Please help a newbie!

[Goosebaby]

As for aggression towards humans, I find the best way to establish dominance with gander is to pick him up and carry him around like a baby.

It’s the only method that works!

Longer than I can hold my breath for, that's for sure. No other geese, just these two and 4 laying chickens, which he doesn't seem to notice. They are 10 month's old. He's very aggressive with my husband too. He actually charges him when his back is turned. And our mail carrier won't get out of her car. =(

Also if it helps the best way to pick up an attacking goose is to grab their head as their coming at you, just firmly enough that they can’t get away, andwith your other arm scoop them up around the torso to also pin their wings, the faster you do this the easier.

 

[jjj7jjj]

Usually, the sores self-resolve. If you apply topical ointment to sores, make sure you do not use anything with "pain relief" as that is toxic to geese. First year breeding can be brutal to watch, until the pair figures things out. But typically, while it looks awful, the girls are not unwilling participants.

Production breeds can hatch babies in their first year, while breeds like dewlap toulouse are not fertile until 2yo. But all breeds get frisky the first spring, even if they are only 6-8 months old. My hatchery african girls showed breeding behaviors at 4 months.

As for aggression towards humans, I find the best way to establish dominance with gander is to pick him up and carry him around like a baby.

Best of luck getting through your first breeding season!

Thank you for this! We'll try that with the gander.