My geese suddenly want to eat me alive

[Jennyhaschicks]

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Ouch, ouch, ouch.. I am sure that did hurt.

Today I went out to feed them in their house and they got my arm again. I firmly told them both NO and they continued. I struck them on their bills firmly with my hand until they eventually stopped. I must have ended up slapping them about 10 times each while telling them to back off. We shall see how tomorrow goes.

 

[StevenW.]

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Um, No

 

[thekid]

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Um, No

too keep distance

 

[Shiloh Acres]

My first flock was sweet Year-round (to me at least, they would attack strangers). But my new flock of sweet goslings grew into typical protective breeders. That's ok with me, since that's what they are supposed to do.

My only hard lesson so far has been NOT to turn my back on them. They dart in like rabid dogs then, and will bite. Hard!

Since they taught me to be careful, things have gone well enough. I face them, and move slowly. I don't hiss back at them. I do say "Goose, goose" quietly since that's how I've always called them. I did spread my arms when they were really being jerks a few times, LOL. But as far as discipline ... If they come in acting like they are going to attack, I reach under their necks to control the head. A few times they would press the issue, so I caught them up (you HAVE TO pin the wings so neither you nor the gander gets hurt) and pick them up, holding the beak if I need to. I think being scooped up surprises them and the head usually drops cuz they want down. After a minute of that, they are much more subdued. I have only had to pick them up a couple times. Now when they reach for me, and I reach slowly for them, they generally back off.

Being as I have to be around them every day, and am looking forward to them behaving once more, I never threaten to hit them. Geese are smart birds and I think the likelihood of that backfiring is high.

Must admit though, one day when ALL the ganders as well as one or two of the geese decided to put on a united front, they had me wondering if it was going to work that time. I squatted down and let them come, and fortunately I only had to touch three or so of them under the chin and push them back before they all backed off.

Gotta love the vicious little beasties, LOL.

 

[goosedragon]

Well I always used to carry a "herding stick" with me when I entered their enclosed pen during breeding season and made sure never to allow them to get behind me while i was in there. A herding stick is something I had seen in use in Europe by both goose and duck people where they turn them out to free range. The closest I could come up with was a 6' banboo stick (found at garden center) with a padded tip and a 8-9 inch streamer on the tip. The tip was padded so I could use it to poke a bird with it without hurting it, the streamer was so the birds could see it. In Europe where birds were often turned out in tall grass and to gather them together it was waved overhead while calling them. They might not be able to see you but they could see the streamer. It was also used to signal the head of the flock where you wanted them to go.
I had an "understanding" with my birds in the pen the boss goose was the boss and I gave respect by never turning my back to him. Outside the pens we were about equal unless I had the herding stick which made me boss. Most of the time the stick was left by the gate.

 

[theron]

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that is what i was trying to get at. Thanks Goosedragon! I have trained them to respect my herding stick, which is a pvc pole. I am not saying that I beat my geese, just if they start to run up to me and get ready to attack, I take the stick and give them a light tap. Good luck!

 

[ultasol]

I don't imprint my goslings because of this... if I can at all help it. I want them to have a respectful fear of me- not because I've ever lifted a hand at them but because they don't see me as another goose.

In breeding season, it seems like the biggest 'pet' ganders are the ones that are the nastiest. Unless you are collecting eggs, try to avoid the nesting site. Watch out for stepped-up aggression immediately following hatch. It's instinct- they are trying to be protective parents and pass on their genes.

 

[kuntrygirl]

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You mean that is not normal behavior???

My geese are about 8 years old now and that's all they have ever done (bite and wing slap).

I have to watch my back every day.

They are MEAN !!!

 

[GarlicEater]

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I personally think 99% of these problems are what I'd call "boundary issues" the animals lack, because they've never learned, a sense of boundaries. And this is not only with geese but with dogs, chickens, cats, you name it. My geese haven't even touched me much less nipped etc., they know trying to bully me would be like trying to bully the Rock of Gibralter. But if one ever bit down on me, I'd put a hand on their head, cover up their eyes, they'd be like "What the heck??? I can't see!!" and let go, I'd think. If they kept up the shenanigans, they'd get a big comfy hold and hug. And just get held for a while - to a goose, anything longer than a minute or so is a while.

I don't think pure force works, you just become The Enemy and geese are evolved to deal with nastier enemies than you could be, possums and coons and so on.

My viewpoint is I weigh 150. A goose weighs 15, I'm the animal that weighs 10x what they do - I don't have to move unless I want to, not they want to. If the geese try to bully me, I just stand there, they're not gonna move me. When the geese were new here, and they'd try to move me on, I'd make a point of hanging around and talking to them calmly until their few minutes' of attention span was used up and the issue was settled. But also, I give them a bit of respect as fellow animals. If they're basking in one area and I don't have to walk through there, I'll go around, just because it's a bother for them all to get up and move. if I have to, then it's "Sorry guys", and I walk on through. I don't hang around their nests, I gather the eggs preferably when they're elsewhere and the rest of the time I don't hang around there.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have been using the down on the ground method and it works for a while, humm maybe a couple of days. I get him around the neck and lay him on the ground belly down and make him lay like that for a few minutes. He usually leaves me alone for the rest of the day. I put my knee on his back so he can't get up. I could never strike my goose, I like the dominance better.