Cotton Patch Geese

[N ID Goose mom]

Thank you for getting him. Maybe the eye sight is reaction to sun light exposure and lack of adequate diet. But time will tell. Try drenching his food and chopping up the greens just like a gosling. He has to learn how to forage like a gosling.

 

[blackandtan]

I’m so happy for him that he’s getting a much better life than he had! Have you tried any testing to see how blind he is? Like putting a hand over his eyes, or waving a cloth at different distances?
Just curious cause I’m currently working with a blind pheasant, your guy seems much more active!

 

[DiYMama540]

Thank you guys...going to start the wet food today and see if that helps at all. I'm really hoping the sight is a temporary thing, I will try to get you guys a good picture of his eyes, they are somewhat milky. On the positive though, he does seem to have some sort of close up vision, even if only out of one eye. Will keep everyone updated, hoping this will turn into a beautiful rescue story for Chance!

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

It is Soo wonderful he has found a great home. I am raising a mostly blind Pekin with hip deformities, rescues are Soo amazing!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Chance is a perfect name. He's found his water so that's a plus. Its going to take time for him to acclimate and begin acting like a goose. But once he meets your Pom he'll probably start learning fast. I think he is actually not too bad looking as far as his legs. Looking for niacin deficiency. I'd still either use liquid B complex or sprinkle Nutritional yeast over his feed but since he isn't eating much yet the liquid B complex would be better. But it will not only give him leg muscle strength but also stimulate appetite its really a miracle vitamin for water fowl. Chopped romaine in his water bucket may get him interested in greens, or chopped grass. I think he is precious and sounds like a young gosling. makes me want to cry thinking what his life must have been like before yesterday.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Has your Pom seen him or met him?

 

[DiYMama540]

Thank you! Since I got the kids off to school this morning, I've had time to cater to Prince Chance.
Took this out to him. Slurry of all flock pellet, nutridrench, vitamin B in one side, and chopped dandelions, grass, and water in the other.
Let BB check him out for a little while and she acted like a perfect lady! Very quiet and non aggressive! I am so proud of her for keeping her bossy attitude in check!
Here are the best shots I could get of his eyes. He must have enough sight to realize I'm holding a phone up to his face because he wasn't very cooperative for that!

Love the idea of chopping the greens and putting them in the water bucket, I'm definitely going to do that. So far he's been staying in that same corner, not venturing around the rest of his area. He has found his way into the crate and hopefully feels safe there. I will sign off with this video of BB & Chance's first meeting...love at first sight??

That's Chance making all the noise in the clip! Wish I spoke goose!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just a little afraid noise but nothing too bad. She probably realizes he is a youngin. My goose heard him and came right over to find where he was. They are such maternal creatures. I bet he an BB will be very attached soon. His eyes look irritated might want to try some Terramycin eye ointment just in case. Or Veterycin eye wash but could just be from not being able to dunk his head to keep his eyes clean. I think Prince Chance is adorable. Give him time he’ll be on adventures soon especially if he gets to hang around BB she’ll show him around.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Goodness, I'm glad he has a home with you now. No one has suggested it, but I would imagine that he might possibly be suffering from a closed genetic pool. Cotton Patch geese are not common by any means and while the photos in the Craigslist ad show healthy adults on pasture if she started with a limited number of pairs (or just one) and subsequent pairings have been siblings it could result in products like Chance where they have visual impairment. It almost reminds me of the Merle or Dapple gene in dogs. It's why you shouldn't breed for Double Merle or Double Dapples. Receiving two copies of the gene can result in visual impairment ranging from moderate to full blindness or even the lack of eyes all together. Their hearing can also be affected.

I will say that I think the breeder was very aware of the condition he was in and pawned him off on you. If I understand correctly she was keeping him indoors in a brooder and claimed that was because he hadn't bonded with the other geese. In all actuality I believe she did that because developmentally he was behind the others and she didn't want him bonding with or contributing his genes to the flock.

When you were onsite at her facility did you see the other geese?

 

[DiYMama540]

I think you may have hit the nail on the head @ColtHandorf. Unfortunately I did not pick him up on site...she met me out at a Target. At first I thought it a bit strange but with all the crazies in the world figured she was just being safe. So I can't attest to the condition of the other birds...I can only imagine. But yes, I do feel taken advantage of because anyone who spends any time around Chance can clearly see he's got some issues. Luckily for him though, I'm a sucker for animals in need.