Intro to goose body language please

[SouthernPride]

Thanks Smileysal, I cuddled with little level 5 away from her buddy and he/she really settled downed and relaxed. Nobody wanted to do that because he/she was so annoying but this one may turn out to be a favorite

 

[Kim65]

Quote:
Definitely protecting the ducks. Even ganders have strong nurturing instincts and will "Daddy" smaller creatures, even chicken chicks.

If their necks are straight up in the air that generally means curiosity and wariness. Geese are always wary, being close to the bottom of the food chain. Your geese do not sound "aggressive" at all, more protective (toward the ducks) and saying to you "Who goes there??"

 

[Highland Moongazer]

Quote:
Teehee! Goosey facepalm!

 

[AimToMisbehave]

We've recently adopted a 1.5 year old Toulouse (we think, maybe mix?) gander earlier this week! His name is Ganon and he's our first ever goose, so we're still learning how to "talk" to him. He's a flock guardian for our 9 Indian Runner ducks (2 drakes, 7 hens) and he took to them instantly, but it's a bit harder to sort out our regard for us!

He tried to sass me once, I think because I was holding a small dog at the time, so I recognize that; head down and neck stretched way forward straight at me. I turned to face him head on, stood really tall, held out my free arm, and told him "You be nice young man!" and he immediately turned his back to me and walked away like he didn't even know what I was talking about.


[Video]

He yells quite a bit when we go outside, which I read is a greeting or alarm of some kind? But when I go over to him, or wait for him to come to me, there's a lot of this chattering, and I'm not sure what it means or how I should respond to it! He doesn't seem at all bothered by super close proximity to me, whether I'm standing or crouching.

When I spy on him from the window, he holds his head in what looks like a more relaxed, horizontal position, but if he spots me spying, or when we go outside, he stands like this most of the time. I love it because I think he looks super snooty, but that's 100% me anthropomorphising, and I'd love to know what it ACTUALLY means for a gander. He even holds it up like this when the ducks run up to me and he has to run to keep up (which is kind of hilarious)!

 

[MrsVirginia]

We've recently adopted a 1.5 year old Toulouse (we think, maybe mix?) gander earlier this week! His name is Ganon and he's our first ever goose, so we're still learning how to "talk" to him. He's a flock guardian for our 9 Indian Runner ducks (2 drakes, 7 hens) and he took to them instantly, but it's a bit harder to sort out our regard for us!

He tried to sass me once, I think because I was holding a small dog at the time, so I recognize that; head down and neck stretched way forward straight at me. I turned to face him head on, stood really tall, held out my free arm, and told him "You be nice young man!" and he immediately turned his back to me and walked away like he didn't even know what I was talking about.


[Video]

He yells quite a bit when we go outside, which I read is a greeting or alarm of some kind? But when I go over to him, or wait for him to come to me, there's a lot of this chattering, and I'm not sure what it means or how I should respond to it! He doesn't seem at all bothered by super close proximity to me, whether I'm standing or crouching.

When I spy on him from the window, he holds his head in what looks like a more relaxed, horizontal position, but if he spots me spying, or when we go outside, he stands like this most of the time. I love it because I think he looks super snooty, but that's 100% me anthropomorphising, and I'd love to know what it ACTUALLY means for a gander. He even holds it up like this when the ducks run up to me and he has to run to keep up (which is kind of hilarious)!

Someone just gave us a gander (3 yrs), and he does the very same thing to me! I am still a novice at goose-talk.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you have other poultry?

 

[MrsVirginia]

Do you have other poultry?

Yes—chickens, ducklings, and two goslings

 

[Miss Lydia]

Has your new gander met everyone? My gander was an awesome papa to all goslings and ducklings but never paid much attention to the chickens other than dropping his head telling them to back off. He was fierce protector of the other babies. Now is just just fierce protector of his mate.

 

[MrsVirginia]

Has your new gander met everyone? My gander was an awesome papa to all goslings and ducklings but never paid much attention to the chickens other than dropping his head telling them to back off. He was fierce protector of the other babies. Now is just just fierce protector of his mate.

He met the ducklings and goslings, which was about as seamless as you could imagine. He immediately took to protecting them! Hoping for him to meet the chicks soon.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Be sure to post pics we’d love to see them all