Gander suddenly quiet and seems off

[VermontGoose]

Hello all,
My one year old gander who lives with chickens has changed significantly over the past week. He used to honk if a car came up our road,
He would honk from time to time every day as he walked around the yard with the chickens. He used to honk every time that the rooster crowed.

Now he’s silent for the most part. He appears well. Still gets into his pool. Doesn’t seem to be sick or have apparent sneeze or cough. Eating and drinking normally.

Also the other day our dog came up to the fence which usually drives goose crazy. He would typically bite the dog through the fence and hiss. Instead he just stayed back a few steps and didn’t approach fence at all.

The rooster and he usually get on well. They occasionally they tussle.

Anyone have any ideas why he’s suddenly different? I wonder if he’s depressed?

Of note I got two new goslings a week ago. They are locked up in garage until I get home. Then they come out in chicken tractor by themselves; gander can hear and see them. He doesn’t seem to have much reaction to them. Still follows the chickens around.

 

[Goosebaby]

Hello all,
My one year old gander who lives with chickens has changed significantly over the past week. He used to honk if a car came up our road,
He would honk from time to time every day as he walked around the yard with the chickens. He used to honk every time that the rooster crowed.

Now he’s silent for the most part. He appears well. Still gets into his pool. Doesn’t seem to be sick or have apparent sneeze or cough. Eating and drinking normally.

Also the other day our dog came up to the fence which usually drives goose crazy. He would typically bite the dog through the fence and hiss. Instead he just stayed back a few steps and didn’t approach fence at all.

The rooster and he usually get on well. They occasionally they tussle.

Anyone have any ideas why he’s suddenly different? I wonder if he’s depressed?

Of note I got two new goslings a week ago. They are locked up in garage until I get home. Then they come out in chicken tractor by themselves; gander can hear and see them. He doesn’t seem to have much reaction to them. Still follows the chickens around.

That’s usually the first thing I notice when one of mine is sick. Sounds like he’s coming down with something.

Has any of the chickens been acting off or been ill, sneezing, snicking? Have you seen signs of worms or coccidia? Do you know if your flock are carriers of CRD?

What feed is the gander on and what breed is he?
Do you know if he’s lost weight?
How do his droppings look?

 

[Goosebaby]

Also has your gander molted yet this year?

 

[VermontGoose]

That’s usually the first thing I notice when one of mine is sick. Sounds like he’s coming down with something.

Has any of the chickens been acting off or been ill, sneezing, snicking? Have you seen signs of worms or coccidia? Do you know if your flock are carriers of CRD?

What feed is the gander on and what breed is he?
Do you know if he’s lost weight?
How do his droppings look?

One of the hens has made a squeaking sound a couple times a day like a sneeze maybe? The goose has not. Haven’t seen bloody stools or worms. I don’t k ow what CRD is. Never had clock tested for anything.
Goose eats local organic food. I don’t think I could weigh the goose. He would thrash too much.

 

[Goosebaby]

Goose eats local organic food. I don’t think I could weigh the goose. He would thrash too much.

In that case what’s the protein percentage of the feed and do you know if it’s vitamin levels is formulated for waterfowl or as an all flock?







CRD “chronic respiratory disease“ is one of two mycoplasma diseases “MG & MS” that are common among backyard flocks and is pretty much permanent once infected. It can lie dormant in a birds body until a stressful event like fear, flock drama, injury, another illness, cold or hot weather brings it out. It also is a constant wear on the immune system and can make the bird more prone to other diseases. Different strains of either can manifest in mild or severe symptoms, coughing and snicking of varying degrees to facial swelling, swollen hocks, and lameness.
CRD doesn’t affect waterfowl as severely as chickens but it can still affect them.
CRD is best treated with tylosin or denegard but it isn’t a permanent cure. Note that denegard (tiamulin) can NOT be administered with certain anticoccidia medications.

