Worried about my Egyptian goose! Any info appreciated!

[Kara515]

I have a pair of Egyptian geese and the behavior of my gander has made me worry about my goose. Last year, I lost my first goose and I felt awful that I had missed something like lice or mites and it had weakened her and she died.

However, I have now seen what I believe caused her death. My gander is so aggressively trying to mate with this goose, not only has he pulled out a LOT of feather all around her face and neck, but she was pushing herself into the corner of the fence, trying to get through the chain link! Then, I found her hiding in a little pet taxi that the chickens lay in! By the time I realized she was staying hidden, she had lost weight and gotten weak. I caught her and moved her into a different area so she could recover. That's when I realized that she looked just like the first goose!! These geese are now 3 years old and I would expect the gander to be a bit less aggressive with his mate??? Once Nefertiti, my goose, was healthy again, she started calling for him and he paces the fence line calling for her all the time.

I guess my first question would be, is this normal behavior? I don't see how it could be since I lost one goose and almost lost another! (I bought all 3 at the same time and they were 6 months old when I got them. Once they paired up, I removed the second goose and put her in a different area but they were always within sight of each other.)

Now, for the second part of my concern.....approximately 2-1/2 to 3 weeks after I moved Nefertiti, she laid her first ever egg. And she kept laying...Now she is setting but I don't think she will have any fertile eggs unless she has maybe 1 or 2. Does anyone have any information about how long she would have fertile eggs? I figured 2 weeks at most but I wasn't sure. Will she eventually stop setting when the eggs don't hatch, assuming none do? Unfortunately, these geese were 6 months old when I got them and were not very tame. She has been an angel when I go in to feed and change her water and pool though. (The last goose, Anck-su-Namun, came at me with blood in her eyes whenever I went in to change their bedding or water!!)

Also, do I ever risk putting her back with Imhotep, my gander?

Any information that you Egyptian experts have would be so appreciated. My experience with geese was only with domestic geese before these and was limited. I have done a lot of reading about the Egyptians but I have not read anything by anyone that would answer these questions. Thank you all in advance! I truly love Nefertiti and I don't want her hurt but I don't want her unhappy either!!

 

[Kara515]

Update and/or more info on my gander tonight. This afternoon when I went out to feed, I heard one of my Cochin hens screaming! I saw Imhotep chasing her and pulling her back feathers out trying to breed her. My poor hen was scared to death. Before I could get through the gates to get to her, he had "gotten" her. He had ripped a lot of feathers out of her and she had a couple of chunks of meat taken out too! She had tried to get through the fence between two poles and was just lying there when I got to her. She hadn't moved a bit. I took her out and doctored her and let her calm down in a secure, safe place. Then I moved him out of there!! He is now in a smaller place but he is by himself so he can't hurt any more of my girls!! He still hasn't shown any aggression toward me but I am not taking any more chances with him, at least while breeding season is here.

I would still appreciate any thoughts by anyone who may have any suggestions or ideas on what I may be able to do in the future with Imhotep. Thank you!

 

[sourland]

I have no experience with Egyptian geese, but from what I have read it appears that they can become extremely aggressive to other birds during breeding season. The aggression towards his mate sounds abnormal to me. I would either try to find a more mellow gander or allow supervised conjugal visits if you want fertile eggs. After a 2.5 to 3 week absence there is a slight chance that some of her eggs might be fertile. Good luck.

 

[Kara515]

I have no experience with Egyptian geese, but from what I have read it appears that they can become extremely aggressive to other birds during breeding season. The aggression towards his mate sounds abnormal to me. I would either try to find a more mellow gander or allow supervised conjugal visits if you want fertile eggs. After a 2.5 to 3 week absence there is a slight chance that some of her eggs might be fertile. Good luck.

Thank you, Sourland! I was beginning to think I wouldn't get ANY responses at all! I appreciate your thoughts on his behavior. That is a good idea about the supervised visits. He is such a good boy at all other times too. I Hate the idea of giving him up and they are hard to come around here. He was not even aggressive with me two years ago when his first mate had a nest and she was trying to take me down!! Thanks again for your thoughts, they are truly appreciated!!

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i'm so sorry about your problems, and your poor Cochin(!). No matter what breed or type of bird (or species, for that matter) i would rehome any that showed a lot of aggression. i have tried working with roosters in the past but found that once they were aggressive, no matter the calm times between, they always reverted.

i don't know much about Egyptian Geese, but have a friend who has (had) them. i hope i am remembering my facts correctly, but i believe he rehomed his because they killed some of his other fowl. Some breeds just have a tendency towards more wild behavior. That may be the case here.

On the fertility, i know in chickens it is generally for two weeks.

i wish you the best no matter what you choose to do. When i talk to my friend again i will try to get more information on his thoughts about these geese.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i just did a quick search, and here are some comments i have found about Egyptian Geese.

"The temperament of the Egyptian goose has been described as pugnacious or combative. They generally tend to fight each other quite aggressively and are often especially prone to this behavior during breeding season. They also usually dislike other kinds of birds and will normally attack them with very little provocation. The Egyptian goose can sometimes show this kind of aggression towards people as well, especially when breeding or defending their nests."

and

From Feathersite.com. "Although easy to maintain in captivity they are usually quite quarrelsome and a mated pair will often drive off all other waterfowl and break every egg they find that is not theirs. Therefore, they should not be kept in a mixed group of fowl unless in a very large enclosure. I keep only the one female. This way I get to enjoy having the visual of an Egyptian in my mixed flock, without the problems I'd have if I had a mated pair."

 

[Kara515]

i just did a quick search, and here are some comments i have found about Egyptian Geese.

"The temperament of the Egyptian goose has been described as pugnacious or combative. They generally tend to fight each other quite aggressively and are often especially prone to this behavior during breeding season. They also usually dislike other kinds of birds and will normally attack them with very little provocation. The Egyptian goose can sometimes show this kind of aggression towards people as well, especially when breeding or defending their nests."

and

From Feathersite.com. "Although easy to maintain in captivity they are usually quite quarrelsome and a mated pair will often drive off all other waterfowl and break every egg they find that is not theirs. Therefore, they should not be kept in a mixed group of fowl unless in a very large enclosure. I keep only the one female. This way I get to enjoy having the visual of an Egyptian in my mixed flock, without the problems I'd have if I had a mated pair."

Thank you for responding! I was beginning to think I wouldn't get any more help here!! I have read this information and have really not SEEN this behavior in him until this breeding season. I guess somehow I missed seeing it last year because his mate at the time stayed hidden. The geese that I have were raised with chickens and never showed any aggression toward them with the single exception of thee female guarding her nest two years ago. My male was not even aggressive with me....He is just a very rough breeder and I guess he was extremely "worked up" because his goose is in another area on a nest and he was left behind with the Cochins. His breeding attempt with my poor hen was terribly rough on her and that is why he is now in solitary. I am hopeful that after breeding season, I will be able to put him back with his goose but I don't know if I will want to put them back in with the Cochins. Maybe in with 3 Cochin roosters in another area??
If your friend has any ideas or info, I would be very glad to hear them!!! Thank you again for your thoughts! I appreciate it so very much!!

 

[jonny151]

sorry bout ur lost and about Egyptian geese i know a bit of them cus i have a pair and they are really aggressive...the thing is that u cant really put a male and 2 or 3 females...why?? cus Egyptian geese when they are growing they find their mate and they stayed mated for life even though if u try to change them they wont mate with others...

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Move over to the ornamental area here on BYC, a number of keepers over there who can help you. However you need to build the, their own area and get him away from the other birds. That breed pg goose is known to be more aggressive towards other birds.