Best feed for young geese?

[jajeanpierre]

I have two young geese hatched the end of July. I believe they are White Chinese but their sex is unknown. One is quite a bit bigger and heavier. The smaller one is, in my opinion, a bit under weight.

I currently feed them MannaPro Duckling and Gosling Starter Grower.

What is the best food I can buy?

I have to order food online so might as well get what is the "best" food for them.

Any suggestions on how to put weight on the smaller goose?

 

[Goosebaby]

The absolute best is Mazuri waterfowl maintenance, or so I’ve heard. I’ve never tried it myself but a lot of people swear by it.

My geese are currently fed Purina flock raiser, which they like and seem to do well on.

Nutrena all flock is good, though I think they changed their recipe because mine started refusing to eat it last year.

Kalmbach multi flock is a good option, though it’s 17% protein so I would recommend it as a summer feed when they aren’t molting and laying, higher protein helps keep them warm in winter and helps them grow a good set of feathers in.

 

[jajeanpierre]

The absolute best is Mazuri waterfowl maintenance, or so I’ve heard. I’ve never tried it myself but a lot of people swear by it.

My geese are currently fed Purina flock raiser, which they like and seem to do well on.

Nutrena all flock is good, though I think they changed their recipe because mine started refusing to eat it last year.

Kalmbach multi flock is a good option, though it’s 17% protein so I would recommend it as a summer feed when they aren’t molting and laying, higher protein helps keep them warm in winter and helps them grow a good set of feathers in.

Maintenance even though they are just under 3 months old?

Any suggestions on increasing weight on one? I thought of sprouting black sunflower seeds for them. Is that a good idea?

 

[Goosebaby]

Maintenance even though they are just under 3 months old?

Any suggestions on increasing weight on one? I thought of sprouting black sunflower seeds for them. Is that a good idea?

Yeah you’re right, that is too young for maintenance, they still need to be on a grower. Purina flock raiser is a decent grower, it can be used as an all flock/maintenance feed when they’re adults too, hence why mine are still on it.
Later you can reduce it to something around 17% protein between laying/molting seasons when they’re adults and give them the flock raiser or an all flock at 20% protein when they are molting, laying, or in colder months if you feel the need.

You can try putting them on a meatbird type feed to get the thin one’s weight up, something between 22% and 30% protein. Purina game bird chow is 30%, so is encore avian gro rite.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/purina-game-bird-startena-bmd-50-medicated-50-lb
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/encore-avian-gro-rite-for-chickens-2-lb-54010
I used encore as tube feeding formula once when I was in a pinch when my gander was sick and the post office kept losing his normal formula. He did NOT like the taste of encore though so you might have better luck with the game bird chow. Don’t worry about it being medicated, it won’t hurt them.

30% protein isn’t healthy long term, it’s only to be used to put weight on in times of stress or if you’re raising meat birds though, so it shouldn’t be used as a maintenance.

You can also supplement with treats like soldier fly larva and mixing some of their feed with water to make a soupy mash and add a little buttermilk. Buttermilk is an excellent probiotic that’s packed with vitamins and protein and it’s low in lactose so it won’t upset their stomachs.

You might also consider getting a fecal stain or float on the thin goose, their poor weight could be de to an underlying issue like parasites or some sort of illness they may be fighting.

You probably will get some issues switching feed at some point, geese are notoriously picky and suspicious of new foods, you can try mixing the new feed with the old for awhile to get them used to it, you can also mix it with water to make the soup, geese love foraging in water, and it will get them to at least try it and get used to it.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Yeah you’re right, that is too young for maintenance, they still need to be on a grower. Purina flock raiser is a decent grower, it can be used as an all flock/maintenance feed when they’re adults too, hence why mine are still on it.
Later you can reduce it to something around 17% protein between laying/molting seasons when they’re adults and give them the flock raiser or an all flock at 20% protein when they are molting, laying, or in colder months if you feel the need.

You can try putting them on a meatbird type feed to get the thin one’s weight up, something between 22% and 30% protein. Purina game bird chow is 30%, so is encore avian gro rite.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/purina-game-bird-startena-bmd-50-medicated-50-lb
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/encore-avian-gro-rite-for-chickens-2-lb-54010
I used encore as tube feeding formula once when I was in a pinch when my gander was sick and the post office kept losing his normal formula. He did NOT like the taste of encore though so you might have better luck with the game bird chow. Don’t worry about it being medicated, it won’t hurt them.

30% protein isn’t healthy long term, it’s only to be used to put weight on in times of stress or if you’re raising meat birds though, so it shouldn’t be used as a maintenance.

You can also supplement with treats like soldier fly larva and mixing some of their feed with water to make a soupy mash and add a little buttermilk. Buttermilk is an excellent probiotic that’s packed with vitamins and protein and it’s low in lactose so it won’t upset their stomachs.

You might also consider getting a fecal stain or float on the thin goose, their poor weight could be de to an underlying issue like parasites or some sort of illness they may be fighting.

You probably will get some issues switching feed at some point, geese are notoriously picky and suspicious of new foods, you can try mixing the new feed with the old for awhile to get them used to it, you can also mix it with water to make the soup, geese love foraging in water, and it will get them to at least try it and get used to it.

Thank you. I ordered the Mazuri maintenance from Chewy. I have them on MannaPro Duckling and Gosling starter. I'll keep them on that for longer.

When can I start the maintenance for them? The smaller one has started molting her (?) first feathers. I'm going to take a really good look (feel) of them both and decide if the smaller one is actually thinner or not. She is a smaller goose and doesn't have as much feathering on the chest so maybe if I really feel the bigger one's keel, I might find them similar development.

Both geese have traveled back between Texas and Wyoming a few of times so have been stressed. It's two days in a crate in my car and even though I stop and water and feed them every couple of hours, it might have been enough for one to drop a bit of weight. The smaller one was always smaller and also had angel wing so maybe that gosling just started out as not as robust and nourished as the other did.

I've been planning to do a fecal on them both.

Thanks again for your help. It is really appreciated.

 

[Goosebaby]

Thank you. I ordered the Mazuri maintenance from Chewy. I have them on MannaPro Duckling and Gosling starter. I'll keep them on that for longer.

When can I start the maintenance for them? The smaller one has started molting her (?) first feathers. I'm going to take a really good look (feel) of them both and decide if the smaller one is actually thinner or not. She is a smaller goose and doesn't have as much feathering on the chest so maybe if I really feel the bigger one's keel, I might find them similar development.

Both geese have traveled back between Texas and Wyoming a few of times so have been stressed. It's two days in a crate in my car and even though I stop and water and feed them every couple of hours, it might have been enough for one to drop a bit of weight. The smaller one was always smaller and also had angel wing so maybe that gosling just started out as not as robust and nourished as the other did.

I've been planning to do a fecal on them both.

Thanks again for your help. It is really appreciated.

Usually geese should be kept on a grower until they’re fully mature and developed, around when they start to lay and then switched to a layer feed “females only” though keeping them on a 20% protein feed doesn’t seem to hurt them.
You can also just add oystershell to theupir diet if the layers need extra calcium.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Usually geese should be kept on a grower until they’re fully mature and developed, around when they start to lay and then switched to a layer feed “females only” though keeping them on a 20% protein feed doesn’t seem to hurt them.
You can also just add oystershell to theupir diet if the layers need extra calcium.

Thanks so much.