Trying to anticipate issues before they occur

[TSOWOATNKC]

We have a little 5 acre parcel. It's mostly woodland, but it is being thinned presently so I'm going to have more land to work with soon. We are going to re-configure our bird set-up once all logging is done, and I want to anticipate any issues that could arise.

We have 33 ducks. Right now that is working just fine. The issue is that we have 7 geese; I am pretty positive that 1 is a gander (My Buff), and 2 are geese (1 White Chinese, and 1 of my Toulouse) because I bought them sexed. The other 4 were straight run, so I don't know for sure. If I had to guess of those four 2 are ganders and 2 are geese; but I honestly don't know.

I like having them in with the ducks at the moment because they are great at keeping the drakes from overmating my ducks. If a drake is being particularly bad, the duck just walks over to a goose (drake on her back) and the goose will just knock the drake off her.

I know geese can get MUCH broodier and protective. I also know there is a potential that all 4 of my mystery geese are ganders even if I don't think they are. Should I split off all my geese from the ducks before breeding begins? Or should I just split off my 3 sexed from my 4 mystery? Or should I split by social groups?

My geese are mostly divided socially by breed (except my Buff gander that hangs with my Toulouse, and my mini African/Chinese Lucy that bounces between the White Chinese and Toulouse group, I think Lucy is a goose). The White Chinese are like twins hanging out together 24/7 despite never being littermates.

Or am I overthinking all of this and it may not even be an issue? My kids help with the bird chores, and I really want to avoid them encountering a cranky/broody/protective goose/gander if we can help it. If I split off geese from ducks I could do all the geese chores, and the kids could do the duck chores.

 

[Miss Lydia]

With children doing chores or even having access to geese it can be problematic so I’d separate and you do goose chores. Because geese are naturally cranky during breeding season which is just around the corner. Matter of fact I am already seeing some changes in my gander he is no longer wimpy around my Muscovy drake which he was a month ago.

 

[cottontail farm]

Just my 2 cents, and I hope this doesn't happen to you: my African gander (despite having 2 female geese he was "friendly" with) was hell bent on mating ALL of the ducks (male and female) to the point where I had to give the ducks away.
I'm getting more ducks in the spring but they won't run together.

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

Just my 2 cents, and I hope this doesn't happen to you: my African gander (despite having 2 female geese he was "friendly" with) was hell bent on mating ALL of the ducks (male and female) to the point where I had to give the ducks away.
I'm getting more ducks in the spring but they won't run together.

That’s what I was thinking might happen. With that in mind, do I just put all the geese together? Or would it be better to put them in their social cliches? Are the ganders going to war everyday if they are together? I know one is a gander, i have two others I think are ganders. I have two I know are goose. I think my mini African/Brown Chinese is a goose. Then I have poor One Eye Jack that I have no clue about. So by my guess I have 3 ganders, 3 goose, and 1 mystery I wouldn’t want to hatch hatch any eggs from goose or gander.

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

Funny/amusing update.

We have 2 ganders and 5 goose.

My sexed Buff gander is actually a goose! I bought her as a sexed gander from Metzer, but she’s clearly a goose. She’s all broody right now. I thought she was just an excellent dad until we witnessed an egg laying. She has a communal nest with one of our Toulouse goose

My one-eyed Toulouse is a goose too! It took awhile to realize it because she doesn’t try to mate with anyone, and no one tries to mate her.

Unfortunately, one of my ganders is probably highly inbred because despite being a total coward when it comes to our dog; he’s fairly aggressive with all the other birds in the yard.

My alpha Toulouse is the sweetest gander ever. He’s just awesome.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Surprise, surprise but a nice one to have more females than makes.

Good to see you! Now we need some pics.