Help, Gosling not gaining weight

[goslingmum]

Hey, I currently have two goslings that I am hand rearing. I have never done this before because we usually leave the geese to raise their own but with the latest batch (born late in the season (just over two weeks ago) there was one with what apeared to be an injured leg. I love geese but they have a tendancy to step on their young and I didn't feel it would end well with a little one who has difficulty moving. He (or she, not sure on gendering) has since been living in the lap of luxury and I have decided that instead of an injured leg he was probably just bron with a deformaty. He eats lettuce and I let him graze outside for most of the day when it's warm out and I give him chick starter which I know is not ideal from other threads but it's all I have and I couldnt find anyone near by who has water fowel starter, ordering it in also involves buying it in a tone and he is only a little guy. A week after I took him in I also took in his sibling (the rest of the batch died, one drowned and one disapeared) I found him seperate from the geese crying and then he got stuck in a pond (we have never had an issue with this pond before but I have sense put in rocks to ensure young ones can get out) when I put him near the geese again they ignored him and when I put him with his brother he calmed down and snuggled up with him. They now live together in a cage that used to be a rabbit hutch. Eat grass during the day in the sun and lettuce and chick starter at nighy. I take them for at least one swim a day in a kiddie pool I have though sometimes I let them do so more then once. When they are wet I let them sit in the sun if there is no wind or inside in their enclosure if there is wind until they are dry. I dont have a heat lamp so I have just been using the air conditioner coupled with a hot water bottle at night to keep them warm and I moniter them to make sure they arent huddling together for warmth or avoiding the hot water bottle due to over heating (they always sleep snuggled around the hot water bottle and cry till I re heat it when it loses it's heat around 3am. They have water which I keep clean, I give them lots of cuddles and I think I'm doing okay but the one thay spent a week with the geese despite being the same size as my original bubby when I first took him in is now nearly twice hia size. Bubby loves the chick starter and eats the lettuce but he doesnt seem to eat nearly as much grass as the other bubby though he does eat it. I am worried that I've done something wrong in his first week or that something is wrong with him that I'm missing. I really love both of them and dont want anything bad to happen. Any suggestions on what to do?

 

[Carrosaur]

You should really order waterfowl starter. Two geese will go through it pretty quick. Could you post pictures of both of your babies?

Also make sure you're giving them grit with the lettuce and grass, young geese can get impacted crops without it.

 

[goslingmum]

 

[goslingmum]

I have been trying with grit after I saw somome else post. Though I've just been putting them in the sand pit for a bit each day and then on the driveway where there are small rocks before and after their swim. Should I maybe get something specific? Or maybe put sand and small rocks in a bowl for them to have at all times?

 

[goslingmum]

 

[goslingmum]

You can see he's gotten quite used to getting around on one foot and also probably that I have alot of photos of the cuties

 

[goslingmum]

 

[goslingmum]

This is the driveway where I let them eat small rocks, are they okay? Or is it bad, my younger sister just told me she has actual grit for her chickens and I'm thinking of putting that in the cage when they're away

 

[Carrosaur]

I use actual grit but as long as they're getting it (naturally or otherwise) they should be fine!
And are those two the same age? They are adorable!

 

[Miss Lydia]

This is the driveway where I let them eat small rocks, are they okay? Or is it bad, my younger sister just told me she has actual grit for her chickens and I'm thinking of putting that in the cage when they're away

@goslingmum Welcome to BYC. They are probably getting enough grit from the looks of where they are now but you can still put some out in a bowl separate from their feed just so you know for sure they are having enough, it is inexpensive, in the US anyway.

If you can't get water fowl starter you def need to give them some niacin[B3] in the form of Brewers yeast or "plain" Niacin in other words no flush free or time released. it is very important if we are using chick starter to supplement with niacin if now our water fowl can become lame and also have neurological issue If you decide on niacin get 125mgs and crush into 1 gal of water and they need this till 10 weeks of age. If you get Brewers yeast make sure it isn't spent grains from making beer or wine but the food quality type.1Tablespoon to 1 cup of feed.

They sure are adorable , can your lil one with the bum leg put any weight on his leg at all to help with balance?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raising-and-caring-for-goslings