[harefarm]

After a bit of advice. My West of England goslings are 4 1/2 weeks old now. I think I have 2 geese and 1 gander. 1 I thought was a gander actually has developed some grey feathers on the belly below the wing.

Anyway the thing is, not to sure if it is a serious problem or not, yesterday I found the gander on his back in a little pond we have for them and couldn't right himself, and this morning while I was filling the hens water up he was on his back on the grass. Can anyone advise on the best thing to do with him?

Thanks in advance

[graham-j]

Hi,I have dozens of gosling's and none of them get stuck on there backs.The get knocked over occasionally and they have to wriggle,struggle to get off there backs,but they do it quite quickly.

Graham.

[shygirl]

iv never had that but i have had them jump head first into a water bucket and been unable to get out unassisted.

[graham-j]

Hi,getting stuck in buckets is an all to common problem and they will soon drown like that.
I fit lids on buckets and then drill 1 1/2" holes in the side so they can get there head in to drink.
Once they get bigger they are OK.

Graham.

[Beeducked]

One of my goslings got herself stuck on her back too. She has been fine since and it was a one off so I haven't worried too much.


Being unsteady on their legs can apparently be the first sign of gizzard worm which goslings can be very prone too according to the Chris Ashton book so I was going to worm mine if it had happened again, just to be on the safe side.

[harefarm]

Thanks all.

He has always been fairly unsteady on his legs but I think I will mix some flubenvet in their feed just in case. They don't eat much of the gosling feed I have for them - more interested in grass! I take it it is the same mix as for hens - 6g per 2kg?

I do worry that if I am not watching him he will end up on his back again. He can't turn himself over again.

[harefarm]

Thank you for your help. I started worming a couple of days ago.  Just let him out and he does seem much more stable and bigger as well. I think he had a growth spell during the night, he seemed a little better yesterday and much more balanced this morning.

[jaykay]

Good to hear he's getting control of the 'staying the right way up' thing   

[graham-j]

Hi,yes thats brilliant news,please keep us up to date on this one


Graham.

[harefarm]

Will do. Thanks again.

[harefarm]

Just a very quick update. My gander is walking much better. His legs do actually seem closer together.He still waddles more than the others but hasn't fallen over once that I have seen today and they have been grazing all day, where they were resting a fair bit before. After you said about gizzard worm I looked it up and it does sound very much like what was causing the problems. I will know if it happens again.

When customers come up they don't believe they are the same geese they saw a week ago. They are huge now and feathering quite nicely.

Thanks again for your help.

[graham-j]

Hi,how is you gander now a week on.

Graham.

[Beeducked]

Glad he was doing better. How is he doing now?

[harefarm]

He is still a little wobbly but doesn't fall over or act drunk anymore. He has already started trying to chasing people off at 6 weeks old, but is very quickly learning when I don't want him to. A friend went in to the garden with me on Thursday, the ganders head went down and wings came out and he started threatening. I soon stopped him but was rather surprised as he sees alot of people about and has done since he was a week old and been handled quite a bit.

Thanks for all your help. I think he will probably be fine now.