Aggrssive Geese

[wyldehorses]

I have 2 sebastapol geese and one Tolouse goose. One of the sebastapols and the tolouse have always been a little "mouthy". They seemed to nibble at hands and fingers, (I would push them away in a firm manner) but now they are coming after me. The tolouse grabbed my thigh yesterday and I have a 4inch bruise. After breeding season (I have no desire to breed geese right now) will they settle down to their former, mostly docile nature or is this just how adult geese are? I showed them last year and would like to do so again.

Is there any type of behavior modification training that could be effective?

Yolonda

[Evy]

I have 2 sebastapol geese and one Tolouse goose. One of the sebastapols and the tolouse have always been a little "mouthy". They seemed to nibble at hands and fingers, (I would push them away in a firm manner) but now they are coming after me. The tolouse grabbed my thigh yesterday and I have a 4inch bruise. After breeding season (I have no desire to breed geese right now) will they settle down to their former, mostly docile nature or is this just how adult geese are? I showed them last year and would like to do so again.

Is there any type of behavior modification training that could be effective?

Yolonda

Tis the season..... You may have to resort to some goose-wrestling. Pushing him away is a little like sparring. You may have to grab his neck, take him down & sit on him...literally...to show him who's in charge. It sounds like you've done the right thing in not making pets of them, but they still are too familiar with the nibbling. You're part of the flock & now he's challenging you for leadership. Get tough. It's always better if they know who's boss & respect that.
We get this every spring, especially from people who've raised them like puppies & are surprised & hurt when they turn on them. Sebs are pretty laid back & like AM. Buffs, tend to be less aggressive. Still, any adult goose can inflict a lot of damage.

[wyldehorses]

Thanks Evy! You're great! Always got the quick answer!

As long as there is hope they'll settle down I'll let em stay. I let them have some turn out in the yard today and that helped. I thought it might be breeding season aggression (I have to wear gloves and long pants to feed everybody this time of year!)

Yolonda

[Patrick]

This is one time I'll have to disagree with some of what Evy said. You already have made pets out of them in alowing them to get to the "nibbling" stage. Oh how cute it is, but now you're reaping the results, like so many before you. Once started, that behavior is very difficult to break, especially by folks who seem enclined to let it begin in the first place. The behavior modicfication should have begun long ago, and most of it should have been your own, unfortunately. It is partly breeding season aggression starting to kick in, but once started, it usually stays, as they are getting mature as well as hormonal.

[cegs]

My sister got two Super African goslings from me last year and I told her not to make pets out of them. She got them for watch dogs for the yard. She still did try to make pets and since they are now full grown ganders they are what most would call “very mean“. They have been fighting with her to the point where they would grab them by the neck and take them down like Evy said. I told her I didn’t think it would work because they would keep challenging her for top goose. Instead I told her to get a spray bottle and fill with vinegar and spray it in their face when they charge up to them. She sprayed them a couple times and now they wont come near her. I told her not to slip up and try to be nice to them now because you can’t have it both ways. If she wants to keep them in her yard they have to fear her and run the other way when they see her. I don’t think you can change a goose once it thinks you are part of the flock. So, in my opinion the best thing to do is keep them away from you. The vinegar has worked so far for my sister.

[wyldehorses]

I feel my "relationship" with the geese may have been misunderstood. They are not pets. I bought them 3/4 grown with the intent of taking them to some of the smaller county fairs in the area. Most of the fairs offer a decent premium for the Champion Goose and very few people ever exhibit them.

From the time I brought them home they were "mouthy" with everything they came into contact. Chairs, buckets, swimming pool, cats, and and myself. When they attempted to nibble at me or my clothes, I would firmly push them away. If that didn't work, I would grab their beaks and shake them a little. If that didn't work I was, and am still not above a swift kick. It's just been within the past few weeks that they have truly been aggressive, culminating in the bruised thigh while I had my head turned to empty a water bucket.

To be able to exhibit them at the smaller fairs, I need to be able to handle them. Most of these fairs only have a few cages, and exhibitors are expected to bring their animals to the center of the barn for the judges inspection. Last year was a success at these shows, as the geese not only paid for themselves, but also cleared enough in winnings to pay for their food.

My handling of the geese has consisted of picking them up to be carried, bathing them, trimming and odd toe nail, spreading their wings to check feather condition, feeling the breast bone, and just sort of anything I have seen a judge do. These handlings are few and far between.

If this has given the geese the impression that they are pets, they are mistaken. I have over 400 exhibition and breeding bantams and large fowl, a couple of horses, too many cats with no names, and a full time job. I care for all of them by myself. I have too many chores and too little time for pets. I have only one pet, a dog. And he is also expected to conform to a certain level of behavior in addition to his duties as a guard. It has been to my benefit to allow the dog to become extremely attached, as I am now part of his pack, and noone is allowed too near me. Living alone in an isolated area, this relationship has benefitted me. The rest of the animals are not pets, they don't wear cute little sweaters they don't even have names (Except of course for the registered horses.) And should any of them have the misfortune of becoming unmanageable, ill beyond my limited veterinary abilities, or no longer of any use, they are expendable.

