Baby gosling keeps falling over - any advice?

[Miss Lydia]

Puppy wee wee pads also do well and they are absorbant with a dry cover (act like a normal nappy).

Now why didn't I think of the pee pads I just got through using them with a hen I had in the house with bumble foot. They do work great over towels too.

 

[seminolewind]

Good idea with the wee wee pads. I have a case of them for our older dog that was put down.

 

[jobo123]

I love you people! Thank you so much for taking the time and trouble to help me. The tea towel rolled up to prop her up is working a treat. She has been sat up on it preening herself and not falling over. I'm sure it's helping her confidence. She has stood up today for ages. Where did you get puppy wee wee pads from? Not sure if they have them in Bulgaria but I shall have a look - if it ever stops snowing long enough for us to get to town xxx

 

[Miss Lydia]

I love you people! Thank you so much for taking the time and trouble to help me. The tea towel rolled up to prop her up is working a treat. She has been sat up on it preening herself and not falling over. I'm sure it's helping her confidence. She has stood up today for ages. Where did you get puppy wee wee pads from? Not sure if they have them in Bulgaria but I shall have a look - if it ever stops snowing long enough for us to get to town xxx

You can find them at discount stores like Walmart here in the USA. Probably also on line too. Pet stores carry them they are actually for training puppies.

That's such great news about her sitting up preening herself and also standing. Thanks for up date.

 

[SummerChick]

Jobo, how is the gosling doing?

 

[jobo123]

Hi summerchick. I'm just not sure. She eats well - especially boiled eggs - drinks water and poops fine and seems alert but the falling over, I don't think, has improved. She seems to be able to stand for longer periods though she's wobbly. I've not got straw in the bottom of the cage flattened as much as I can with a tea towel over it. When I take her out onto the wooden floor she seems to be able to walk better on the rug so I thought the tea towel would help. I went upstairs yesterday for a couple of hours and my husband came running in with her in a towel saying he'd found her on her back, soaking wet and with her head to one side. I dried her with a hairdryer and made a fuss and she seemed fine. She must have fallen into the tiny tin we have in the cage for their water. So, the cage is now in the bedroom next to the bed and I've been up every 5 minutes or so whenever I hear her fall and try and scrabble up. I try to encourage her to get up, instead of me always being there for her, so she can learn for herself how to do it but it doesn't seem to be getting any better. This morning she's all over the place again - she seemed so much better last night. She's fallen over three times in the time it's taken me to type this. It's -18 degrees outside and I can't get to a vet. Waiting for the hens to lay me an egg for her - tried her on bread and milk but she's not interested in that, though she had some chick feed instead. The chick's eating the bread! She's stood up now as I type but takes a few steps back - looks a bit like she's been on the vodka. She sits down and preens and that's usually OK but if she stands up to do it she's over. Well, she's just fallen over again...........................thanks for asking! xxx

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi summerchick. I'm just not sure. She eats well - especially boiled eggs - drinks water and poops fine and seems alert but the falling over, I don't think, has improved. She seems to be able to stand for longer periods though she's wobbly. I've not got straw in the bottom of the cage flattened as much as I can with a tea towel over it. When I take her out onto the wooden floor she seems to be able to walk better on the rug so I thought the tea towel would help. I went upstairs yesterday for a couple of hours and my husband came running in with her in a towel saying he'd found her on her back, soaking wet and with her head to one side. I dried her with a hairdryer and made a fuss and she seemed fine. She must have fallen into the tiny tin we have in the cage for their water. So, the cage is now in the bedroom next to the bed and I've been up every 5 minutes or so whenever I hear her fall and try and scrabble up. I try to encourage her to get up, instead of me always being there for her, so she can learn for herself how to do it but it doesn't seem to be getting any better. This morning she's all over the place again - she seemed so much better last night. She's fallen over three times in the time it's taken me to type this. It's -18 degrees outside and I can't get to a vet. Waiting for the hens to lay me an egg for her - tried her on bread and milk but she's not interested in that, though she had some chick feed instead. The chick's eating the bread! She's stood up now as I type but takes a few steps back - looks a bit like she's been on the vodka. She sits down and preens and that's usually OK but if she stands up to do it she's over. Well, she's just fallen over again...........................thanks for asking! xxx

