Hissing Goose - Friend or Foe?

[MamacatPatch]

We have six large "weeder" geese, no idea of their gender, but they are about six months old now and are out in a large fenced wooded area with ducks, roosters and three goats.

Lately one of the geese has started hissing at me or my husband when we go in to feed and water them. He [I would guess it's a he?] comes close and even let me pet his neck briefly, something none of them have allowed us to do since they've gotten big.

What's the deal with the hissing? We've had them since they were babies and they know us. It's not breeding season. Is he just showing us he's the top goose of the bunch or is he trying to show us he a tough bird or what?



Marci

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have an emden goose he is 3 years old. He hisses and it's usually when hes upset. You are probably seeing his protective personality kicking in, so be careful they hurt when they bite.

 

[floridaquilter]

I own three toulouse and one is a real hisser. They are warning you..beware...run for your life or grab his neck and show him who's boss.

 

[MamacatPatch]

Quote:
Well, I hope I don't have to show him who's boss cause he might hurt me! HA!

The weird thing is, I wasn't doing anything unusual or strange, just feeding and watering them like I do every day. I just started talking to him like I normally do because I know they know the sound of my voice. I even tried hissing back! LOL

Still, part of me is afraid to turn my back on him, lest he try and take a bite out of my rump! I hope he doesn't go that far, cause then there'd be a fight.

These are our first geese ... live and learn, eh.

Here's my hissy 'boy'???

 

[Olive Hill]

We have a couple hissers. I'm no goose expert but I tend to abide by the "as much as needed, as little as necessary" with all my animals. Do as much as is needed to keep the animal in check, but only that much, no more than is necessary. At this point all of ours respond just fine if I hiss right back, as a matter of fact, they rarely hiss at me anymore because they know what's going to happen if they do. I probably look like a fool but I just figure speaking to them in their own language is the most likely to get results. So I spread my "wings" (my arms) out wide, hisssssssss, and "rush" towards them like they do to each other. Every single one of them immediately backs down and like I said they rarely come back for more even weeks later. If they didn't back down I'd grab ahold of their neck when I got to them after hissing/spreading my wings/rushing them.

Now, this said, they do not "get the picture" with every person just because one has put them in their place. You put them in their place, they will respect YOU. That's it. Your husband needs to earn their respect himself and any visitors, likewise.

 

[MamacatPatch]

Quote:
Words of wisdom. Thanks!!

 

[noahsgeese]

First of all.... it is a male! Second... Ganders hiss when they feel threatened or are protecting something like if a female has a nest of eggs and you are near it then they get mad about that and would hiss at you!

 

[MamacatPatch]

Quote:
I read that geese are seasonal layers, that is, they only lay eggs at certain times of the year. I figured it would be in the Spring!? However, hubby said he saw two of them mating. Do they mate all year long or does seasonal mean spring AND fall or what?

I have not seen any nests or eggs from the geese although I have seen one nest AND eggs from the ducks! Gee whiz, they're gonna freeze solid before they'd become more ducks!

We have six and they were raised together. Three are mostly gray and three are white and gray like my hisser. I think we have three geese and three ganders, which would work out beautifully. I'd really like to try my first goose egg [in the spring?] but I guess I'll have to get past that hissyboy first!! LOL

 

[noahsgeese]

Well, I think that every goose lays at different times of the year.... mine lays in the fall but most of them lay in the spring. I believe that they only mate when the female is about to lay eggs. They would only do it if "there" female was laying eggs then they would just be protecting her... a nice way of getting a mean gander out of your way is to get a rake and scoop it under him and throw him and that usually makes them get away unless it is a really important cause that they are fighting you for... then they would keep coming back!

 

[SunnyD]

Quote:
I believe your goose is just that a female. I have Cotton Patch geese and yours looks just like my goose "Gracie!" Cotton Patch Geese are sexually dimorphic with the male being solid white. That being said..both of mine will hiss with the gander being the loudest and most persistent of the two.I think they are just confused on when they should use it! Here's a pic of my Cotton Patch Geese George and Gracie.