Yolonda

[Patrick]

Term your "relationship" however you like, yet you're still having the problems. I've yet to talk with a serious breeder/exhibitor who has any kind of problems of the pet goose kind. We just don't let them start in the first place, period. At real poultry shows, one need not do any of the activities you describe, except maybe be lucky enough to have to move one's bird to CH Row.

[wyldehorses]

I will have to agree that Champion row at an approved show is much more impressive. Been there done that. Last year was my best yet. Two res. Ch. bantams and a res. Ch. Large fowl. This year's goal- champion bantam.

Yolonda

[Evy]

I think the problem was well established BEFORE you bought them, not of your making. Geese are probably the most intelligent of domestic poultry. The nibbling is their curious way of inspecting everything. They've just grown up having no fear / respect for humans. You may always have to keep an eye on this gander but being the dominent one should get through to him eventually. When you take him down, keep him there for several minutes rather than letting him think he can win the next round. Spraying something caustic in a birds eyes is unnesessarly cruel. You don't want them afraid of you if you're showing them, just realizing you're the boss. If you hatch some of your own, you'll know what NOT to do raising them. That's the hard part...they're too darn cute !

[goosedragon]

I think the problem was well established BEFORE you bought them, not of your making. Geese are probably the most intelligent of domestic poultry. The nibbling is their curious way of inspecting everything. They've just grown up having no fear / respect for humans. You may always have to keep an eye on this gander but being the dominent one should get through to him eventually. When you take him down, keep him there for several minutes rather than letting him think he can win the next round. Spraying something caustic in a birds eyes is unnesessarly cruel. You don't want them afraid of you if you're showing them, just realizing you're the boss. If you hatch some of your own, you'll know what NOT to do raising them. That's the hard part...they're too darn cute !

Evy, It was 'cegs' not 'wyldehorses' that was talking about vinegar spraying. If it was ACV (I wonder if G Heywood is still around?)or the same strength it isn't that caustic, as I have it on the salads my doctor insists I should eat instead of the Blue Cheese that I like...Except for my first two, where I made every newby mistake in the book my geese respected me and even responded to verbal orders but that did not stop them from sneaking up on me and well 'gooseing' me. If I turned and caught them before they tagged me they could look so involved in grazing that they had no ideal I was there. Even pet geese (as mine were) can be taught to behave if you are firm enough.

[wyldehorses]

No, I don't think I could use the vinegar. I've gotten it in cuts and it is too caustic for me to consider spraying in an animal's eyes. (Boot on the other end - well that's a different story.)

I've let the geese out of their pen a couple of times this week, and they are much more respectful of my person than they are in their pen. Are geese territorial?

Outside the pen, all I had to do was take a few brisk steps toward them and they went back to the area by their pen.

Unfortunately, I am going to have to severly discipline the wheelbarrow and picnic table for spoiling the geese, and allowing them to nibble on them! Bad table, bad wheelbarrow!

Yolonda

[littlebit6657]

Just my two cents, my toulouse always get "mean" during breeding season and go right back to their docile selves the rest of the year. I personally back my geese up by assuming the ganders posture, bending my head down and hissing back at him til he backs up. He either thinks I am the more dominate goose, or he thinks I am freaking crazy and he is laughing not hissing.

[kycalls]

I have seen Yolanda attend and do very well at alot "real" poultry shows...gosh I must have seen her attend at least 10 real shows last year alone.

Yolanda, as you know my wife has a whole herd of Sebs running around here and all the ganders get down right mean during breeding season, I have been tagged from behind several times already this spring for getting too close to the girls. Our geese go back to their normal sunny selfs after all the breeding is over with...and our Sebs are not pets or handled..only when my wife makes me throw one in a box to take to a show. They do seem to go after the kids for no reason at all during this timeline...I admit to knocking one gander silly with a plastic coffee can to the head the other day for attacking my 4 yr old for walking in front of the barn.....it seemed pretty effective. I stay away from them, except to gather their eggs during breeding season...well really I stay away from them all year round except to put out their feed.

Jerry

[kycalls]

Oh one more thing...can you send me a picture of you doing the gander stance, Donna. Your grandson misses you...dangit.

Jer

[littlebit6657]

Jerry,
Give him big hugs for me. If you buy me enough drinks next time I see you, you might get to see it..LOL

[kycalls]

I have my wifes credit card!!

[littlebit6657]

Jer, Rick said it probably looks something like trying to get away from a donkey.

[kycalls]

now Donna, you know we are not supposed to bring up "Donkeys" around Jerry.
You going to the Oklahoma show this year? I will bring a new baby for you to carry around....LOL

Rebecca

[littlebit6657]

Rebecca,
LOL. I am hoping to especially since I was thinkin there was gonna be a new baby there.Yeah!!

[ultasol]

I have a yearling Buff American gander that I have never handled more than moving him from the nest to the brooder, moving out on pasture, and worming. He generally avoids me but even he will sometimes challenge me. So far the worst gander this season is the sebastopol, who is not tame but I got as a close to full grown bird.

I just expect ganders to be bad at this time of year, and I don't trust them.