I would appreciate some advice regarding the sad loss of a wonderful Embden gander.
About 5 months ago, I was given a family; gander, goose and 3 goslings. They have been magnificent and have integrated so well with my hens and guinea fowl.
When they first arrived, they had obviously not been afforded much human company or gentleness, but I never had any peoblems with them and as the goslings grew to become almost as big as parents, so did the gander and wife calm down, accept us and even would come up and take food from my hand.
However, the tragedy is that 4 days ago, between 5pm and 5.45pm, I lost the wonderful gander. As you all know, as family, they stick together, walk, sleep together and so on. I had been cleaning their house, went in for a cup of tea (very Irish!) and went out at 5.45pm to put them to bed - it gets dark early up here in the mountains.
The gander was missing! I looked everywhere. All the other birds were there and they all seemed quite calm and not at all spooked. Even my 3 cats were acting normally. There had been no alarm calls from the geese or guineas, no feathers, no markings and no blood, but there was no Boyna!
Mrs Goose and children are ok, but are quite subdued, not walking around the expanse of land as if they would when dad was around, they are eating and drinking, but I wonder if they need another male, by the way, the "babies" are all apparently female as they all have the same "pouch" between their legs, just like mum.
Is it possible or advisable to find another adult Embden, if so, how does one go about introducing a new male.
Would the family accept - would the new male assume the role of husband/father/protector.
Or should I leave as it is?
By the way, there is a fox trap winging it's way to me and I WILL catch that animal! But then, do I kill it, or do I drive it 20 miles away into the mountain and let it go?
My main concern is the happiness of the geese - should I get another gander for mum, or should I get a younger gander for one of the daughters?
Thanks in advance for your time.
Mike
About 5 months ago, I was given a family; gander, goose and 3 goslings. They have been magnificent and have integrated so well with my hens and guinea fowl.
When they first arrived, they had obviously not been afforded much human company or gentleness, but I never had any peoblems with them and as the goslings grew to become almost as big as parents, so did the gander and wife calm down, accept us and even would come up and take food from my hand.
However, the tragedy is that 4 days ago, between 5pm and 5.45pm, I lost the wonderful gander. As you all know, as family, they stick together, walk, sleep together and so on. I had been cleaning their house, went in for a cup of tea (very Irish!) and went out at 5.45pm to put them to bed - it gets dark early up here in the mountains.
The gander was missing! I looked everywhere. All the other birds were there and they all seemed quite calm and not at all spooked. Even my 3 cats were acting normally. There had been no alarm calls from the geese or guineas, no feathers, no markings and no blood, but there was no Boyna!
Mrs Goose and children are ok, but are quite subdued, not walking around the expanse of land as if they would when dad was around, they are eating and drinking, but I wonder if they need another male, by the way, the "babies" are all apparently female as they all have the same "pouch" between their legs, just like mum.
Is it possible or advisable to find another adult Embden, if so, how does one go about introducing a new male.
Would the family accept - would the new male assume the role of husband/father/protector.
Or should I leave as it is?
By the way, there is a fox trap winging it's way to me and I WILL catch that animal! But then, do I kill it, or do I drive it 20 miles away into the mountain and let it go?
My main concern is the happiness of the geese - should I get another gander for mum, or should I get a younger gander for one of the daughters?
Thanks in advance for your time.
Mike
