Will a tall female goose bond with a short male?

[Jessi8]

My beloved 18-year-old gander lost his lifelong companion a couple of weeks ago to cancer. He is so sad. A female is for sale in my area who looks a lot like his former mate, but she's a white china and probably six inches taller than he is. Will these two bond if I get her, or will the height be a problem?

Also, she is just a year old, and she'd be coming into our little flock which consists of another older goose couple (18 and 20 respectively) and the widowed goose I mentioned. Would the age difference be a problem? All three seem so sad without our little girl. I can't seem to cheer them up and am afraid getting another goose may be the only answer.

I say "afraid" because I'm getting on in years, like the geese, and would rather not bring in new animals. But if I have to for them to be happy, I will do it.

Any experienced answers would be appreciated.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My beloved 18-year-old gander lost his lifelong companion a couple of weeks ago to cancer. He is so sad. A female is for sale in my area who looks a lot like his former mate, but she's a white china and probably six inches taller than he is. Will these two bond if I get her, or will the height be a problem?

Also, she is just a year old, and she'd be coming into our little flock which consists of another older goose couple (18 and 20 respectively) and the widowed goose I mentioned. Would the age difference be a problem? All three seem so sad without our little girl. I can't seem to cheer them up and am afraid getting another goose may be the only answer.

I say "afraid" because I'm getting on in years, like the geese, and would rather not bring in new animals. But if I have to for them to be happy, I will do it.

Any experienced answers would be appreciated.

Welcome to BYC. and very sorry for your loss, I can understand what your saying my oldest gander is only 8 my youngest are only 1 yr old. with a 4 yr old in the mix too, so I made arrangements to have someone care for my geese because they will probably out live me if they stay healthy. I got my 2 youngest last year for my 2 adults because they tried 2 yrs in a row to hatch goslings and neither time were able to get one all the way to hatch. So I found a farm close by with 2- 2 day olds it was the best decision I made for them they are such a precious family and would be devastated if one was gone. So I say go for it but keep the new female next to her new family for a while so they all get use to each other. They may at first not be too happy with a newbie coming in but they will grow to love her you just don't want to push it on them let them be the ones to welcome her. After say 3-5 days let them all be together with your supervision to see how it goes that maybe all the time they need. I really don't think size will matter at all.

 

[Jessi8]

Thanks for your thoughts, Lydia. I'm going back and forth about this. I found out this morning that the girl I was considering is actually bonded already to a male (part of a foursome -- three girls and a gander). I don't think the farmer's too likely to sell her -- she's way overpriced, so now I'm guessing it would be better for her to stay where she is. I'd hate to break up a family. But if I find one lone female goose in need of a home, and if my geese are continuing to be sad for much longer, I would think it might be a good idea to get another goose for them. How long are they likely to grieve like this, I wonder? is it a stage, and then they'll be happy again, or will they never recover their joy without another female being added to fill the hole? I wish I could get into their heads and know what's the right thing to do.

Jessi

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for your thoughts, Lydia. I'm going back and forth about this. I found out this morning that the girl I was considering is actually bonded already to a male (part of a foursome -- three girls and a gander). I don't think the farmer's too likely to sell her -- she's way overpriced, so now I'm guessing it would be better for her to stay where she is. I'd hate to break up a family. But if I find one lone female goose in need of a home, and if my geese are continuing to be sad for much longer, I would think it might be a good idea to get another goose for them. How long are they likely to grieve like this, I wonder? is it a stage, and then they'll be happy again, or will they never recover their joy without another female being added to fill the hole? I wish I could get into their heads and know what's the right thing to do.

Jessi

Just my opinion but 3 females and a gander maybe more than that gander has bonded to. Most of the time a gander won't even fully bond with a second goose. not like the one who has stolen his heart. I can see that price would play into it too though, Hopefully you can find a lone female usually soon people who hatched this year will be weeding through their flocks looking at who they will keep and who they will let go of so maybe you'll be able to find one. As for how long they will mourn I understand geese will sometimes grieve themselves to death, Most likely won't happen with yours since they have each other but they grieve for quite a while. You may just want to wait it out and see how they are a month from now, since it's still so new. They are eating though right? If you do decide to take in another goose maybe you should look into water fowl rescues in your area, I know here in NC there is Carolina Water fowl and they have older geese some as old as 40. Might find an older goose if you decide to go that route.

