new to geese and have questions

[the funny farm6615]

ok, i have always liked the look and sound of geese, but my mother was afrade of them and so i couldnt have them as a kid. so when my daughter did good with her ducks and asked for some geese we looked around, and most of the ones we found were mean. but we were at the livestock sale to get some fence posts, and they had this half grown african goose and it let my daughter pet it on the head and as most people were taking about butchering it, well that ment we had to bring her home. dont know anything about her other than that. but the next day she started to lay eggs.

then a friend told us she had bought 3 pairs of geese and they came with a single (adult) male and that we could have him, so we took him. the problem... we let them meet threw the fence for a day (and they seemed to do good) and then put them together, she chased and bit him. then we turned them loose to run the farm, and they seemed to tollerate each other, stayed close but not together. he is friendly and i got to where i would pet him when i feed him, but then when the dogs came close to me he would chase them and honk loudly. now he chases the kids, my husband, the dogs and cats, even the lawnmower for being near me. and today he grabed the top of my shoe and well..... pulled my shoe under him and.... i had to kick him off. (was sooo not ready for that!!!!)

we were given a baby gossling and he loves the baby and when i am not outside he watches over the baby. the female watches from a distance.

is there a way to make him leave me alone? we dont want to get rid of him and everyone thinks it is so funny but no ideas. please help

 

[dieselgrl48]

I never had any major problem's with my geese really.I raised toulouse and 2 white chinese and think the odd one was An african.I raised them all from gosling's however.A few of my Toulouse got a bit agressive and picked a friend of mine to chase everytime he came over.I told him make a stance and don't run from them.I got nipped a few time's by a couple when they sarted laying egg's and had broodie's But I guess that's what ya get get messing around there egg's.Even grown i could hand feed mine and every chance I got would catch them and hold them.I have heard horror storie's about some.I guess it depend's on the breed maybe or if they weren't handled a lot as babie's.But most will be more agressive in breeding stage.

 

[cracking up]

Dave Holdrreads site says if you want them to be nice don't ever hand feed them. Maybe that is part of the problem. Maybe he bonded to you?

 

[Goosehaven]

My first gander, who I got when he was around 15 months old, attached himself to me. He chased off anything and everything that got around me too. When I introduced other geese to the mix he fairly quickly lost his interest in "protecting" me and was/is only interested now in protecting his girls. Since he's already taken to the gosling its most likely he will bond with the baby and leave you alone and hopefully once the female gets used to him she will accept him to

One thing to remember he will also try to protect his flock with the same behaviour he has when he's protecting you. I don't know how old your kids are but continue to supervise if they are fairly young because even if he stops protecting you he still could be aggressive towards them and your husband. Mine to this day hates my husband and my 20+ year old kids will not step foot in our back yard when they come over because he will attack every single time. It's worse in breeding season but all year round he has attitude.