One Goose Isolating From the Flock

HumanBarricade

Hatching
Nov 7, 2021
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I have a flock of 7 geese and 8 ducks that I currently keep together in one pen. They've gotten along well for nearly a year now, with the geese typically staying in their own group for most of the day and intermingling here and there. However, one goose has suddenly started isolating from the rest of the group. He (I think he's a gander) stays far from both the geese and ducks throughout the day. His feathers have also started to look super wet while the rest of the geese look fine, despite the rainy weather. I didn't think much of it until I put them away the other night and saw the main gander attack him, biting at his wing with no intention of stopping. Now the soaking wet gander refuses to go in the pen with the others or even be near them at all. I'm not sure if this is mating season behavior or if the wet gander might be sick or what I could do to help. I don't want to isolate him from his flock, but it seems like he's too afraid to let me put him in with the rest of the birds. I can't think of what else to do at the moment but keep him separate, though this can't be a permanent solution.
 
It’s the beginning of breeding season, and unfortunatly the dominant gander has singled him out and has expelled him from the flock.
Unfortunatly this won’t resolve itself until around summer when horomones settle, if it does at all.
Sometimes if one is acting skittish it can exasperate the situation and make the dominant gander target them more, which is most likely happening, but there’s no way to explain to a goose that they need to stand up for themselves.

If you can you need to seperate the lonely gander with whoever he gets along with best into a seperate pen to be together, otherwise I see ending in illness, injury, or death for the poor guy.

I also strongly suggest doing a health check on him, check his weight, observe him closely to see if he’s eating enough, look for other symptoms. Often times the reason a goose is getting bullied in breeding season is because of an underlying health issue or opvery often the constant stress can cause him to become ill.
 
I also have a male (Sebastopol (at least that is what the band indicated from Metzer) that has been isolating himself particularly in the morning, from the other three geese. I do not know what type the other three are, I suspect at least one is an Embden (banded as a female, also the largest goose of the 4), the other two are pure white except the smallest has a few black feathers on her rear end.
For the past month or so the Sebastopol has been trying to control who uses the various pools I have for them, and when they can use them. Initially the largest goose has been fighting for pool dominance with the Sebastopol. Usually the Sebastopol has won out.
The other day I saw the largest goose fighting with the all white goose the pool, holding on to each other wings and twirling in the pool.

The Sebastopol has lost a lot amount of his curly feathers.
Usually by the time they are ready to be put away, they are somewhat back to normal. Curley does still stand back and defers to the others for their evening good night petting.

The smallest goose with the black feathers is becoming more and more reserved during the days, but likes to spend a lot of time snuggling up with me in the evening when they are done getting their good night treats of some sort of greens and a bit of scratch.

I am concerned about the amount of feathers Curley is losing and his mental health. He does not tend to eat the morning treats unless we hand feed him as the largest goose tends to snip at him.

I cannot see how it will be possible to separate them. If I need to, I was thinking of putting the Sebastopol and the one with the black feathers together. I think she is a female.
 
Gosh. I hope your goose issues are getting better. I've had to separate my geese seversl different times for goofy goose reasons. I found it is best to make a separate area in the same cage, put the goose being bullied in with a friend, and keep them together during the day. I would let all of mine out for chaperoned walks during the day and they were all together in their house at night.

I'm still rather new to goose care. I thought I almost had it figured out until the hormones started kicking in 2 weeks ago. Now they are becoming a mystery to me again.

Good luck and if you figured out anything that worked. Please share.
 
Yes, I think you hit the nail on the head, hormones. I did not think they would start mating behavior this early in the year.

Lilly has let the two large geese mate with her, but I have not seen her mate with Curley. I am looking for a potential mate for him even it it means that I need to raise another Sebastopol. Only problem, I doubt I will find just one. Looks like I will probably order some eggs, incubate them myself and then try to sell the excess ones. Maybe things will look up after mating season.

Now I am on the hunt for Lillys nest. All four of them have appeared to be on the hunt for a good location even though the males still tussle over pool rights. We are thinking of making a temporary nesting house for her, but it is not a good time for us to take on this project.

They are still wonderful, even though I hear a lot of hissing and wagging tongs.

We have 20 Salmon Faverolle chicks coming mid February from Crackle Hatchery. I have space for the chicks but the new prefab coop from Carolina Coops arrived two months late, the day before it started snowing. But they will be taken care of somehow in makeshift, safe, accommodations! Cara
 

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