Toulouse Gander rejecting mate

[WildBlueRanch]

Big problem with our pair of Toulouse geese. Two years old now. Last month, we were give four China Whites, a gander (2 yrs.), and 3 young females (couple months).

Everyone got along famously for awhile. We had been afraid the two boys would fight. Instead, they have bonded like glue, and the Toulouse male is behaving very aggressively with the Toulouse female--so badly that sometimes we have to jump in and save her as it looks like he's trying to kill her.

They all go in a pen at night, and out in the orchard all day to graze. We've had to start putting the Toulouse male in the chicken pen at night after the chickens are in the coop, as he was much worse towards her in the pen. During the day, he's mostly just keeping her an outcast. I feel really sorry for her. She gets along fine at night in the pen with the 4 China Whites.

Why would he do this, and what's the best way to deal?

 

[goosedragon]

Is your agressive gander trying to mate? If you don't know what is going on it looks like fighting and it may be fighting if she isn't "in the mood" Two months is very early for mating behavior it is more likely a strugle for dominance (the gander doesn't always win)

 

[WildBlueRanch]

No, mating season over back in the spring when they were both being nasty to humans. And they're not in the water when he's doing this anyway.

This is just pure d MEAN, for no apparent reason. And she's the same age as him, 2 years.