by Larry Kidder
Howell Farm Volunteer
The term “Horse Whisperer” is often used to describe someone who can communicate subtlety with horses. But, I consider myself to be a “Goose Hisser.” The Farm’s small flock of Toulouse geese provides an interesting sight when they visit the farmstead on Saturdays. They are an interesting contrast to the wild Canadian geese that visitors are so used to seeing in this area. However, these geese are not as warm and cuddly as Maggie the farm dog, Patches the barn cat, or workhorses Mac and Barney, or Jack and Chester, who all like to meet visitors and be touched. Approaching the geese will most likely bring on loud squawking and hissing as the geese try to intimidate approaching humans.
Several weeks ago I was at my frequent Saturday station at the Phillips Barn when the geese came near the barn entrance. I walked out to greet them and put them at ease, but all I accomplished was setting up the squawking and hissing. On impulse I did my best hissing goose imitation directly at the leading goose. To my amazement, the goose stopped hissing and got a very quizzical look on its face (at least that is my human interpretation of it) and just stood there looking at me. Then, as I took a couple of steps toward the goose it just stood there. I was able to walk up to the goose and reach down and stroke it on its head and down the back of its long neck. The other geese also seemed to calm down and relax. The geese hung around me for quite a while before wandering off again.
The next Saturday as I walked into the barn yard area the geese came waddling up to meet me. The one goose that had let me stroke him/her the week before came right up to me and I swear brushed my leg like my cats do in greeting. Part of the flock stayed with me for much of the morning at the barn door at the end of the horse barn. It got a little embarrassing because they followed me into the barn and then started to squawk and hiss at visitors who came near me. I felt like I had a group of four body guards. My friend stayed by my right side and had no objection to being stroked and then cradled by my hand on his/her wings. Thankfully, my “guards” decided to move on in mid-morning and I was able to invite visitors into the barn without having to keep the geese away from them.
Fortunately, it appears that geese have relatively short memories and after being away for a couple of weeks things have not been quite the same. The geese are still pretty calm around me and the one still will let me approach and stroke a little. The photo accompanying this story was taken on a Sunday when I was at the farm to do grist mill site tours and he/she spent a little time with me. The day before, though, I caused a goose fight when I got close to my friend and stroked him/her for a few seconds. Another goose took offense and charged in my direction. I expected to have to defend myself, but instead the charging goose lit into the goose I had been talking to. The two geese locked onto each other like two wrestlers locked at the shoulders trying to do a take down. I actually had to get in between them to get them separated and they apparently settled their differences. My bruises were only minor.
While I have certainly not spent a great deal of time with the geese, the few experiences I have had have given me some insight into goose culture and I expect to learn more in the future. I have no idea what I “said” when I hissed back in the initial encounter. These are a French breed of geese. When I took French in high school and college I had a notoriously bad accent and had trouble communicating. My goose accent must be better because the one hiss completely turned around my relationship with this one goose and to some degree the flock in general. Everyday I spend at the Farm I am amazed by what I learn about the various animals I come in contact with and really value the relationships that have been established – even with a silly goose.
Howell Farm Volunteer
The term “Horse Whisperer” is often used to describe someone who can communicate subtlety with horses. But, I consider myself to be a “Goose Hisser.” The Farm’s small flock of Toulouse geese provides an interesting sight when they visit the farmstead on Saturdays. They are an interesting contrast to the wild Canadian geese that visitors are so used to seeing in this area. However, these geese are not as warm and cuddly as Maggie the farm dog, Patches the barn cat, or workhorses Mac and Barney, or Jack and Chester, who all like to meet visitors and be touched. Approaching the geese will most likely bring on loud squawking and hissing as the geese try to intimidate approaching humans.
Several weeks ago I was at my frequent Saturday station at the Phillips Barn when the geese came near the barn entrance. I walked out to greet them and put them at ease, but all I accomplished was setting up the squawking and hissing. On impulse I did my best hissing goose imitation directly at the leading goose. To my amazement, the goose stopped hissing and got a very quizzical look on its face (at least that is my human interpretation of it) and just stood there looking at me. Then, as I took a couple of steps toward the goose it just stood there. I was able to walk up to the goose and reach down and stroke it on its head and down the back of its long neck. The other geese also seemed to calm down and relax. The geese hung around me for quite a while before wandering off again.
The next Saturday as I walked into the barn yard area the geese came waddling up to meet me. The one goose that had let me stroke him/her the week before came right up to me and I swear brushed my leg like my cats do in greeting. Part of the flock stayed with me for much of the morning at the barn door at the end of the horse barn. It got a little embarrassing because they followed me into the barn and then started to squawk and hiss at visitors who came near me. I felt like I had a group of four body guards. My friend stayed by my right side and had no objection to being stroked and then cradled by my hand on his/her wings. Thankfully, my “guards” decided to move on in mid-morning and I was able to invite visitors into the barn without having to keep the geese away from them.
Fortunately, it appears that geese have relatively short memories and after being away for a couple of weeks things have not been quite the same. The geese are still pretty calm around me and the one still will let me approach and stroke a little. The photo accompanying this story was taken on a Sunday when I was at the farm to do grist mill site tours and he/she spent a little time with me. The day before, though, I caused a goose fight when I got close to my friend and stroked him/her for a few seconds. Another goose took offense and charged in my direction. I expected to have to defend myself, but instead the charging goose lit into the goose I had been talking to. The two geese locked onto each other like two wrestlers locked at the shoulders trying to do a take down. I actually had to get in between them to get them separated and they apparently settled their differences. My bruises were only minor.
While I have certainly not spent a great deal of time with the geese, the few experiences I have had have given me some insight into goose culture and I expect to learn more in the future. I have no idea what I “said” when I hissed back in the initial encounter. These are a French breed of geese. When I took French in high school and college I had a notoriously bad accent and had trouble communicating. My goose accent must be better because the one hiss completely turned around my relationship with this one goose and to some degree the flock in general. Everyday I spend at the Farm I am amazed by what I learn about the various animals I come in contact with and really value the relationships that have been established – even with a silly goose.
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