3/5 goslings dead at 3 weeks

[Mildyoffensivechook]

I started with 15 Toulouse from a hatchery 2 years Ago.

14 made it to adulthood. They seemed more fragile to me when brooding.

I tried hatching the following winter. Had a power outage and poor hatch. 1 died soon. 2 were snatched by a raven when I gave them to a brooding goose

This year I hatched 5/13 eggs. I think humidity issues. 2 pip’d then stopped. 1 got further. The 5have been slow growers, but eat. Yesterday I noticed one had the curling neck issue. Made sure it ate and drank. This AM 2 other goslings were a bit sickly, unsteady.

Got home from work and all 3 were recently dead. I moved the last 2 to an entirely new brooder.

Water source is the same for these goslings and About 60 chicks. I’ve lost 2 chicks. But one was probably smooshed and the other was a runt, not water.

Am I hatching weak goslings leading to their death?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What are you feeding them?

 

[Mildyoffensivechook]

What are you feeding them?

Local chick grower 18% protein approx. I gave them a bit of new bunch grass over the weekend. They ate bit, I noticed it in their droppings too.

I used same feed mixed with commercial gosling specific stuff on the original 15. MannapPro maybe?

I just did an experiment. I put out some of he grower, a bit of layer mash with larger corn/pea bits. The last 2 weren’t interested, i put some cabbage on and they are eating it all.

 

[Goosebaby]

Switch them to a waterfowl start, something like purina flock raiser or another feed specifically for baby waterfowl. chick start doesn’t have enough B vitamins for waterfowl.
Layer feed should never be fed to baby birds, too much calcium can cause kidney issues, extra calcium also absorbs nutrients leading to deficiencies.

Twisting neck can be a symptom of a B6 deficiency, a B12 deficiency, or a vitamin E deficiency. If you have a liquid multivitamin, something like rooster booster poultry cell and/or a liquid B complex start adding them to their water.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They definitely need to be on a rational formulated for waterfowl. I raise mine on Purina Flock raiser with great results.