The sneezing could be a sign of CRD but without more obvious symptoms I wouldn’t necessarily treat any of your birds for it.

 

[VermontGoose]

In that case what’s the protein percentage of the feed and do you know if it’s vitamin levels is formulated for waterfowl or as an all flock?







CRD “chronic respiratory disease“ is one of two mycoplasma diseases “MG & MS” that are common among backyard flocks and is pretty much permanent once infected. It can lie dormant in a birds body until a stressful event like fear, flock drama, injury, another illness, cold or hot weather brings it out. It also is a constant wear on the immune system and can make the bird more prone to other diseases. Different strains of either can manifest in mild or severe symptoms, coughing and snicking of varying degrees to facial swelling, swollen hocks, and lameness.
CRD doesn’t affect waterfowl as severely as chickens but it can still affect them.
CRD is best treated with tylosin or denegard but it isn’t a permanent cure. Note that denegard (tiamulin) can NOT be administered with certain anticoccidia medications.

The sneezing could be a sign of CRD but without more obvious symptoms I wouldn’t necessarily treat any of your birds for it.

Hi and thanks for responding.
I checked the bag. It’s a product I haven’t used before but they were out of the normal organic feed.

It’s an all flock 16% protein. Label says specifically it can be used for chickens, ducks, and geese. The gander and chickens are kept together and eat together. I’m changing food today to see if anything changes.

Another possibility I’ve come up with is maybe water. I full gander’s goose pool with our well water. The well runs dry if we use it too much so the same water is used for about three days before I refill it. Maybe the goose drinking from the pool with water not able to be changed daily is a problem.

 

[Goosebaby]

Hi and thanks for responding.
I checked the bag. It’s a product I haven’t used before but they were out of the normal organic feed.

It’s an all flock 16% protein. Label says specifically it can be used for chickens, ducks, and geese. The gander and chickens are kept together and eat together. I’m changing food today to see if anything changes.

Another possibility I’ve come up with is maybe water. I full gander’s goose pool with our well water. The well runs dry if we use it too much so the same water is used for about three days before I refill it. Maybe the goose drinking from the pool with water not able to be changed daily is a problem.

The pool water could be a problem. Sounds like he may have caught a stomach bug from it.

You could try worming him with safeguard and maybe put him on corid. Also some multivitamins will be useful.
If he progressively gets worse you will need to put him on something stronger. Without testing it’s hard to say what but if it’s something like clostridium or Giardia metronidazole is best.
Tylosin is excellent against clostridium as well as mycoplasma and some spirochetes.
SMZ TMP is broad spectrum and will treat coccidia and many bacteria but not clostridium.
safeguard “fenbendazole” will kill off most worms but is also effective against Giardia.


16% protein is fine for geese when they aren’t sick, laying, molting, or cold. any other time 20% is preferred. Severely malnourished birds can go up to 30%. Breed can also be a factor. Small breeds like Chinese can do gust fine on low protein diets whereas heavy breeds like embden are high nutrient feeders.
if it’s 16% all flock by dumor chuck it. Some have good experiences with it but I haven’t. Sometimes it’s repackaged layer feed, most times it’s old.

 

[VermontGoose]

Hi I forgot to mention above he is molting. He has lost all his big feathers over the past 2-3 weeks. Can molting chase the behavior change?

Also,
Does the gander need higher protein when molting? Does same logic apply to chickens when they begin molting?

 

[Goosebaby]

Hi I forgot to mention above he is molting. He has lost all his big feathers over the past 2-3 weeks. Can molting chase the behavior change?

Also,
Does the gander need higher protein when molting? Does same logic apply to chickens when they begin molting?

Molting stress could account for it. Their immune systems take a hit and their need for protein skyrockets. Molting will definitely make him depressed but it could have also predisposed him to illness.

 

[VermontGoose]

I haven’t seen more lost feathers the past couple days. How long would you expect until he seemed better after having molted all the feathers he will lose? Thanks for all your help.