 

[Jessi8]

Lydia, thanks for the wonderful insights and suggestions. I didn't know there was such a thing as waterfowl rescue. I'll sure look into it. Yes, these guys are eating and drinking and sometimes seem to be in a good mood. Then they lapse into quietness again. An acquaintance of mine has a goose who lost its mate not too long ago. She says the goose was "just lost" at first, then bonded with two ducks on the premises. Now, she says, she hangs around with them and is quite happy. Do you think a goose can genuinely bond with ducks? If so, I wouldn't want to break them up and bring her here. It would also mean losing her home, after all (her humans, and the property), which would be a shock. I kind of am thinking to leave that goose where she is, although the owner would probably let me have her. What do you think? She said she grieved for her mate for about a month and then was over it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If a goose has still family they probably do get over the grieving quicker. because they have each other. My gander before I got other geese was bonded to some of my Muscovy's but now he is only for his goose family. If you feel the least hesitant to bring in another goose whether this female or another say from a rescue then why not give it a bit of time and see how it goes. You could check out rescues and at least that could be an option if you decide to go that way.

They all have to go through a grieving process and geese form such strong bonds it will just take time for them to recoup. having each other and you will help.

 

[Jessi8]

Thanks again, Lydia, SO much. Very good advice. I was thinking perhaps to wait until spring. I'm concerned that two paired geese may not want Preston around once the hormones kick in again with the new season. If that happens, he'd be very lonely and left out. I've heard, though, that breeding season is not a good time to introduce a new goose to a flock. What do you think?

Jessi

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks again, Lydia, SO much. Very good advice. I was thinking perhaps to wait until spring. I'm concerned that two paired geese may not want Preston around once the hormones kick in again with the new season. If that happens, he'd be very lonely and left out. I've heard, though, that breeding season is not a good time to introduce a new goose to a flock. What do you think?

Jessi

Your saying at the age of 18-20 they are still mating?

sorry I had to laugh at that one. You maybe right if the one pair are still mating there could be a problem but as for introducing a new goose to Preston It would just have to be done slowly no matter when you do it because they have to be the ones to do the accepting, When I brought my female home for my gander he didn't want anything to do with her he was so bonded to the ducks so I had to separate him and the new female from the ducks he was bonded to and it still took till mating season for the real bond to happen and it did. She followed him around and they slept together but the real marriage took place at breeding season. I think Preston would probably accept a female pretty quick once he got to know her.

Here my oldest gander mated with both females and my youngest gander did get to mate but only with the youngest goose. Hie adoptive mama was off limits. Not sure what this breeding season will be.

 

[Jessi8]

So you're saying your geese pick different mates different years? My five geese mated for life and always kept the same partner -- except for an occasional little cheating on the side, when a gander could get away with it. Whenever a gander would get such notions in his head, the targeted female would usually chase him around the field and scold him good, and that would be the end of it. Yes, we still have mating going on with these characters, but not as much as when they were younger.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So you're saying your geese pick different mates different years? My five geese mated for life and always kept the same partner -- except for an occasional little cheating on the side, when a gander could get away with it. Whenever a gander would get such notions in his head, the targeted female would usually chase him around the field and scold him good, and that would be the end of it. Yes, we still have mating going on with these characters, but not as much as when they were younger.

No they don't pick different mates but the mated pair that I gave the goslings too, well when the one became breeding age my dominant gander mated both females his mate and this younger one. The young gander got to mate with her too but only after the older gander did, and the young gander didn't mate the older ganders mate. am I completely confusing you?? Okay Samson is the older dominant gander Missy is his mate, then there is Toots the yr old female and her mate Babe. Now this year things maybe different and Sam may not get to mate with Toots if Babe decides he'll stand up for her, I hope they will all still get along because Babe really looks up to Sam now I'd hate to see that change. Babe respected Sam as the older dominant gander this past breeding season. They did get into a few wrestling match's in the pool but they didn't amount to anything.