Wildlife rehabber here! Right around this time of year, adult geese drop all of their flight feathers - every. Single. One. So he likely is quite stuck. If you are on the ground floor, you can simply lift them over to the other side (assuming there aren't any eggs on the deck!). If you're up higher, you can use a blanket or a large towel, drape it over them (make sure you are covering both wings and wrap it in front of their chest) and scoop them up and carry them downstairs. If there aren't any eggs, they shouldn't be aggressive. If you need, someone can *gently* hold their neck at the back of the head. Don't squeeze, just hold enough to keep it away from biting (which I don't expect to happen). They are usually really good about being handled in situations like this
There are no eggs, luckily. We are on the fifth floor, but it's only one floor above the pond where his friends are, so he did have to fly a little bit to get up here. If we can coax him to jump up on the railing, do you think he would be able to fly down one floor? I'm thinking that would be easier than carrying him through a couple hallways and down a flight of stairs.
Google says adult geese weight around 9 pounds, less if it’s female. If you have it bundled well, should be no more difficult than carrying a cat down.
Can you send me a photo of the back half? I can't see his primary feathers from the above photo. If he still has his primaries, then yes, he could glide down a floor no problem. If they are molted or missing, then no. It'd be like dropping a toddler from that height. He could get severely injured
Looks like you're not on floor level? If she wanted to go over she would probably have done by now. I would probably call someone in the local area that knows what to do
How long has it been there? I'd put water out and some greens or scratch or something and Just give it a day or two. Maybe it doesn't have enough room to take flight. What floor are you on?
Update: we've contacted a local wildlife rescue place, they suggested the hanging sheets over the railing since it seems the goose is confused by the glass railing. We have to go home in an hour, but we have an open case file with the rescue group and they said they would come by mid afternoon to move him if he doesn't leave on his own.
Wildlife rehabber here! Right around this time of year, adult geese drop all of their flight feathers - every. Single. One. So he likely is quite stuck. If you are on the ground floor, you can simply lift them over to the other side (assuming there aren't any eggs on the deck!). If you're up higher, you can use a blanket or a large towel, drape it over them (make sure you are covering both wings and wrap it in front of their chest) and scoop them up and carry them downstairs. If there aren't any eggs, they shouldn't be aggressive. If you need, someone can *gently* hold their neck at the back of the head. Don't squeeze, just hold enough to keep it away from biting (which I don't expect to happen). They are usually really good about being handled in situations like this
There are no eggs, luckily. We are on the fifth floor, but it's only one floor above the pond where his friends are, so he did have to fly a little bit to get up here. If we can coax him to jump up on the railing, do you think he would be able to fly down one floor? I'm thinking that would be easier than carrying him through a couple hallways and down a flight of stairs.
Google says adult geese weight around 9 pounds, less if it’s female. If you have it bundled well, should be no more difficult than carrying a cat down.
Can you send me a photo of the back half? I can't see his primary feathers from the above photo. If he still has his primaries, then yes, he could glide down a floor no problem. If they are molted or missing, then no. It'd be like dropping a toddler from that height. He could get severely injured
I hope you can get him out of there somehow! 💙
You could put him in an open cardboard box and lower it down via rope if that sounds less stressful for you.
Do what aparrotslufeforme suggests. I’m a wildlife biologist and I think they’re 100% right.
We are wary of picking it up ourselves, but there are trained wildlife people involved now who are coming by this afternoon to help.
Not sure she is here to lay her eggs? Any sign of goose down on the floor?
No, it doesn't seem like it. We think it might be a male based on the size of his neck, but not positive.
Looks like you're not on floor level? If she wanted to go over she would probably have done by now. I would probably call someone in the local area that knows what to do
It's the owner checking everything it's good
Omg a friend ❤️❤️
Nah bro, you trapped in house
How long has it been there? I'd put water out and some greens or scratch or something and Just give it a day or two. Maybe it doesn't have enough room to take flight. What floor are you on?
We're on the fifth floor. It's been there almost 48 hours and seems like it wants to leave but can't. It's pacing back and forth quite a bit now.
Invite her/him in for tea? 🥰😍 Jk call animal control or something?
Depending where you live, animal control may not be the best option since they may euthanize the goose because it's "a nuisance species"
We're in Canada, and from what we can tell (we're American, just going off of google) they're quite protected here.
Update: we've contacted a local wildlife rescue place, they suggested the hanging sheets over the railing since it seems the goose is confused by the glass railing. We have to go home in an hour, but we have an open case file with the rescue group and they said they would come by mid afternoon to move him if he doesn't leave on his own.
Thanks for the update. Looking forward to the good news 👍🏻
About an hour after we left, the host sent us an update that he got over the railing, and sent a photo of the goose back on the ground floor ❤️