The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: RonMinch on June 16, 2012, 09:34:29 pm
-
Hi, I have 3 goslings 7 weeks old, they been in an orchard for 3 weeks now eating grass and a small amount of growers pellets. The only female seems to have taken a turn for the worst and has gone very quite and seems unsteady when standing. The birds are well feathered and seemed very well until yesterday evening. Any ideas what I can do, is it worth bring her in the house for extra warmth? Any help much appreciated. They do have secure shelter and go to bed each night. Ron.
-
Hi Ron, sorry I've just seen this post so please update with their health status.
We have 5 goslings - I feed them breadcrumbs mixed with wholemilk to a sloppy paste - they are gobbling it up and are munching the grass too but run forward for the crumbs mix twice a day. we feed our Muscovy ducks on this too and they get big and strong with the milk protein. I also slip in a bit of Flubenvet to worm them at around 3-4 weeks and am just about to do that with the goslings as ours are now coming up to 4 weeks old.
I also use Smallholder Series Duckling and Gosling Crumbs mixed with milk - I don't give dry food to anything under 6 weeks - I think they find it more palatable wet and milk works better than water.
Feed them up a bit with something yummy and see how they are in a week. Are they warm enough, do they have a mum?
-
Hi, I have 3 goslings 7 weeks old, they been in an orchard for 3 weeks now eating grass and a small amount of growers pellets. The only female seems to have taken a turn for the worst and has gone very quite and seems unsteady when standing. The birds are well feathered and seemed very well until yesterday evening. Any ideas what I can do, is it worth bring her in the house for extra warmth? Any help much appreciated. They do have secure shelter and go to bed each night. Ron.
Are the growers pellets ones for waterfowl? some medicated standard chick crumbs and layers pellets contain a chemical which is poisonous to goslings, just worth checking. You want ones without any anti-coccidosis additive. Probably not relevant but just mentioning FWW.
-
Are the males bulying her?
-
Yes, agree with lachlanandmarcus, don't give chick crumbs - use duck and goose, that's important.
-
Just a quick update, the sick gosling has picked up a bit and is getting about with the other 2 (males). I am not sure about the pellets, I will check when I get home, only the female appeared to sick. It still sits about a bit more than the others but hopefully she is over the worst. I have 4 adults but they are kept separate from goslings. Will update on progress, thanks for the replies. Ron.
-
Glad your gosling has picked up now. My female gosling was like that last year, so I kept them locked in by the pond away from the chicken feed etc, and she was back to normal after about 4 weeks. At the moment she has a very poorly eye, it's running puss today. Going to have to catch her and put sterile water on it. Argh.
-
:fc: :fc: :fc: