Raising Goslings--How Much Interaction?

[gatrapper]

Hey Y'all,

Yesterday, my wife and I ordered our first goslings from Metzer Farms. We decided on Pilgrims and purchased 1 male and 2 females. They should arrive the week of the 20th.

We have been reading as much as we can about raising geese and are curious about how much contact/interaction we should have with the birds? I have read where some have spoiled the birds and had to deal with dominance issues as they matured. Other articles have said to interact with them a lot.

What are your thoughts?

 

[sourland]

My experience is that geese tend to become aggressive during breeding season regardless of how they have been reared. I think the degree of aggressiveness depends upon the individual bird. Geese are great parents, and both the goose and gander will guard/protect the nest and goslings. If it were me, I would interact with and enjoy the goslings.

As a kid I had a human imprinted gander who was a 'best friend'. When he was 3 or 4 years old I bought some goslings and within days he adopted them. Fast forward another 3 or 4 years and I brought my city girl 'wife to be' home to meet my parents. I am showing her all my animals, and she is very cautious about my beagles. Along comes Gus the Goose and his latest goslings. I grab one and run back towards the Princess with Gus and his mate in hot pursuit. She chose the lesser of 2 evils and jumped into the pen with the dogs. She still married me and after 55 years we are still together.

 

[m1chelle1]

My experience is that geese tend to become aggressive during breeding season regardless of how they have been reared. I think the degree of aggressiveness depends upon the individual bird. Geese are great parents, and both the goose and gander will guard/protect the nest and goslings. If it were me, I would interact with and enjoy the goslings.

As a kid I had a human imprinted gander who was a 'best friend'. When he was 3 or 4 years old I bought some goslings and within days he adopted them. Fast forward another 3 or 4 years and I brought my city girl 'wife to be' home to meet my parents. I am showing her all my animals, and she is very cautious about my beagles. Along comes Gus the Goose and his latest goslings. I grab one and run back towards the Princess with Gus and his mate in hot pursuit. She chose the lesser of 2 evils and jumped into the pen with the dogs. She still married me and after 55 years we are still together.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

My experience is that geese tend to become aggressive during breeding season regardless of how they have been reared. I think the degree of aggressiveness depends upon the individual bird. Geese are great parents, and both the goose and gander will guard/protect the nest and goslings. If it were me, I would interact with and enjoy the goslings.

As a kid I had a human imprinted gander who was a 'best friend'. When he was 3 or 4 years old I bought some goslings and within days he adopted them. Fast forward another 3 or 4 years and I brought my city girl 'wife to be' home to meet my parents. I am showing her all my animals, and she is very cautious about my beagles. Along comes Gus the Goose and his latest goslings. I grab one and run back towards the Princess with Gus and his mate in hot pursuit. She chose the lesser of 2 evils and jumped into the pen with the dogs. She still married me and after 55 years we are still together.

Wow!! Congratulations on your 55 years together!

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I'm of the "lots of interaction" camp, too. It's hard not to get the warm fuzzies when those littles greet you with necks outstretched, follow you around, and run to you for protection. I'd rather that they be comfortable being touched and handled, in case it's necessary in the future (e.g., for treatment), too.
Enjoy your Pilgrim trio...and post pics!

 

[The goose girl]

Also on team interaction. I'm currently enjoying my first spring with a mated pair of geese. Yes, the gander is way more aggressive now, he does bite me almost every day, and he occasionally tries to mate with me, but the vast majority of the daily hours we spend together on the lawn are blissfully peaceful. If I didn't have to pick him up near the nest I don't think we'd have a problem at all.