Sad and lonely goose... Advice please!

[Isaac 0]

Just rescued a sweet Chinese brown in Wisconsin with some infection on the webbing between its toes from presumed frostbite. The vet is pretty sure it's an underweight young gander. It's our first goose. After the antibiotic cream clears up the infection, we had planned to place it with the ducks. Reading these responses makes me wonder if we should be concerned about our plans.

I would see how he get along i have ganders with my ducks they get along fine no fighting.Each bird has its own personality.I would just monitor them closely for the first few days and see how they get along.IMO The more confined the birds are the more likely fighting will occur.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think if you slowly introduce them to each other like side by side but separate pens they will get use to each other then they should live fine together. But your gander will want to mate with your female ducks but honestly it's no different than a drake mating with them, but your gander will want one for his very own since they mate for life. So in the near future you may want to look for a female goose for your gander. He'll be happier with a goose than a duck anyway. I can say all of this for true since it has happened here. Bless you for rescuing this gander. I hope he makes a full recovery. And bring many years of enjoyment to your lives.

 

[lara_k]

I have a Toulouse gander for sale.Where do you live?

Hey Isaac, sorry just checked in today. I live in S. Ontario (near Guelph). You?

 

[lara_k]

Thanks for all the replies! I'm definitely having a bit of trouble locating a single goose for sale here in S.Ontario. I know of someone who is willing to part with a single year-old Embden gander. I have some reservations, but am considering it at the moment.

 

[lara_k]

If you're in New England, MSPCA seems to have a lot of geese lately. check petfinder.com

Wish I was. I'm in Ontario.

 

[lara_k]

Go for female or possibly you drake and gander will fight. My two do.

I'm definitely concerned about that. My Appleyard drake is quite pugnacious. I know he'd definitely try to start something (something that he'd lose, most likely, if he tried to pick on a gander).

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well Can you provide a separate area for your geese? When they aren't free ranging? My gander and drake do fine together when free ranging they stay away from each other my geese hang together and my ducks hang together it's when they put themselves in close contact that fighting begins. My gander is top dog during his breeding season but as soon as my Muscovy drake get full on hormonal then he is top dog. I usually separate them after pulling them off each other for a few hours then they stay away from each other for a while. I never let it get to the point of injury for either of them. My dogs always alert me to when a fight is going on. But this has been going on close to 12 yrs with my gander and previous drakes [he has out lived] and my almost 8 yr old drake I have now and they are all still together. Not everyone wants to put up with this I understand that but for me it's just part of life as long as they are living they will be here.

 

[Bamabexchicks]

I'm definitely concerned about that. My Appleyard drake is quite pugnacious. I know he'd definitely try to start something (something that he'd lose, most likely, if he tried to pick on a gander).

What about removing the drake from the flock for a few days to a week? Put him in time out in a large cage and let your goose get established into the duck flock. She may begin to stick up for herself when he gets re-introduced to the flock. Might take more than 1 try, but it might work.

 

[lara_k]

What about removing the drake from the flock for a few days to a week? Put him in time out in a large cage and let your goose get established into the duck flock. She may begin to stick up for herself when he gets re-introduced to the flock. Might take more than 1 try, but it might work.

I tried that recently, actually, and it worked! The drake no longer attacks her, and she has re-established herself in the flock. I think I'm still going to get another goose/gander, however. She spends a lot of time gazing into mirrored surfaces, and I just think she'll be happier with another member of the same species. I think it was a mistake to get just one.

 

[lara_k]

Well Can you provide a separate area for your geese? When they aren't free ranging? My gander and drake do fine together when free ranging they stay away from each other my geese hang together and my ducks hang together it's when they put themselves in close contact that fighting begins. My gander is top dog during his breeding season but as soon as my Muscovy drake get full on hormonal then he is top dog. I usually separate them after pulling them off each other for a few hours then they stay away from each other for a while. I never let it get to the point of injury for either of them. My dogs always alert me to when a fight is going on. But this has been going on close to 12 yrs with my gander and previous drakes [he has out lived] and my almost 8 yr old drake I have now and they are all still together. Not everyone wants to put up with this I understand that but for me it's just part of life as long as they are living they will be here.

I let them all free range together, and you're right: they get along (mostly) very well. I think I will be adding another goose/gander soon, for the goose's sake. Because I originally acquired her for the purpose of "guarding" the ducks from hawks, I hope that the geese won't completely abandon them and do their own thing. I'm okay with separating the drake and future gander if they start to get too rough---I just would hope that they wouldn't seriously injure each other in an unguarded (by me) moment. The drake really is relentless--he absolutely terrorizes my three large dogs (2 lab x shepherds and a boxer x mastiff)!