Duck, Goose & Chicken Hatchery

Customer Stories and Helpful Advice About Ducks & Geese


African Goose Gander Adopts Ducklings

I have a goose that herds ducks. We call him Nanny. He is an African gander who came into our flock as an adult and never really fit in with our other geese. Earlier this spring our mallard duck hatched 14 babies and then disappeared about a week later. Nanny started staying next to their baby pen then. 2 of the babies died soon after their mother disappeared, and we sold 6 of the babies, so Nanny has 6 left. The babies are now fully feathered and out of the baby pen, free-ranging with our other birds. Nanny lets them spend some time during the day on their own, but he still herds them to the pool, takes them grazing in the pasture, etc. He still hisses at anyone who approaches his babies. And now that the mallards don't need him as much, he is starting to get very interested in the Cayuga ducklings in the current baby pen. There's also a white Chinese gosling in with the Cayugas, so maybe Nanny will eventually have one goosy friend too.