[benkt]

We got our first goslings (30 of them) this week and they seem to be settling in ok - eating and drinking well, but they do keep together very tightly in a big pack and I had to rescue one from being crushed this morning. When I came home tonight, I found three goslings jambed into one corner underneath the others - two were dead already and the third I've cleaned up and isolated but don't hold out too much hope for.
So any ideas how to stop this or what I'm doing wrong? My first thought is that they might be too cold if they are huddling so much so if nothing else I'll go and get another lamp tomorrow morning.

Thanks,

Ben

[adamhfc]

put something in to make the corners more round was always taught to keep large amounts in a more round pen than a square one then there is not a corner for them to get stuck in

[Sylvia]

30 goslings under one lamp sounds a bit of a sqeeze. I would get another lamp, they always come in handy anyway for all sorts of livestock.

[ellisr]

Goslings do like to be warm until the feathers come in, so I think another lamp and definately round the corners off. They have big clumsy feet and really don't think much about standing on anothers head. Maybe if you get another lamp split them into 2 groups.

[benkt]

Thanks everyone, I rounded off the corners with someold bits of board to make an octagonal run and added another big heat lamp in the middle of the run and all has gone well since then. Thanks again for all the excellent advice!

Ben