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.

 

[Mildyoffensivechook]

I picked up flock raiser and some manna pro as a. Alternative. The 2 refuse to eat either so far. I mixed some of the flock raiser with water. No interest.

I have them in a small area with grass and Forbes, I also laid some flock raiser where they are eating They are eating the plants, no feed.

 

[Goosebaby]

I picked up flock raiser and some manna pro as a. Alternative. The 2 refuse to eat either so far. I mixed some of the flock raiser with water. No interest.

I have them in a small area with grass and Forbes, I also laid some flock raiser where they are eating They are eating the plants, no feed.

Give it time, geese are picky. Just make sure that it’s a soupy mash at first, if it’s similar to a mud puddle they will play with it which will get them used to the taste.

 

[Mildyoffensivechook]

The 2 remaining are doing well.

One of the goose sitting is leading 4 goslings around. She moved nests and eggs at some point within the last week. I found 2 eggs that she smooshed that looked like they had pipped at the original site. But there are eggs from the goslings at the new nest.

Do geese roll or carry eggs 20 feet from one side of a lean to to another by going outside and around a structure?

 

[MysteryChicken]

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.

Dumor 20% Chick/Starter Grower Feed is also formulated for waterfowl. Raised ducks on it.

 

[Goosehill]

Don’t be afraid to give them as much green food as they can eat, a variety of things is better. It’s not as convenient as a grain feed but geese are designed to eat plants and do so from a very young age.