Noisey Goose - any tips on quitening him down?

[JohnTheDuck]

We have 2 chinese geese - a male and a female. The male has become extremely vocal, even when there is no threat around. We live in a development around a pond surrounded by 7 other houses. The neighbors are now starting to complain. The male goose has taken to coming up to our patio door and 'shrieking' relentlessly for what seems like hours. At first I thought he was asking for food but he persists even after feeding. He is healthy. Doesn't appear to be in pain. Now he has been approaching and sometimes even charging at the neighbors. He apparently went for one of their children also. More recently he has started making his noises at 6am every morning - I'm not a morning person!

Personally, I like everything about the goose except his noise level. He is friendly for the most part. I speak to him. He follows me around the yard when I am working in it. He looks after the female goose who has a bad leg and hobbles slightly. He is protective of her particularly when she is laying/ sitting in her nest.

Does anyone have any suggestions on traing the male goose to be quieter? I don't want the neighbors to get so upset that they ask us to get rid of it.

Thanks.

 

[Jkioneil]

good question the only thing i can think of is .. eat him! that should shut him up. just kiddding but here is a bump so someone else can help you!

 

[sydney13]

ive read that you can sometimes stop a rooster from crowing so much but squirting it with a squirt bottle and since geese are so smart you might try that. you could insulate the coop and ive also heard that putting up wood around the run will make the noise go up and not be as loud

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Sorry, but that's just a goose being a goose. They are hardly ever quiet.

 

[Kim65]

China geese are known for being about the noisiest goose possible

Trying to make a chinese goose quieter is along the lines of an act of God. They can also be aggressive-er. Dang it, I don't know what you can do. Depends on how committed you are to keeping them, I guess

.

I think all neighbors who complain about goose honks and rooster crows should be required to wear earplugs.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

sorry. my chinese always has something LOUD to say.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

Sorry, he's just doing what comes naturally to him. My Chinese were really loud too. I no longer keep them. My neighbors live too far away to care...but my husband thought they were too loud. They were agressive to him too. I now keep Sebbies and Roman Tufted and have one pair of young Tufted Buffs. This is year 2.5 of keeping Roman's no complaints about noise or any agression issues at all. They are a much different type of goose. I've had the Sebbies for 1.5 years - no complaints about them either. We've gone through breeding seasons and everything...no complaints yet.

 

[Terri O]

The water thing might work...but feeding him when he is on your porch WONT. You are just training him to know that when he honks he gets food. You might be able to use a parrot training tip that I used (with modification!) When my parrots screamed I never reacted at all, just covered their cage. When they are quiet they get uncovered. Is he tame enough that you can put him in a box when he does the noisiest of his honks? If they are smart it might work---failing that I guess you might have to go to a quieter type! Terri O

 

[glenntwo]

The reason he comes up to the door and shrieks is that he wants company. Our Chinese pair does it all the time. They honk, peck on the glass, talk to whichever cat is sitting there, get bored and wander off. Either let him in the house or go out and keep him company is the only thing you can do. I sometimes go out and sit with them and the gander will come over, plop himself next to my chair, and tell me all his problems in a soft murmur.

I was only kidding about the letting him in the house part. But, you do have to spend time with them or they just get mean and antisocial.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Unfortunately, I have no good answers except don't reward the behavior.

If he's honking because he wants attention, put him in a place where he doesn't get attention when he honks. You'll get a worsening of honking and then eventually the noise will subside.

People here are right on the noise and honking. That's what geese do, especially Chinese geese. I live in a rural area where if someone complained, my comment would be, "well, you live in a RURAL area. Geese honk." Obviously that wouldn't work for you.

Good luck!