My Gander kills chickens

[EeyoreD]

Ahhh it's that time of year...

I agree with what others have said - try to pen him in but pen him WITH his woman. Geese are less freewheeling and much more bonded to their mates, especially in spring and will kill themselves to get near them and protect them. If you separate them it's only going to be worse.

My ganders have attacked my 65 pound dog and have even attacked my truck tires (WHILE IT WAS MOVING) when their women nested close to the driveway. You may have gotten a more mellow breed of goose, but this time of year there is no such thing. The gander WILL protect his chosen mate with everything he has.

The other problem is that if your chickens are anything like mine, they're pretty much oblivious. Have you heard of the Honey Badger meme? My Chickens/Roo just don't care. And if you've had your birds through the winter it may be taking the chickens some time to twig to the VERY different spring personalities of the geese/ganders.

That said, I had a hard time typing this picturing the gander attacking an Emu. I though them attacking the truck was funny but that... oh my god. Can't breathe.

 

[dragon98]

I´ve never had it with mine, but I have a lot of space and a very calm breed of goose. However, it´s fairly common, and a lot of people keep them separate.
Also, I do believe the emus have the pea-brain., Geese are actually fairly smart. And they´ll defend what´s theirs to the death...did you see this pic on another thread of a greylag pair protecting their gosling from a swan attack? The gosling survived.

Why would a swan attack a gosling? Glad the little guy survived. Bet that swan thought it had tangled with two devils and their offspring! I got Harold and Maude's new pen set up yesterday. This morning was the quietest I've ever heard the outside birds. No being woke up out of a sound sleep from a chicken screaming for it's life. Ahhhhhh, peace at last.

 

[EeyoreD]

Why would a swan attack a gosling?

That is a really stunning picture livininbrazil. Even moreso because the little guy survived.

As for why a swan would attack a gosling. I don't have swans but I've seen them on my parent's pond and, from what I hear and see they're rather like geese but tenfold. Meaning the poor gosling, chuffed because it found out it could swim, probably wandered into the swans' territory (because it was tiny and didn't know better) and the swans (like geese) don't really differentiate threat. If it's in their area, it WILL be attacked.

 

[subhanalah]

That is a really stunning picture livininbrazil. Even moreso because the little guy survived.

As for why a swan would attack a gosling.  I don't have swans but I've seen them on my parent's pond and, from what I hear and see they're rather like geese but tenfold.  Meaning the poor gosling, chuffed because it found out it could swim, probably wandered into the swans' territory (because it was tiny and didn't know better) and the swans (like geese) don't really differentiate threat.  If it's in their area, it WILL be attacked.

I do believe swans will attack other animals' offspring to decrease the number of things competing for resources, even if the go sling didn't wander into what the swan perceives as its territory.

 

[dragon98]

Ahhh it's that time of year...

I agree with what others have said - try to pen him in but pen him WITH his woman. Geese are less freewheeling and much more bonded to their mates, especially in spring and will kill themselves to get near them and protect them. If you separate them it's only going to be worse.

My ganders have attacked my 65 pound dog and have even attacked my truck tires (WHILE IT WAS MOVING) when their women nested close to the driveway. You may have gotten a more mellow breed of goose, but this time of year there is no such thing. The gander WILL protect his chosen mate with everything he has.

The other problem is that if your chickens are anything like mine, they're pretty much oblivious. Have you heard of the Honey Badger meme? My Chickens/Roo just don't care. And if you've had your birds through the winter it may be taking the chickens some time to twig to the VERY different spring personalities of the geese/ganders.

That said, I had a hard time typing this picturing the gander attacking an Emu. I though them attacking the truck was funny but that... oh my god. Can't breathe.

I only wish I had my camera handy. Next time I let all the birds out together I will make sure I have it and will see if Harold does it again. He really had that 100 lb bird running for it's life! Bet poor Thing 2 was wishing she had something other than those little stumpy wings and could have flown to get away! The geese and the emus will attack my dogs and they have one of them so scared I have a hard time getting him to go outside. The dog that's not afraid of either of them is the 5 lb Chihuahua. I've seen her snap at the Emus and chase them back.

 

[EeyoreD]

Oh good point subhanalah. Geese are mean but swans are the devil and you're right, I bet they go beyond just territory and think ahead.

Dragon, oh please do take your camera. It's not that I don't believe you, I totally do (see comment about geese attacking a moving pickup truck) but I'm laughing just thinking about it. To see a video would make my year. As for your chihuahua, it's always the little ones, isn't it

 

[holm25]

My gander, Harold, killed one of my hens. So I moved him into a different pen where he could see his female but not get near the chickens. He's managed to get back in and has gone after the hens again. I'm afraid he's going to kill another. Can you tell me why he's so aggressive towards the chickens? Maybe I should just set up an area just for him inside the yard that he can't get out of? I'm new to geese and I got a pair specifically for noise makers and maybe to chase off a critter that might make it into the chicken pen. Harold and Maude are Toulouse geese. I was told the Toulouse was the least aggressive of the geese breeds. Was I misinformed? Thanks for any ideas that does not involve killing him.

has he chased before if not its breeding season for the geese that may have something to do with it

 

[livininbrazil]

That is a really stunning picture livininbrazil. Even moreso because the little guy survived.

As for why a swan would attack a gosling. I don't have swans but I've seen them on my parent's pond and, from what I hear and see they're rather like geese but tenfold. Meaning the poor gosling, chuffed because it found out it could swim, probably wandered into the swans' territory (because it was tiny and didn't know better) and the swans (like geese) don't really differentiate threat. If it's in their area, it WILL be attacked.

The photographer put his pics and report in the paper, and he said that he watched the whole thing...normal day, all quiet on the lake, goose family minding their own business, swan comes along, one gosling got left behind and separated from the family, next minute the swan is dunking it, then along come the angry ansers (

) while the rest of the goslings were hidden in the reeds, and the photographer just keeps clicking....but the swan dropped the gosling, so it just goes to show how geese can be when it comes to protecting their families.

 

[livininbrazil]

p.s. looking forward to seeing the emu evacuation!