Author Topic: Injured Goose (Read 2319 times)

ScotsGirl · « **on:** November 30, 2013, 09:27:20 am »

I acquired 7 geese and think there might be at least 2 makes but can't really sex them. Anyway I have been shutting them in at night but yesterday I noticed look on one beak and this morning when I let them out the same one was still bloody and its back and head were wet , raw and sore looking.

Any ideas? Is it two males fighting (no-one else got any injuries)? I was going to take it home later and put with hens and ducks but will it get depressed away from the other geese?

jaykay · « **Reply #1 on:** November 30, 2013, 09:35:58 am »

It can be the geese who go for one of them, as well as the gander. In fact, often is. My experience is that ganders fight around breeding time.

But did you say it was the one with wet, sore patches who also has blood on his beak?

What is their history, were they a 'team' already when you acquired them, or have they recently been thrown together. How old are they?

I would separate him while he mends. If you have one goose whom you're sure isn't a bully, you could put her in with him. Or a couple of ducks. Then I would re-introduce him/them by having him penned, so the others can't get at him, but can see and 'talk' to him.

I've just introduced a new gander to my two geese. Initially I had him in his own pen, as above. After two weeks, I let him out with the geese during the day, but put him in his own house still for another week overnight. Now he's in with them, they pecked him a bit for the first couple of days, but have settled down now.

Longer term, I would separate your 7 into two groups, each with their own gander, and their own house. You might need to make the separation even more significant around breeding time.

Or of course you could put one of the ganders in the freezer.

goosepimple · « **Reply #2 on:** November 30, 2013, 11:14:01 am »

Geese of different breeds won't always tolerate each other, it might be an idea to put on some pics to see if us TASers could identify them for you, they may of course be mixed breeds, but as Jaykay suggests, from end of Feb through to end of May could become particularly entertaining in the goose camp unless you split them up, sell one on or Christmas lunch it. A gamekeeper would do that for you if you don't want to do it yourself. Some breeds are quite common and you may find someone with the same quite near to you, good luck.

HesterF · « **Reply #3 on:** November 30, 2013, 10:11:12 pm »

I bought a second pair recently and was worried about introducing them to my resident pair. I'd planned two houses and to let them integrate gradually by day but after one night apart they just seemed so happy together, they went in together at night naturally and the ganders have been absolutely fine with each other (new gander not so fine with ducks unfortunately). I will have to separate them end Jan/early Feb but for now they're great as a flock. So they're not like cockerels - they can be OK together.

In your case, however, you do need to let him recover so the other suggestions to pull him out and try him with a 'friendly' female sounds sensible. Difficulty is always finding the space/housing - particularly for something as big as geese - and see how it goes.

ScotsGirl · « **Reply #4 on:** November 30, 2013, 11:07:07 pm »

We took him/her out and back than empty house and will keep with hens and ducks until well. The others are in a different field. We didn't fancy leaving them out at night as we have badgers at one end of field and foxes often cut through. We'd feel awful if they got killed.

I will take photos tomorrow and post on here.