My geese suddenly want to eat me alive

[Jennyhaschicks]

I have two Pilgrim geese who loved me with all their heart up until this weekend.. They will be one year old in April. This weekend I got down and the gander came over to me and bit my arm and kept biting. The female saw him doing it and did the same. This happened a couple times back to back. I grabbed their bills and they stopped.
Now when I reach my hands in to feed them they are utterly vicious! I wore thick gloves tonight and they bit threw and bruised the tops of my hands and my arm.

They were like little alligators. What has happened? They are not doing this to my husband and they prefer me over him. I am their mom.
The only thing I can think is he is questioning me being around his lady. Maybe he sees me as a threat? I don't know but this is horrible.

 

[StevenW.]

Breeding season. You need to show that gander who is boss or he will keep pushing you around.

 

[theron]

During breeding season, geese can sometimes get overly aggressive. One thing that helps is if you take a stick or pole into their run with them and when they try and bite you, give them a little hit. I have my geese trained and whenever they see me carrying the pvc pole they know I am not to be messed with. Or if they are just hissing, sometimes I hiss back and chase them to let them know I am boss.

Good Luck!

 

[Jennyhaschicks]

Ahhhh breeding season.. Ugh...

I will have to get a pvc pipe and show him who is the boss here like you said. Oh that boy! Do I just keep hitting him softly but firmly if he keeps lashing out at me?

 

[Suzie]

You are not the only one.... I am having great problems with mine - the females are as aggressive as the males and I was attacked by two geese - I have some lovely bruises to prove it but my pride is hurt more.... I love my geese but I do acknowledge that it is the breeding season and mine have become quite nasty towards me - except that is when they want their feed and housing at night - ooohhhh Mum I dooo love you so very much when I am eating and I didn't really mean to bite you - OK YOU ARE ALL FORGIVEN - BUT don't do it again until at least tomorrow ( evening preferably ) -

In my dreams....

It will be worth the wait when they return to normal

 

[froggie71]

So far mine has hasn't bitten me, but the boys have tried especially the Embden boy. He backs down if I hiss back and open my arms wide like he does his wings. He usually will turn around and walk the other way, but keep an eye on me. I do hold a stick if collecting eggs though. I've also smack his bill and held his head down.

 

[theron]

Quote:
yea. I do it lightly but repetitive. Sooner or later if you keep up with the stick or pvc pipe, they will learn. I also kind of chase them around after i give them a few gentle wacks so they get the picture. And NEVER run away from them. Now, I only have to carry the stick in the pen with me and they know what it means.

 

[crtrlovr]

ah... spring is here. Hormones are running rampant...

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

my female goose (not laying eggs or broody or anything) bit my arm yesterday really, really hard, and wouldn't let go. I was hitting her and desperately trying to throw her off... it didn't deter her at all. I tried to pry her mouth open... didn't work. after about a minute of me screaming and flailing, she let go... and i got the heck out of her pen... today, she was fine... geese are weird.

 

[Jennyhaschicks]

So tomorrow I am headed out with my weapon of choice and won't back down. I will say this though.. When they were biting me it hurt more than I ever thought it would. They chomp down hard. The two of them were going up and down my wrist at the same time and it hurt.

I won't back down though. NEVER would I run away from them.
Yes. Geese sure are strange. Smart though aren't they!