maran roosters just after
the rooster jumped on a Maran hen

 

[Miss Lydia]

This is an excellent thread thanks for sharing your wealth of information, and this is appropriate for us since we also just ordered two pair of American goslings from Holderread.
We are now planning for acoop/run for the geese, and apparently we'll need to have separate areas if we are going to keep
the two pairs for breeding. Another question is can geese & ducks live together, share housing/runs? Will ganders & drakes attack each
other during breeding season? Today we were watching one of our welsh harlequin drakes run after one of our Maran roosters just after
the rooster jumped on a Maran hen

My geese and ducks have separate sleeping stalls, ganders and drakes don't mix well when confined, during the day they are all together. lots of room to stay out of each others way.