3 month old female goose having trouble standing/walking

[Mary-Anne]

Wondering if anyone has any ideas or advice. I raised this goose in my house for the first 6 - 7 weeks of her life due to being hatched in freezing temps. She has been in a horse stall for the last 5 - 6 weeks. A corner was covered in a chopped straw and the rest unfortunately was concrete. She has been walking and in fact trotting fine til yesterday. The barn owner noticed she was having issues. I couldn't make it down there til today and she was lying kind of crooked on her sternum. Would not get up. Could not stand unassisted. I took her to a vet with some poultry experience and he couldn't find anything - no broken bones, no slipped ligaments, no swelling, nothing. Reasonable amount of muscle tone. He gave her an anti-inflammatory shot, a vitamin shot and just in case a long acting AB. I have padded the rest of the stall. She is drinking when I bring her the bowl. Not really keen on food.
Any thoughts???

 

[Mary-Anne]

I also researched bumblefoot and looked at pics and his feet appear fine.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I also researched bumblefoot and looked at pics and his feet appear fine.

Is the goose able to get outside at all into fresh air and sunshine? sounds like it could well be a vitamin deficiency if it is you should notice improvement in about 3-5 days, i would still rec, some vitamins to put into the drinking water, Some good poultry vitamins, I use Poultry Nutri Drench but there are others too. You might be able to stimulate some interest in food by making a mash, using feed mixed with warm water and Apple cider vinegar. try a small amount first to see if it sparks interest. Maybe 1/2 cup feed to 1/8 cup of ACV and warm water to make it a mash, sometimes they are more enticed to eat if the feed is moist. I'd make sure the goose is able to get into fresh air and sunshine for Vit D is in the sun. Let us know how she is over the next couple days. and Welcome.

 

[Mary-Anne]

Impossible to get her out into the sunshine right now. We are experiencing windchills of -50 C here in Manitoba. I will look into the vitamins as it was suggested to me last night by a fellow duck owner. She buys Vitamin D drops from a health food store. A friend checked on Frosty tonight and she was walking - though lame on one leg. That's a big improvement from this morning.

 

[livininbrazil]

I´d get some niacin into her. It seems that niacin deficiency is one of the biggest problems. It doesn´t affect them all, just some. So many here on these threads have helped their geese by giving them niacin. You can also use Brewers Yeast as it has niacin in it. also, to get her to eat, float some lettuce or other greens in a bowl of water. Geese find that hard to resist.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I agree with livin, niacin in the form of Brewers yeast sprinkled on her food would be a good thing, I didn't mention it last night because you said she had gotten a long acting AB shot but lameness can be from niacin dif. Hopefully you'll start noticing more improvements as the next 2 days come round if it is vitamin dif. Sounds like it's already working. Sorry about the temps that does make it hard to get fresh air and sun shine, I use full spectrum light bulbs in my house especially over winter to make up for lack of sunshine, one might help your goose till she is able to get outside. You can buy them as "daylight" bulbs at most big box stores.

 

[Mary-Anne]

Frosty is much improved today.. She is walking quite well. I am thinking it was the Newcell Vitamin shot!

 

[RURU]

So glad to hear you goose is up and walking, but do get some brewer's yeast and sprinkle it over her feed so this helps strengthen her legs.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Wonderful news. Thanks for letting us know.

 

[Mary-Anne]

Does it matter how much? What would be the best food for a 3 month old goose as well?