Monday, June 29, 2009

Introducing the new geese


I hatched some goose eggs earlier this spring, and the new geese are ready to be introduced to the existing goose flock. Both sides are a little tentative, but the existing goose flock is pretty sure that these guys need to be picked on a little. So there's some neck posturing and vocals.

The new geese have been living in a calf dome inside the range of the older geese, and they've had a chance to look at each other for a couple of days now. I watch them carefully for a couple of hours to make sure that there's no blood. Some feather pulling is expected, and there's a pecking order to establish -- the new geese go straight to the bottom of the flock, and each older goose has to prove it to them and to itself.

1 comment:

Adam said...

They seem to have the same pecking order hierarchy that chickens do. It is interesting to watch them trying to prove their authority to one another. That's good entertainment!