Trouble in River City

[rosawoodsii]

My mother's four geese have been getting along just fine--until today. I had noticed that there was always one straggler, but I just figured that geese aren't noted for their brains anyway, and this one was just dumber than the others. Today, though, the gander is actively attacking, running the other one off, away from the food, away from the other geese. I thought there were three geese and one gander, and indeed the gander is noticeably larger than the other three, but could this last one be a gander, too? Do ganders ever attack female geese?

I'm going to take a long look at them in the morning and determine if I have to separate that straggler. I hope all will be well during the night.

 

[Southerngirl]

Welcome to the breeding season of geese.

He will chase anyone away from his mate at this time. He will settle down in a month or so. That is what it sounds like to me anyways.Usually the flock will go everywhere together, but once the breeding season starts its each gander for himself.

 

[houndit]

We had to many ganders one time. The ganders all picked on poor Sandy. He looked pretty scruffy by the end if the breeding season. He got better soon.

 

[rosawoodsii]

So you're saying I probably hvae two ganders? Will the dominant gander mate with both geese or only one?

 

[Southerngirl]

The dominant gander can mate with any of the females. The gander low on the totem pole has to sneak his attempts in.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
I think you might be jumping to the conclusion that you have a second gander. Geese are individuals and sometimes there is friction between a goose and a gander. During breeding season the dominate gander can't have a goose giving him a hard time. If he has 2 other geese to mate he can afford to outcast the goose that is the problem. If one or both of his geese go broody he might accept the outcast back.

Just as ganders often have favorites they can also have females that they don't get along with! (just like men)

 

[rosawoodsii]

I wish there were a better way to see if that outcast is a goose or a gander than waiting to see if (s)he's an egglayer!

All seemed to be okay this morning--no blood, no injuries that I could see, so I guess no separation yet. I did think I had three geese, because only one of the four hisses at me, and he's noticeably the biggest of the four.

 

[rainplace]

I have a female goose who is the outsider. She wants to hangout with the other geese, but they don't make her too welcome. She doesn't understand my female ducks mating language (head bobbing) so spends a lot of time running from them. I do feel bad for her, but it's the way it is. I think the other geese know that there's something wrong with her... or maybe not that there is something wrong with her, but that she's not as strong as they are. She's not mating material.... dunno... I find it interesting that she's the one who is the outsider. So far no one has done more than goose her a time or two.