I've talked to a lot of people who have a fear of geese. Like, screaming, running away fear of them
It's funny I've never had a shred of fear of geese, but I haven't been attacked out of the blue by a wild one like some people have.
One gal told me a story about her mother's beloved flock of geese who terrorized the barn yard when she was a kid. Her brother had cerebral palsy and couldn't run very fast, and one time the flock GOT him and all of them seriously attacked and injured him. Her mother's beloved flock were all butchered that night. This same lady won't go to a lake if she thinks there might be geese. Most of the other stories are in between tho.
Something that weighs twenty five pounds with a five foot wing span, hisses and charges, has a snakey neck and a fierce bite (not to mention getting clocked by one of those wing bones) is SCARY.
Ducks are littler and though the drakes can be aggressive, something that weighs seven pounds rushing at you isn't quite the same as something four times that size.
But I guess I'm one of those hard core goose lovers. None of their obnoxious behavior bothers me at all (it delights me, actually). I am fascinated by them. I do NOT take delight when they scare other people.
I'm working with my gander right now (he's about nine weeks old) who is starting to realize he IS a gander. He is dividing up the world into what he runs screaming from (the goats, other humans) and what he can charge and intimidate (the dog, the cat). He is becoming aware of my five month old grandson who lives with me. Grandson is in a walker and Petey doesn't know whether to bite him or run away. It's just how geese think.
I spent several minutes today disciplining him while he shook his neck and tried to bite the baby's walker. There are baby gates on my shopping list today . . . there will be NO biting or scaring the baby, or even looking like it. But when I was there I wanted Petey to understand *I* (Mommy) was the one disciplining him, NOT the baby fighting back. I don't know if I will get anywhere, and if it means Petey and Lila don't get to waltz into the kitchen anymore, well so be it.
Geese (esp pet ones) are a special commitment, and need lots and lots of discipline. ANd baby gates
