Can I Get a Broody Goose to Raise Ducklings?

[The Dim Side]

Liquid B Complex is the best for them. Do you have the dose for age? My Geese or should say goose I lost my gander in Feb he was almost 15 yrs old but Missy tolerates the ducks. She’s very bossy so she will herd them. Lol I never had my geese and other birds in the same coop my geese had their own house but when Sam died I moved Missy in with the chickens and Runners and Buffs. She was fine till breeding season kicked in so now she is still in with them but they have the front of the coop she has the back. My Muscovy have their own house since they don’t like Missy the goose. It can be a 3 ring circus around here at times. You can switch them to duck crumble (not layer) pellets would be to big for them now. I’d still offer either the liquid BComplex or nutritional yeast but since you have one with leg problems I’d stick with the liquid BComplex. Can you post a picture or video and show us the little ducklings leg problem?this will give you dose for
the B complex according to age.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/

Sorry for the delay! I have the liquid B but have been having trouble getting him to eat it in the lettuce. They just like to chew on it but don't swallow. And I'm not sure if he's actually swallowing any of it. From that link you gave, I'm trying to do 1 mL a day. Am I able to try to put some of it in their water/food as well while trying to give them the rest through snacks?

Here are a couple short clips of him. It was actually difficult to get him to walk (in or out of the brooder) while I had the camera on him. It was like he was just camera shy, lol. But he CAN stand up a little more on his legs and walk a bit, falling forward. But he sits down very frequently. From reading that above link, it seems like the symptoms are pretty similar to niacin deficiency: pigeon toes, weak legs, sitting frequently, bowedness, etc.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you happen to have any mealworms?

If you have mealworms put a few down and let him/her try them. Most duckling/ducks love them and it is a good way to get them to take the liquid B complex. You can always give it by mouth if the mealworms don't work I can give you the info on how to do that. That little one def needs the liquid B Complex. Also put them into warm water so he can exercise those legs. Just always supervise and make sure the water doesn't cool enough to cause chilling. Usually 10 mins is a good time and they will have one blast.

 

[The Dim Side]

Do you happen to have any mealworms?

If you have mealworms put a few down and let him/her try them. Most duckling/ducks love them and it is a good way to get them to take the liquid B complex. You can always give it by mouth if the mealworms don't work I can give you the info on how to do that. That little one def needs the liquid B Complex. Also put them into warm water so he can exercise those legs. Just always supervise and make sure the water doesn't cool enough to cause chilling. Usually 10 mins is a good time and they will have one blast.

We hadn't gotten mealworms in a while since they've been so expensive lately. But we just a bag! And they're loving them! I was able to put the liquid B onto them (still not sure if he's getting quite all of it, but it's better than nothing, I guess). And we have given them a couple short baths in the last few days. He's a pretty good swimmer still!

 

[The Dim Side]

Funnily enough, my geese seem to be kind of obsessed with the ducklings. They'll hiss initially when I bring them outside, but they'll stick near the pen pretty much the entire time, sometimes sitting and sleeping by them, lol. I'm not sure if they understand what they're feeling or if they're confused. When they've gotten close, the gander has nibbled gently on one of them, though the duckling gets scared and runs around, making both geese nervous (they hate anything moving quickly). So I don't know if they're being protective of them or defending against them, haha.

 

[Goosebaby]

Duck

Funnily enough, my geese seem to be kind of obsessed with the ducklings. They'll hiss initially when I bring them outside, but they'll stick near the pen pretty much the entire time, sometimes sitting and sleeping by them, lol. I'm not sure if they understand what they're feeling or if they're confused. When they've gotten close, the gander has nibbled gently on one of them, though the duckling gets scared and runs around, making both geese nervous (they hate anything moving quickly). So I don't know if they're being protective of them or defending against them, haha.

Ducks: “ GOTTAGOFAST GOTTAGOFAST GOTTAGOFAST”

Gander: “All this darting about is quite vexing”
Goose: “Oh my poor nerves!”

 

[Goosebaby]

I’ve got new ducklings so my single duck Bee won’t be so lonely. Currently Bee wants nothing to do with them but I’m sure that will change when the babies get older.

My female geese seemed interested in the ducklings but not enough to take them on, though one of them “Dandelion” thinks they’re venomous or something, she hisses and runs away if they get too close.

Helios “one of my ganders” hasn’t made up his mind about them, he seems really confused about them.

Roxby “another gander” is fairly friendly to them.

But two of my other ganders “Parsnip and Leo” fell in love with them on first site, separated and stole them away from me, and claimed them as their own.
Then after much deliberation they deemed me as a trustworthy babysitter and have graciously allowed me to care fo them under their supervision. I feel so lucky.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My gander loved every duckling hatched here he was the best papa goose you could ask for. The mamas never relinquished their rights to their ducklings but they would go off and leave Sam in change of them. It was so precious.

 

[Goosebaby]

My gander loved every duckling hatched here he was the best papa goose you could ask for. The mamas never relinquished their rights to their ducklings but they would go off and leave Sam in change of them. It was so precious.

Ganders are the best!

 

[Miss Lydia]

They really are. Now we need some pictures.

 

[The Dim Side]

I’ve got new ducklings so my single duck Bee won’t be so lonely. Currently Bee wants nothing to do with them but I’m sure that will change when the babies get older.

My female geese seemed interested in the ducklings but not enough to take them on, though one of them “Dandelion” thinks they’re venomous or something, she hisses and runs away if they get too close.

Helios “one of my ganders” hasn’t made up his mind about them, he seems really confused about them.

Roxby “another gander” is fairly friendly to them.

But two of my other ganders “Parsnip and Leo” fell in love with them on first site, separated and stole them away from me, and claimed them as their own.
Then after much deliberation they deemed me as a trustworthy babysitter and have graciously allowed me to care fo them under their supervision. I feel so lucky.

Yeah, the ganders certainly seem to be easily confused by these little additions! Though the ducklings are growing pretty fast now. The one who was a few days smaller (the Cayuga) is now larger than the Runner, lol (of course, it's harder to tell sizing since the Runner can't really stand much, but he seems to be getting a little better with practice and exercise!).