Advice on Gosling with Difficulty Walking

[bramblefir]

I have a pair of American Buff goslings that are about 2 weeks old. I've noticed today that the female, Gertie, is only taking a few steps before laying down and seems to not want to walk if it can be avoided. The male, Gus, is running around normally. There doesn't appear to be any swelling or wounds on her legs. She's very perky and acts normally other than the walking issue.

From my research it looks like it could be a niacin deficiency. If it is a niacin deficiency how much Polyvisol should I treat her with? Should I treat Gus as well? Any other issues that it might be?

A little background info on them:

Brooder is bedded in pine shavings.
They haven't been on anything slippery.
They are eating a 19% all purpose poultry. Unfortunately none of the local feed stores have anything but chicken feed.
We take them out to the gravel driveway in front of the barn to eat grass and weeds as well as grit. It has been raining the last couple of days so we've been bringing big handfuls of grass to them in the brooder.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a pair of American Buff goslings that are about 2 weeks old. I've noticed today that the female, Gertie, is only taking a few steps before laying down and seems to not want to walk if it can be avoided. The male, Gus, is running around normally. There doesn't appear to be any swelling or wounds on her legs. She's very perky and acts normally other than the walking issue.

From my research it looks like it could be a niacin deficiency. If it is a niacin deficiency how much Polyvisol should I treat her with? Should I treat Gus as well? Any other issues that it might be?

A little background info on them:

Brooder is bedded in pine shavings.
They haven't been on anything slippery.
They are eating a 19% all purpose poultry. Unfortunately none of the local feed stores have anything but chicken feed.
We take them out to the gravel driveway in front of the barn to eat grass and weeds as well as grit. It has been raining the last couple of days so we've been bringing big handfuls of grass to them in the brooder.

Sounds like a niacin dif to me. Although I am not a vet but it's around the time you'll start to see a deficiency. Poly Vi Sol with out iron ois what you want or treat with plain niacin tablets 200-250 megs crushed and mixed in a gallon of water or what most of us liek to use Brewers yeast or Nutritional yeast 1 Tab to 1 cup of feed if using Poly vi sol with out iron no more than a few frops 2X a day it's formulated for human babies not goslings so it pretty strong. And I would treat Gus as well but I have to rec Brewers yeast or nutritional yeast for both once you have Gertie back on her feet. they need to have the NY or BY till at least 10 weeks of age.

 

[bramblefir]

Thank you! She seems to be walking normally again, but I will go ahead and start dosing both of them just in case.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you! She seems to be walking normally again, but I will go ahead and start dosing both of them just in case.

I wouldn't risk it. get the Brewers yeast now and just sprinkle it over top of feed. Glad to hear she is up again an walking normal.