The African and Chinese goose thread!!

[abbyf]

Our African Han has started laying 4th egg due today, the gander is a prat and has taken to attacking water and feed buckets think we have it sorted now. They are both 8 months so should we be taking the eggs away?
The sebbies well the male is besotted with my husband and keeps trying to mate his leg!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Our African Han has started laying 4th egg due today, the gander is a prat and has taken to attacking water and feed buckets think we have it sorted now. They are both 8 months so should we be taking the eggs away?
The sebbies well the male is besotted with my husband and keeps trying to mate his leg!!!

@jchny2000

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Huge update:I went down to the farm this weekend and found out that the main gander got over thrown!Sad to see him not being his active,dominant self,and seems lonely even though he still has his buddies (Defiantly looking for another girl or either giving him away.)So the whole entire race for the girl is over and at a end.

The main ganders eye has came back,and looks like healed just fine all on it's own.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Our African Han has started laying 4th egg due today, the gander is a prat and has taken to attacking water and feed buckets think we have it sorted now. They are both 8 months so should we be taking the eggs away?
The sebbies well the male is besotted with my husband and keeps trying to mate his leg!!!

LOL.. yep hormones! Tell your husband to pick him up, often and that will establish his dominance over him. Pinning is also an option, I only pin a goose if its being aggressive. That means holding it down, restraining it. I am small, about 5 ft tall and maybe 100 pounds.. I will not let any critter have dominance over me.This is their natural behavior to other geese, and doesn't harm them. It does tell them who is boss. If I get an aggressive gander, its worked every time for me. Both of my adult ganders will not challenge people in this household. The sebbie is showing a pre-aggression action so be prepared.
If you do not want more geese, take the eggs. I use goose eggs for baked goods, french toast, my DH loves them over easy just like chicken eggs. They are very rich. I also sell a lot of geese, mostly to my Veterinarian. I prefer they not be someone's table bird! Geese are to me like other folks feel about a dog or cat. He puts them to work guarding against aerial predators. He keeps several types of poultry, and was losing scores of birds to Marsh hawks. Since we met 3 years ago, he has not lost a single one since to a hawk. He is also my biggest customer for goslings.

Huge update:I went down to the farm this weekend and found out that the main gander got over thrown!Sad to see him not being his active,dominant self,and seems lonely even though he still has his buddies (Defiantly looking for another girl or either giving him away.)So the whole entire race for the girl is over and at a end.

The main ganders eye has came back,and looks like healed just fine all on it's own.

Yes they absolutely do pair up. I have had a gander cover more than one goose but ts usually because his favorite is on a nest. The Embden, and American Buff especially seem to prefer pairing. My Chinese gander fellas will even try to mate Pekin ducks if all the girls are brooding nests!

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

1/2 acer pond is pretty big. When we had a small pond 100 ft x 110 ft (roughly) so this might not work for you. we use rope and Ribben. The ribbon is tied every 12 inches or so along the rope then we would walk on either side of the pond trying to keep the rope about 6 - 12 inches above the water. Our geese would move away from the rope and end up on shore. It can be done by attaching the rope to a pole as well if there is only one person. Probably won't work on a 1/2 acre that would be a lot of rope.

Cederhedge, I just had to come back and thank you! The rope trick is genius. Took a 200' rope but it worked! Now all my grandfather has to do is go out and threaten to "get Mr Rope" (he's older and silly) and worse case slap it on the water and walk part way across and out they go. Lol

Unfortunately as a sad update I have to say the goose somehow got trapped under a section of frozen pond and drowned. He was heart broken as he couldn't save her in time. He almost got rid of his gander because he felt so guilty. I finally convinced him to give it another try with my sebbie/african cross I had recently purchased. Now he has a fenced yard for them when there's ice on the pond and the birds are happy and bonded already.

Anyway, your rope trick has been amazing! It's what allows him to be able to free range them when weather permits. Thanks again!!

 

[cedarhedge]

Cederhedge, I just had to come back and thank you! The rope trick is genius. Took a 200' rope but it worked! Now all my grandfather has to do is go out and threaten to "get Mr Rope" (he's older and silly) and worse case slap it on the water and walk part way across and out they go. Lol

Unfortunately as a sad update I have to say the goose somehow got trapped under a section of frozen pond and drowned. He was heart broken as he couldn't save her in time. He almost got rid of his gander because he felt so guilty. I finally convinced him to give it another try with my sebbie/african cross I had recently purchased. Now he has a fenced yard for them when there's ice on the pond and the birds are happy and bonded already.

Anyway, your rope trick has been amazing! It's what allows him to be able to free range them when weather permits. Thanks again!!

Glade to hear the rope worked but so sorry to hear about the goose that so sad.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
@cedarhedge wonderful idea!
I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I suffered a similar loss last winter, a 4 yr old white chinese goose, Snowy. She was a very dominant girl, and I suspect she got into a fight with a Scovy drake, and lost. I realized she was missing and spent 2 days searching.. finally saw her frozen in the middle of the pond. We almost never lose geese so this was heartbreaking for us

.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

@cedarhedge
wonderful idea!
I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I suffered a similar loss last winter, a 4 yr old white chinese goose, Snowy. She was a very dominant girl, and I suspect she got into a fight with a Scovy drake, and lost. I realized she was missing and spent 2 days searching.. finally saw her frozen in the middle of the pond. We almost never lose geese so this was heartbreaking for us .

Jchny, I'm so sorry! That's so sad.

I've never lost a goose (with the exception of a gosling that I purchased at auction that developed wry neck before I picked her up. She couldn't be saved sadly.). So I know what you mean. They're so hardy, and I've had wonderful luck with my Africans. Freak accident I guess. Just managed to get trapped under a large enough area of ice to not be able to find a way out. He took it very hard. I did too. That was one of my babies.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: Thanks! Goslings really steal your heart. Out of all the critters we raise they are the most precious to raise.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

Thanks! Goslings really steal your heart. Out of all the critters we raise they are the most precious to raise.

They do, don't they? I adore them. I love my chickens and ducks, but if we're being honest the geese are my favorite. Shhh... don't tell the others.