Update on my surprise visit

Chick-a-dow-dee

Chirping
5 Years
Feb 10, 2014
188
12
78
Last summer you may remember reading about four geese that came to my house. Tried as I might, I kept those geese in my yard but with little success. I only have a 10X10 chicken coop with 13 chickens in it. I kept the geese in the fenced in part of my back yard, but that was problematic. I could no longer keep the geese the way I was so I let them out of the back yard fence (we live on about an acre) and just kept feeding them, they always returned or, most of the time, just stayed in my yard (I live on a lake and I'm sure someone thought how cool it would be to have geese out there swimming about). One day I went to feed the geese and only three showed up; the fourth never returned, I think it was a male because he seemed to be protective of the ganders who are always very meek. You may also remember that there was a fifth goose that was not with these four, he'd made friends with a wild duck and they pretty much those two hung out together but he would not let me get near him, ever. When I saw that one of the four was missing, I stepped up my efforts to keep them safe. I started corralling them and putting them in the chicken coop at nights, my chickens love me for this, but they've all seemed to work it out until I come in the mornings to feed everyone. The loner fifth goose joined ranks with the now three geese and they have become a true flock. I'm certain, by behavior that two of the white three are ganders and the other white one is a goose, the loner is also (I believe) a goose - I named him Harry Goose, NOW, for the situation. I will build a run of sorts and start keeping the geese in the run, but I can't start that for a while yet and have an old small (second) chicken coop (you know the kits) that I've converted to house the ganders as one of them has started laying in the chicken coop. The one white goose is hateful and mean, he's always trying to bite my feet, or anyone else who comes around - like family or friends. I admit they are GREAT watch geese but that male has bitten me so much that I often times look like I've gotten in a fight because I have so may bruises on my arms. Normally what happens, is that I have to pick him up and hold him so I can get whatever done that I'm out there to do;; one handed while holding a full grown goose - who is not happy to be held. Of course, he's not fond of this and will occasionally leave me alone once he seems to have had enough. Harry, on the other hand, while he can be aggressive and his tried to bite me, is actually calm and if I've gotten to hold him recently - to stop him from biting - he's actually very sweet, but still not fond of being held. I know that geese in general, are not the lovey-dovey type. So my question is, do geese (males) ever become less hateful when they become more accustomed to you ? One more thing, I've notice that some idiot trims the mean male's wings, after I've let them out in the mornings, b/c at that point they can just go wherever they want, which is probably what happened to the other make goose, he couldn't get away fast enough from a predator, b/c I noticed his wings were also clipped. I have no idea who it is, my guess is that it is the same person who thought it would be a great idea to put domesticated geese out on the lake in the first place. If I ever find out who it is, i will go visit them and let them know that I am planning on corralling the geese permanently as when left to their own devices, there are a nuisance and causing big problems. Hopefully, he was say fine, keep them or no I'll keep them on my property, either way, am I correct in wanting them to be fenced in?
 
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If you've already lost one to a predator, fencing them in is a good idea. You want to keep them as safe as possible and a run is a good step towards this. As for the biting male, check out this thread for how to deal with him:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/561849/geese-training#post_7245388

Also, I think you may have your terms mixed up, since you said your goose is a male named Harry Goose and that one of your ganders is laying eggs in the chicken coop. A male goose is a gander, and a female goose is a goose, so you can't have a gander laying eggs because males don't lay eggs :)

As for the clipped wings, domestic breeds can't fly anyway, so I'm not sure why the wings would have been clipped since it really makes not difference. If they were just clipped and not pinioned the feathers will grow back in the next time the gander molts.

You're doing a great thing taking them in and caring for them like this!
 
LOL, thank you!!! I thought because of the saying "what's good for the goose, is good for the gander" meant that what's good for the boy is also good for the girl, but I guess that assumption is backwards. Thanks for the correction. As far as the wing clipping, remember it was an idiot who put them out on the lake in the first place, so I"m not surprised that they also find it necessary to do more unnecessary acts.
 
I just finished reading the thread and my instincts are to grab him by the neck and give him a good shove, I've also pinched his feet (like he pinches mine) and i've gone after his wings, but then I felt bad about that, so he's done for now, I ain't no gander's (right word) b*tch.
 
I was reading your little story and fencing would seem wise but it wouldn't really be needed unless you are sure they need to be protected because a lake is a big protected place from predators and the goose that was missing could have been stolen too as it's common but a predator is as likely.
Ganders don't like when you run full force towards them and always give up.
Just a smack on the beak will do.
I find with my ganders that when you shove or kick them in the chest or whatever they'll get more aggressive as when two ganders fight they do shove and beat eachothers chests.
I was confused a bit when reading
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by the number of geese you have?
I'm guessing four
 
yes, the more docile gander will get after the more aggressive gander if i get after the aggressive one first.
 
They're very timid but one will eat out of my hand. I'm noticing they're all getting easier to coop at night and even seem as if they want to be cooped. So maybe the other enclosure really isn't necessary.
 

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