- Thread starter
- #11
hi, that is amazing you just said that, because yesterday, after breaking up 4 fights (all in the tub, all between Big girl and gander..) I decided to try putting out 2 extra tubs, (3 tubs in total ) I watched. this is what happened, Gander steps into tub 1, big girl comes over and kicks him out of it, so gander goes in tub 2, and big girl jumps out of tub 1 and kicks gander out of tub 2. Then gander goes in tub 3. well again, big girl goes right over to kick him out of that one too. She (he???) is not being very nice.
I contacted the farm that I bought them from (3 pilgrim goslings, 1 male, 2 female) and he says it's not possible for big girl to be a gander. but she sure acts like one. she is always first with snake neck approach when anything unusual comes along, (people, dogs) she acts greedy around treats (lettuce, kale, peas... she will let little girl eat with her but not gander) and of course she is bigger than little girl and gander. She also does not have any bit of white around her bill, like little girl does.
Only my gander makes the real honk sound, so maybe he is the only gander. I have seen gander mount little girl, but Im watching to see if big 'girl' tries to mount little girl, and I think then I would know for sure. Has not happened yet.
With only one tub out, when gander is in tub and big girl steps in, it looks like they are both trying to mount each other!! Their necks intertwine and they each grab onto wing feathers of each other, and necks, and body , and they pull out feathers, etc, until one of them gives up and leaves the tub.
When I see this going on what Ive been doing is picking up big girl, and carrying her to time out pen. after maybe half hour I let her back out with the others. Im trying to protect my gander from his bill being bloody again, it's still all scabby from the last 2 times it was bitten to bleeding.
I was wondering is she could be a toulouse male, bcause they look like female pilgrims, but she is only 13.5 pounds in weight, and I think the toulouse ganders are much heavier than that? I did notice that around her eyes it is more of a yellow than an orange. but on little girl and my gander it's more orangey. But her feet and bill shade look the same as little girl. (then again, my pilgrim gander should be 4 pounds heavier than he is)
I contacted the farm that I bought them from (3 pilgrim goslings, 1 male, 2 female) and he says it's not possible for big girl to be a gander. but she sure acts like one. she is always first with snake neck approach when anything unusual comes along, (people, dogs) she acts greedy around treats (lettuce, kale, peas... she will let little girl eat with her but not gander) and of course she is bigger than little girl and gander. She also does not have any bit of white around her bill, like little girl does.
Only my gander makes the real honk sound, so maybe he is the only gander. I have seen gander mount little girl, but Im watching to see if big 'girl' tries to mount little girl, and I think then I would know for sure. Has not happened yet.
With only one tub out, when gander is in tub and big girl steps in, it looks like they are both trying to mount each other!! Their necks intertwine and they each grab onto wing feathers of each other, and necks, and body , and they pull out feathers, etc, until one of them gives up and leaves the tub.
When I see this going on what Ive been doing is picking up big girl, and carrying her to time out pen. after maybe half hour I let her back out with the others. Im trying to protect my gander from his bill being bloody again, it's still all scabby from the last 2 times it was bitten to bleeding.
I was wondering is she could be a toulouse male, bcause they look like female pilgrims, but she is only 13.5 pounds in weight, and I think the toulouse ganders are much heavier than that? I did notice that around her eyes it is more of a yellow than an orange. but on little girl and my gander it's more orangey. But her feet and bill shade look the same as little girl. (then again, my pilgrim gander should be 4 pounds heavier than he is)
Last edited:
My daughter created a wedding photo of them...
