Once Friendly Goose Attacking

[BeccaDoe]

Good evening. I hope you all are doing well. I am three months into raising geese and I have a question about attitude changes in my feather kids.

Ruby and Jasper have been fun little goslings. Sweet, chatty, a bit nibble, but I was assured that was normal. Three months in and Ruby has attacked me three evenings in a row. Jasper doesn't attack, though they do talk severely at me. This is new, frightening for me, and worrisome to the other humans in their flock.

One, how do I get her back to her sweet and sassy self (I say her, but I actually don't know the genders of either) if I even can. And two, how do I defend myself and discourage this kind of behavior in the future?

Note: There are chickens here established in a flock and I am currently introducing pullets to the big girls. The attacks always seem to occur when it's time for the pullets to go back in their crates for the night. Perhaps this is related?

Picture for tax of my little feather Brat and their goose partner.

 

[sourland]

It almost sounds as if the goose is protecting the flock. He may well be a gander - is there any way to separate the geese from the flock when you handle the chickens?

 

[BeccaDoe]

It almost sounds as if the goose is protecting the flock. He may well be a gander - is there any way to separate the geese from the flock when you handle the chickens?

I could try putting them in the gated garden. They can't fly and they can't bull their way out, either.

 

[Goosebaby]

Good evening. I hope you all are doing well. I am three months into raising geese and I have a question about attitude changes in my feather kids.

Ruby and Jasper have been fun little goslings. Sweet, chatty, a bit nibble, but I was assured that was normal. Three months in and Ruby has attacked me three evenings in a row. Jasper doesn't attack, though they do talk severely at me. This is new, frightening for me, and worrisome to the other humans in their flock.

One, how do I get her back to her sweet and sassy self (I say her, but I actually don't know the genders of either) if I even can. And two, how do I defend myself and discourage this kind of behavior in the future?

Note: There are chickens here established in a flock and I am currently introducing pullets to the big girls. The attacks always seem to occur when it's time for the pullets to go back in their crates for the night. Perhaps this is related?

Picture for tax of my little feather Brat and their goose partner.

They look pretty young to be showing normal adult aggression. How exactly would you describe the way the gosling is attacking?

I think @sourland is right, it does sound like it has something to do with the pullets.

How does the gosling behave around the pullets the rest of the time?


The best way to resolve aggression with geese is lots of interaction and handling. The more you’re around them the more they see you as their flock. When one of mine is being naughty I give a firm “NO” followed by picking them up and setting them down a minute later.
Picking them up isn’t a punishment and I would encourage doing it periodically anyway so that being handled in an emergency isn’t that stressful, but what it does is show them that you are much bigger, stronger, and that you’re in charge. I like to follow it up with treats as a reminder that even though you scolded them and established dominance, you’re still their friend.
They learn fairly quickly what “No” means.

 

[BeccaDoe]

They look pretty young to be showing normal adult aggression. How exactly would you describe the way the gosling is attacking?

Ruby starts to charge at me, putting his head out and grabbing whatever he can with a fierce barrage of hard bites and shakes.

How does the gosling behave around the pullets the rest of the time?

Usually, Ruby doesn't seem to care about them. Sometimes he looks in, or chews on the bars of their puppy pen. Typically more attention is shown by the older roosters.

I'm honestly glad that it doesn't sound like I need to stop "being their friends " which was advice I'd gotten elsewhere. "They're livestock, stop trying to show them affection." I have no problem finding and trying out ways to establish dominance without sacrificing buddy time. ÓvÒ

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I am new to goslings as well
My girl is only 2 .5 months but she has learned the word no and I finger point at the same time
I don’t allow her to nibble on me or my clothes at all
If I sit in my chair when she wants up she will come to my feet and ask
I can pick her up and she will lay on my lap for an hour if I let her
I know with a few of my drakes in high Nate season they can get wonky and bite my toes
I started to carry around a blue pool noodle last year and if they came near my toes I showed it and they backed away. Never had to use it on them just show it. This year they have settled down and not as bad I can wear sandals and no pool noodle
The odd time they have tried but I stand still say no and pick them up
But it’s really been few and far between this season
I’m thinking you have a male and female and the male is the one acting out but I could be wrong
I hold my Stella 3-5 times a day and love that she is so bonded to me but can be just fine if I walk away as well

 

[Jenbirdee]

Ruby starts to charge at me, putting his head out and grabbing whatever he can with a fierce barrage of hard bites and shakes.

Usually, Ruby doesn't seem to care about them. Sometimes he looks in, or chews on the bars of their puppy pen. Typically more attention is shown by the older roosters.

I'm honestly glad that it doesn't sound like I need to stop "being their friends " which was advice I'd gotten elsewhere. "They're livestock, stop trying to show them affection." I have no problem finding and trying out ways to establish dominance without sacrificing buddy time. ÓvÒ

I’m glad too that would be super sad. If you stopped being their friend is exactly the opposite of what you should do. Sit with them I hold out baby toys that they chew on. They love their toy time and yeah they’re not that hard to catch and pick up when my Charlie is getting fresh with me. I pick him up and hold him for a while till he chills out. Sometimes when I put him back down, he tries it again so I flap my arms up and down while slowly walking towards him, and screaming out cries of victory ! I’m the boss here! works like a charm. Neighbors have a good laugh.

 

[BeccaDoe]

Sometimes when I put him back down, he tries it again so I flap my arms up and down while slowly walking towards him, and screaming out cries of victory ! I’m the boss here! works like a charm.

That reminds me of the Lethal Weapon movie! Where one cop got the other to strip and walk like a chicken. "I thought you said it would work!" "I just wanted to see if you'd do it!"

But I actually have a nice, loose jacket that could be perfect for those moments where I need wingspan.