Geese aggressive depending on the color of our shirts

[greenthebean]

A few months ago my partner decided to get 2 geese, male and female Grey geese. I'm not a big fan of geese but he wanted them. They were friendly at first and I made sure to bring them treats. But after a few months, they became quite aggressive. I stopped going back to their area and left it up to my partner because aggressive animals stress me out. I tried to still give them treats but in between eating their treats, they'd come back to hiss at me. One day I happened to be wearing my partners flannels outside and I passed by their area. To my surprise, they just looked at me, no hissing, no loud honking. I got closer to test it out and they still did not become aggressive. This shocked me but I haven't tested it further out of fear.

Well, my partner told me today he went out there in a white t-shirt (he usually wears dark blue flannels) and they became aggressive towards him for the 1st time! This somewhat confirms that they recognize patterns / colors, but why would they become so aggressive? I've never heard of this and I can't find much from Google. Any more info on this?

 

[Callender Girl]

Gee, everybody's a fashion critic these days! Honestly, I have heard of geese objecting to certain items of clothing -- gloves or boots, for example -- but colors?? That's a new one for me.

Of course, I love my geese so much that if they did object to my clothes, I'd probably go in the house and change!

 

[M-H-Fielding]

A few months ago my partner decided to get 2 geese, male and female Grey geese. I'm not a big fan of geese but he wanted them. They were friendly at first and I made sure to bring them treats. But after a few months, they became quite aggressive. I stopped going back to their area and left it up to my partner because aggressive animals stress me out. I tried to still give them treats but in between eating their treats, they'd come back to hiss at me. One day I happened to be wearing my partners flannels outside and I passed by their area. To my surprise, they just looked at me, no hissing, no loud honking. I got closer to test it out and they still did not become aggressive. This shocked me but I haven't tested it further out of fear.

Well, my partner told me today he went out there in a white t-shirt (he usually wears dark blue flannels) and they became aggressive towards him for the 1st time! This somewhat confirms that they recognize patterns / colors, but why would they become so aggressive? I've never heard of this and I can't find much from Google. Any more info on this?

I have noticed that if I wear jeans, my goose leaves me alone. Anything else and he's after me, LOL!

 

[Sally PB]

My Buff Orpington cockerel seems to be upset by the color blue. I wonder if it has anything to do with chickens seeing into the UV part of the spectrum?

The pullets don't care. Go figure.

 

[Percheron chick]

I can't comment on shirt colors but geese are very suspicious of any changes in their world. Mud boots, fresh bedding, a new feeder...they will make a racket about it.
The aggression you are witnessing is due in large part to being breeding season. Most ganders are jerks and very protective of their women and goslings. The hissing, shaking their bodies, dropping their heads...is how they warn you to back off. He'll return to his old ways once she is done laying. 2-3 months.

 

[Cindarelly]

One of our ganders hates blue. He's extra ornery when I have it on.

 

[3xhhheather]

My husband's red rain jacket sets off our gander. He also hated my green mud boots for a bit, but I broke routine the other day and wore black sneakers, he went crazy trying to get my feet. My favorite thing is if you walk out of our garden gate, you're immediately a stranger he's never seen before. I think geese are just quirky, they have their "things" that can throw them off.

I totally get being nervous around them, but asserting your dominance and maintaining a role in the flock will help them become more accepting. So lots of treats, slow movements, and hanging around. It is going to be a bit hard with it being breeding season, but having your partner there (and wearing flannel lol) should help ease things along.

 

[Bmb]

I don’t go into our goose pen anymore since the gander attacked me awhile ago so my husband feeds and waters them. The female loves him and the male has always left him alone until he was feeding them in his robe one day. Bill, the gander, was not please and proceeded to attack the robe. They really don’t like anything new or strange!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I can't comment on shirt colors but geese are very suspicious of any changes in their world. Mud boots, fresh bedding, a new feeder...they will make a racket about it.
The aggression you are witnessing is due in large part to being breeding season. Most ganders are jerks and very protective of their women and goslings. The hissing, shaking their bodies, dropping their heads...is how they warn you to back off. He'll return to his old ways once she is done laying. 2-3 months.

Yep you got it! lol

 

[LadyWolf44005]

My male goose, Marcus. Is obsessed with a pair of black and blue flip flops that I have. (I said this before in a different post) if I am walking in them he will walking right next to me trying to grab my flip flop. Then when I sit down with my geese. Marcus will happily chew my flip flops. Makeing happy sounds and wagging his butt feathers! When I give Marcus one of the flip flops. He very excitedly runs off with my flip flops, lays on it all the while makeing happy noises.

With it being winter I have my flip flops in a box on my porch. So I have not worn them in months. When I was out side with my geese. I lost track of Marcus wich never happens becouse he likes to move as a flock and he prefers to stick with me. That's when I hear the most happiest screams I have ever heard from him! I find him on my porch (he knows he is not allowed on the porch) in my summer shoe box! He has his whole head and neck in there happily screaming throwing shoes out of the box untill he found my black and blue flip flops! He was so happy! He carried my flip flop for the rest of the day and brought it to bed with him. At that point I was just like I will just buy another pair! Lol