# Thinking about separating my geese and ganders



## LadyGascoyne (26 February 2017)

Gwendolen and Earnest appear to have started divorce proceedings. Earnest's attempts at reconciliation are met with cold hard rejection and a lot of unpleasant squawking. 

He and their son, who my husband has christened White Goose, spend most of their time together, leaving Gwen and the two young females to themselves. 

I'm thinking about formalising the separation and letting Gwen and the girls have the lake at the bottom half of the property to themselves, and keeping Earnest and White Goose (who really needs a better name) up at the house on the river.

Does anyone keep only geese or only ganders? Do ganders squabble?


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## chillipup (27 February 2017)

Not sure about geese but if they are anything like swans they usually stay as a pair and the male (cob) will not only chase off their own male offspring when the time comes for more mating, but will in fact kill them if they hang around too long. They will only accept their female offspring to stay with them for longer, without problems.

I'm surprised Earnest and his son, White goose, are staying together and wonder if this is because Earnest himself is rather young and doesn't know, as yet, the correct protocol to adopt. Gwen may have already told him to get shot of WG but as he's their only son, perhaps Earnest doesn't yet understand that WG will likely be soon posing a threat to him.

Allowing poor White Goose to stay with him is probably doing Earnest no favours at all with Gwen. Earnest must be cruel to be kind, grow a pair and chase away WG ( in order for WG to find his own mate) I'm sure Gwen would then welcome Earnest back with open wings, just so long as he is on his own.

If they were mine, I'd give it a little more time to see if poor Earnest can work it out for himself. If he is indeed quite young himself, I suspect he's finding comfort, for the time, being with his son (who as the only son, is probably more needy having no male siblings) and knows not what the heck is going on with his wife Gwen. 

Nature will find its way in the end. I'd give them a chance to sort it out themselves


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## LadyGascoyne (27 February 2017)

Ah, goose politics!

You are right, Earnest is young and can be very needy- he followed me around endlessly when Gwen was sitting. 

We had intended to find a home for White Goose, which is why I wouldn't let husband name him. But you can see how that's gone and now he's a firm favourite. 

Might have to have White Goose as house goose with a little friend, and the others at the lake but will leave them to it for a while.


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## Exploding Chestnuts (27 February 2017)

LadyGascoyne said:



			Ah, goose politics!

You are right, Earnest is young and can be very needy- he followed me around endlessly when Gwen was sitting. 

We had intended to find a home for White Goose, which is why I wouldn't let husband name him. But you can see how that's gone and now he's a firm favourite. 

Might have to have White Goose as house goose with a little friend, and the others at the lake but will leave them to it for a while.
		
Click to expand...

Good luck with house training of WG. He could be re-named WD40, an indespensible aerosol. 
PS There are lots of geese around just now, but I assume he is more a Table goose than the organic, Iceland variety.


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## LadyGascoyne (27 February 2017)

Well I had hoped for table geese but I'm afraid husband would be heart broken so now he is a purely decorative goose. 

Will definitely have him around the house and not in it- they produce an impressive amount of goose poop, don't they!


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