Opinions Needed: Lonely Female Goose

[GooseyMcGee]

We bought two Chinese white geese four months ago, Cely the male and Randi the female. Cely was recently killed by a raccoon who got into their pen. Randi was able to make it to the safety of the pond. Now she's seems very sad and keeps looking for Cely.

We are not sure what were are gonna do and could use some opinions.

We have an option to give her to petting zoo where she'll live with another female goose and a few ducks. It will be nice for her to have friends but there isn't a pong at the petting zoo. I'm also not currently sure of what security measure will be taken.

Option two: We keep her, he rebuild the goose pen with hardware cloth, and maybe buy a male gosling. The con is there are a lot predators around here (as they are near the petting zoo) and something happened to Randi we would be able to love with ourselves.

In addition to that I have a question. I know that Geese are monogamous. We planned on Randi and Cely eventually becoming mates. Keeping in mind that she is only four months old, will Randi ever be able to find a new mate?

Thanks in advanced.

 

[desertdarlene]

Oh, I just responded to your other thread about a lonely Chinese gander at Lake Murray that you might be able to have if you can catch him. I'm not going to repeat everything I said on the other thread. But, it would be nice if someone gave him a home as there's no one he can pair up with over there and he's starting to get thin. He was paired up with another mean brown Chinese gander over there who got killed by coyotes. But, this white gander is not mean at all.

I think geese will take a new mate if something happens to their original companion.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

I'm so sorry to hear that you lost your Gander, Cely. Geese do form strong pair bonds but they are not truly monogamous. I'm sure she does miss her mate but your Goose may find Goosey love again. I've had to repair geese a time or two and it can take time but it does work out. I guess I would want to keep her a find another gander for her. I bet if you start looking around you'll be able to find an adult gander for her - especially now, in the Fall.

You'll have to re-enforce and rebuild your pen and shelter. As far as shelters go - I've used very large wooden dog houses that have shingled, removable roofs for cleaning purposes with my geese. Make sure you have ventilation holes and LOCKABLE doors.

Hope things go well for you and Randi. Geese are really neat creatures.

Keep us posted as to what you decide.

Joni

 

[cracking up]

If you decide to replace your gander let me know. I have a few that are March hatchlings but look full grown. People seem to want female geese so I would gladly give you a gander.

 

[GooseyMcGee]

Here's are some pics of Cely.


http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150261446966022.330338.617301021&l=020dbd03aa&type=1

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
What a nice way to be remembered, he truly was a hero.

 

[desertdarlene]

Oh, he was so cute!

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

He was really a cute little guy and a beautiful gander. So sorry. How is Randi doing? Have you decided what you're going to do?

 

[GooseyMcGee]

She's doing okay. I'm pretty sure we that will be keeping her.

As for finding her a new friend. I'm not sure, yet. It looks like he have a few options.

Another question about that. If were to get a gander gosling would it grown to her mate a protector? I don't know how age differences affect Geese.

 

[The goose girl]

Quote:
Geese really don't care about age differences. A male gosling will be her mate once it's fully grown. Adult geese can be kind of clumsy and "teenagey" the first year, but they'll learn.