Just plain chicken eggs is not a healthy diet for your gosling, mix the egg into some chick feed and she needs niacin for her legs to strengthen. so getting a B complex vitamin with at least 100 megs of niacin will really help, and if she doesn't have access to grit she isn't able to chew up any thing other than the chick feed it's formulated to be eaten without grit but all other food has to have grit for them to be able to "chew" since they don't have teeth. The towel should her get better traction. also you can take a towel and make it into the shape of a donut and place the gosling down inside of it that will keep her upright when you can be there to pick her back up. Don't leave her in it constantly she needs exercise too but when you can be with her.

 

[tillyita]

Just plain chicken eggs is not a healthy diet for your gosling, mix the egg into some chick feed and she needs niacin for her legs to strengthen. so getting a B complex vitamin with at least 100 megs of niacin will really help, and if she doesn't have access to grit she isn't  able to chew up any thing other than the chick feed it's formulated to be eaten without grit but all other food has to have grit for them to be able to "chew"  since they don't have teeth. The towel should her  get better traction. also you can take a towel and make it into the shape of a donut and place the gosling down inside of it that will keep her upright when you can be there to pick her back up. Don't leave her in it constantly she needs exercise too but when you can be with her.

And keep with it! The worse of my two took almost two weeks before he stopped flipping over and not being able to right himself. I had him in the ensuite and he would wake me up with his very loud distress calls when he was upside down. (I couldn't stand the light from the heat lamp when I was sleeping so this was the next best thing). Are her legs ok - not dragging behind or having a foot curled under?

 

[SummerChick]

Hi summerchick. I'm just not sure. She eats well - especially boiled eggs - drinks water and poops fine and seems alert but the falling over, I don't think, has improved. She seems to be able to stand for longer periods though she's wobbly. I've not got straw in the bottom of the cage flattened as much as I can with a tea towel over it. When I take her out onto the wooden floor she seems to be able to walk better on the rug so I thought the tea towel would help. I went upstairs yesterday for a couple of hours and my husband came running in with her in a towel saying he'd found her on her back, soaking wet and with her head to one side. I dried her with a hairdryer and made a fuss and she seemed fine. She must have fallen into the tiny tin we have in the cage for their water. So, the cage is now in the bedroom next to the bed and I've been up every 5 minutes or so whenever I hear her fall and try and scrabble up. I try to encourage her to get up, instead of me always being there for her, so she can learn for herself how to do it but it doesn't seem to be getting any better. This morning she's all over the place again - she seemed so much better last night. She's fallen over three times in the time it's taken me to type this. It's -18 degrees outside and I can't get to a vet. Waiting for the hens to lay me an egg for her - tried her on bread and milk but she's not interested in that, though she had some chick feed instead. The chick's eating the bread! She's stood up now as I type but takes a few steps back - looks a bit like she's been on the vodka. She sits down and preens and that's usually OK but if she stands up to do it she's over. Well, she's just fallen over again...........................thanks for asking! xxx

I'm keeping her speedy recovery in my prayers. Please keep us posted and when you can, maybe some pics?

 

[jobo123]

Hi - no improvement so far. Tried to make her swim in the sink but she was just walking on the floor of it so at leasts she is growing. Still loving the egg. We've changed her from chick feed to chick crumb now as there's grit in that and, I daresay, more vitamins. Loves it. She's on her side right now with the chick snuggled up to her. She keeps pecking the chick's tail and wings so, like I say, she's full of life. It's so sad to see her trying to get up and, even if she does manage it on her own which is rare, she only falls over again. She's trying so hard - can't see what else we can do to help her, except give her time. Will try and get some photos though lord knows how I download them onto this site! Should take my mind off things for a few hours while I work it out. Husband (J) has just been in to complain that they're on one of our best towels. I cut up one of his slippers too to make a bed - chick loves it cos she can hide under it but Baby was having none of it. Will keep you updated xxx