Silly question but I don't know???

[luvchicks8]

This is my first winter into spring with geese... So when is Mating season? Also one of my talouse ganders mate was taking and I replaced her with a pilgrim goose, will they mate possibly or do they mate for life?

I really don't know please be kind.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

I pretty much asked the same thing not too long ago and I was told that they mate for life in the wild, not always in captivity. They might or might not accept the new one and sometimes the gander does prefer the company of a harem so to speak.

 

[sourland]

The way this winter is going

who knows. Realistically geese will start mating any time now. Some people have geese that are already laying. As daylength increases so will mating activity. Although many ganders will have a "primary" mate they will accept another if the first dies. Some ganders will be "faithfull" to the primary mate until she sets and then take up with another goose. Some ganders will mate/attempt to mate every goose in the flock. Kind of like people.

Disregard any who choose to be rude in response to your questions.

 

[Shiloh Acres]

From what I've heard/seen it may a bit to do with the gander's age. I think many of them are less selective the younger they are, but as time passes are more likely to favor a particular goose (or two). Since you said it's your first winter, I'm wondering if these are one year olds you raised this last year? If so, unless there is a personality conflict (and you would likely know that by now) then I'd say the chances are good that he would accept another. The only factor you mentioned that I'm not sure of is that it sounds as if you only have two geese? I don't know if that would be more likely to cement the bond as I've never raised just a pair. But my thinking is that if he is young, you have a VERY good chance that he will easily accept another goose with no problem.

Oops, sorry, re-read your post and you did say one of your gander's mate was taken so I guess you have more than one. Unless you RAISED them as pairs, I wouldnt think that would factor in then.

My problem with this year's flock is that I had intended to separate out the Pilgrim pair from the meat flock (Emden and Toulouse). But they are pretty well set as a flock, and I lost one Emden gander. So I left them together and the ganders are pretty much all breeding all the geese, as far as I can tell. The more you have together the more likely that is to happen. And the younger they are, the more likely it is. If I can just get several table birds and maybe a couple more breeders from this year's hatch I would be very happy.

 

[luvchicks8]

Thanks for the info. Age is unknown really I was given 3 of them together which were 2 ganders and one goose , the 2 ganders are talouse. Resently I was given the Pilgrim goose because her mate was taken and she was left alone with no flock and since one of my talouse had no mate as his mate was taken at the previous owners I took her. I think they are 2-3 years old. 2 pair hopefully

 

[TennesseeTruly]

My geese are mating now and have been since November. They can and will continue to mate throughout the Spring. Right now I have 3 geese sitting on nests and I have 2 incubators filled with eggs. My geese stay pretty well paired up with their mates. One of my females lost her mate this past fall to a Cottonhead bite. She mourned for 3 months calling to him constantly. She has now taken up with a new mate now that its breeding season. I don't know what will happen once breeding season is over with. I guess we'll have to just wait and see. I'm hoping that she'll permanently stay with him. They make a very nice pair and I was really hoping that they would pair up together.

Good luck!

Laurie

 

[luvchicks8]

Mine are getting much more agrressive resently not towards me to much but I feed them.. The kids and other animals ex the dog, chickens and ducks watch there backs constantly

 

[TennesseeTruly]

Quote:
That's a sign that they're ready to breed, especially if they're normally very docile. You could have eggs soon.

Laurie

 

[luvchicks8]

Quote:
That's a sign that they're ready to breed, especially if they're normally very docile. You could have eggs soon.

Laurie

That would be great ny boys can't wait it will be our first goose egg.

 

[sweety tweety]

i was told that they dont pick their life mate untill they are 3 or 4 yrs mine are going on 3 this year. some of the books i have read say you should have 3 geese per gander. my gander is happy with both of his girls humm wonder if they have more then one wife as life mates.