Weird Goose Behavior..............why?

[BarredBuff]

Okay, please help me this is really puzzling me.

Since our spring like weather in November the goose and gander have built a nest under my porch laid a few eggs and everything (I got these as goslings in early June). This past week they have both become WAY protective of the porch and the area surrounding it. I was cool with this, knowing it was inevitable. They continued this until yesterday.

Fast forward to today, this afternoon actually.

After we got home from a quick trip to the feed store, I noticed down at the "barnyard" (area surrounding the animal houses, all of mine free range so no fencing) the gander (Jack) was standing there by himself. I thought it was odd considering that him and Rita (the goose) have been inseparable since the brooder stage, and absolutely lose their minds if they are separate. So, I investigated, she was swimming in the pond all by herself and was not very close to him at all. Well, I go down the hill to the pond and shew her up the hill to him and nothing appears wrong physically. They reunite for the time being, honking and chatter from both but she doesn't look at him. So I leave them be.

Now it is time to feed, and I go out she has moved to the pond area again and Jack is up with the roosters and hen pecking around and eating scraps. I fill up their feeder, feed the rabbits and check water. He has moved back to the barnyard with the rest of the chickens.

Then at a quarter after six, I go down to put the ducks, geese, and chickens up. I get to the coop and all of the chickens are up, and Jack is in there by himself and I put the ducks in. Now he begins honking like an alarm.She is nowhere to be seen, and I go to the edge of the hill and she is still swimming in the pond. So, I go down there and try to get her out of the pond up to the coop. Well I do and we fight with the brush, and trees. Finally I get her moved out of the brushes, and start herding her towards the coop area. I sucessfully get her in with him and the rest of the brood. They "talk" back and forth. Now here I am wondering why in the world my geese are acting this way.

Things I noticed:
Neither of them were near the nesting area today at all. Which leads me to believe that something may have went wrong with the eggs. I checked it out, and doesn't look disturbed unless they have frozen.

She seems depressed in a way, not very happy at all.


Please help, I really want to figure out why they are acting so weird......

 

[Mellong]

I have grey geese and they have exhibited similar behaviour on their first breeding cycle. I have seen young birds abandon a nest full of eggs because something disturbed them or frightened them. Second breeding season they appear more confident. I have also found that the males do not really want to share the nest. I have 12 geese, 5 males and 7 females. The females always share a nest with up to 3 hens per nest and up to thirty eggs in the nest. They then act as joint mothers to all the goslings from that nest. The mails stand guard on the nests but often from some distance. I think your geese are behaving normally for a first season pair. I hope this helps.

Mellong Grove

 

[Sylverfly]

Most geese breed on water, maybe she wants him to breed her so she can can lay a new clutch since she felt she needed to abandon her old nest and he is confused because they already have a nest that he is trying to stand guard at. If he's not taking advantage of a chance to breed he is either the most devoted would be father goose ever or I'm totally wrong which is very possible.

 

[Miss Lydia]

And they are very young also if you got them as goslings in June, probably alot of role playing going on right now, practicing for next year when they will be more mature and ready to take this parent thing on 100 % and my gander was so much more attentive to the ducklings that hatched her this past summer. Much more than the ducks were.

 

[BarredBuff]

Thanks guys but she died today. This is really puzzling.....

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

she could have been egg bound

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks guys but she died today. This is really puzzling.....

I am so sorry, could she have gotten into something poisonous ? did you check her over for injuries? again just heart breaking..

 

[Iain Utah]

I'm very sorry for your loss.

 

[BarredBuff]

Thanks. I checked for any physical signs and none. Not even egg bound.......just a mystery. This was my only female, will the Gander mourn himself to death?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks. I checked for any physical signs and none. Not even egg bound.......just a mystery. This was my only female, will the Gander mourn himself to death?

Maybe not if he has ducks to hang with. if by himself then he might. Maybe you can start searching for another mate for your gander.