Single goose with a bunch of ducks?

[lizzyGSR]

I recently acquired 4 full-grown ducks from my husband's grandmother, who was giving her flock away. A couple of the ducks and a couple of her geese had been sharing some nests and sitting on eggs. It ended up that 8 eggs hatched, but only two "ducks" survived. When I went to pick up the ducks, my DH's grandma asked me to take the ducklings as well. I agreed. When I went to pick them up, I discovered that one of the "ducklings" was actually a gosling, so I now have 6 adult ducks(one of which might be a drake), one duckling, and one gosling.

My question is: Will the gosling be okay long-term with a flock of ducks?

 

[larkflying]

I think the gosling will be fine. I know there's other people that have kept one goose with ducks before. Right now, it probably thinks the ducks are its family and is nice and comfortable with them. If it is a gander it can decide to try to breed the duck females when it is grown, but that is the only issue I've heard of. Of course, you could always keep an eye out for another goose at some point to keep him/her company . . .

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think the gosling will be fine. I know there's other people that have kept one goose with ducks before. Right now, it probably thinks the ducks are its family and is nice and comfortable with them. If it is a gander it can decide to try to breed the duck females when it is grown, but that is the only issue I've heard of. Of course, you could always keep an eye out for another goose at some point to keep him/her company . . .

I have 1 gander living with 12 Muscovy ducks they all do very well together. and 2 of the ducks are drakes.

 

[lizzyGSR]

Thank you for the input! It's good to know that the gosling will be okay with ducks. I've currently got it in with one duckling and will move it out with the rest of the ducks when they (the duckling and gosling) are old enough.

If I couldn't keep it in with the ducks, I would've had to find it a new home...

 

[1MrsMagoo]

You should be okay. Right now I have 2 Toulouse, and 3 Pomeranian goslings in with my eight juvenile ducks. They sleep together, swim together, and seem to have elected the Toulouse gander their leader: Where he goes they all follow....geese first then ducks.

Funny thing is that I have a Khaki duck and Cayuga duck that seem to be ornery. They sneak up behind the Toulouse gander when he is bathing and well....goose him...then swim away. It seems to be a little game they play. Those two little duck ladies also take no guff from my adult Pom geese either. It is funny to watch them chase a big old goose away from them or their food.