Flock Adjustments (merging flocks, and adding a new gander)

[OPA Acres]

Hello,

I have quite a few changes that we are making to our flock and I am hoping for some advice on the best/safest way to merge these flocks so that they can free range together.

We currently have

• 6 Geese from another farm that we added to our farm in July 2021
  • 4 Sebastopol geese/gadders (not sexed) that are siblings (born may 2021)
  • 2 chinese geese are sisters (2 and 3 years old)
• 2 Embden Gander Brothers (born May 2021) - Joined our farm July 2021
• 2 African - 1 goose, 1 gander (Born May 2021) - Came to our farm as day old goslings

All of these geese have been together since August 2021 (after the July additions completed quarantine). The dynamics are kind of interesting.
-The 4 Sebastopol siblings and the 2 Embden did great with joining up and get along wonderfully. These 6 geese are housed together at night. -- we call this our white flock.
-The 4 Sebastopol Siblings tend to pick on the 2 Chinese sisters (will push them away from food/treats) - even though they came from the same home, so we recently started housing them with our African Geese at night.
-Our 2 African Geese seem very bonded with each other and are in the middle of the pecking order - above the Chinese, but occasionally pushed away from feed/treats by members of the white flock. They do not seem to have any trouble with the Chinese recently being moved into their night house.

All of these geese move together throughout our pasture all day - they tend to stay in the same 1-acre area... although they have access to about 20 acres.

In August we rescued 2 pairs of Sebastopol Geese - we call them our honeymooner flock. They just came out of Quarantine last week and are not yet allowed to free-range with the others. We have them divided into a paddock but they can interact with the other geese through a fence. When all of the birds are at the fence - they all scream and shout, but the bigger flock will wander further out into the pasture after a few minutes.

My question is - what is the best way to join these geese together without having anyone hurt?

We are also planning to add a Chinese Gander to our farm, to give our Chinese Geese a mate... but I think we have a plan to get him through 30 days of quarantine and then add the Chinese Geese to his paddock (opposite side of the farm), so that they can create relationships before moving them to the main area.

Any advice/recommendations would be very appreciated.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Are you in the USA? asking because you are at a good place to introduce geese to each other. Far enough away from the breeding season so any bullying should work it self out pretty easily. That doesn't mean there isn't going to be pushing and some fighting but you may be able to let them work it out. Keep them all close where they can all see each other then once you're ready to introduce together Use something like whole corn tossed on the ground so they all join in on the fun and keep their minds on gobbling up the corn instead of pushing and shoving. Doesn't necessarily mean you have to use corn but my birds love it.

 

[OPA Acres]

Are you in the USA? asking because you are at a good place to introduce geese to each other. Far enough away from the breeding season so any bullying should work it self out pretty easily. That doesn't mean there isn't going to be pushing and some fighting but you may be able to let them work it out. Keep them all close where they can all see each other then once you're ready to introduce together Use something like whole corn tossed on the ground so they all join in on the fun and keep their minds on gobbling up the corn instead of pushing and shoving. Doesn't necessarily mean you have to use corn but my birds love it.

Yes, I am in the USA. Thank you so much! I will definitely try the corn distraction!

They've been separated by a fence for almost 3 weeks now.. I feel like it's time.