GOOSE BREEDING THREAD - for breeding, incubating, hatching and rearing.

[tillyita]

I have 2 goslings and one does not stand upright and his feet turn inward like "pigeon toed". He's about five weeks, eating chick starter and corn meal. The female seems fine. Any help or thoughts would be appreciated. This is the female and she stands fine.

Poor little babe. Was he like it when he arrived? Looks like it´s a defect, as he stands up oddly on his legs, too. And your little female...does she always hold her wing like that? If so, you may want to wrap it. As for chick crumb, etc, I leave off that at their age, except for a little as a treat to get them in, or move them, etc. Plenty of greens, a little corn would be ok, fruit, etc. is good. I see they´re on grass, and that´s just great.

I would avoid the corn - it is know to cause niacin deficiency. Ok when they are older and not growing.

 

[livininbrazil]

I would avoid the corn - it is know to cause niacin deficiency. Ok when they are older and not growing.

Not heard that one before. Will look it up.

 

[livininbrazil]

I would avoid the corn - it is know to cause niacin deficiency. Ok when they are older and not growing.

No, didn´t find anything much to support that...just one thing said about excessive over-feeding of maize, that´s it.

 

[tillyita]

I would avoid the corn - it is know to cause niacin deficiency. Ok when they are older and not growing.

No, didn´t find anything much to support that...just one thing said about excessive over-feeding of maize, that´s it.

Look up Pellagra and look at the origins.
or look at this link for poultry specific: http://www.poultrynews.com/New/Diseases/Merks/207024.htm

 

[livininbrazil]

Poor little babe. Was he like it when he arrived? Looks like it´s a defect, as he stands up oddly on his legs, too. And your little female...does she always hold her wing like that? If so, you may want to wrap it. As for chick crumb, etc, I leave off that at their age, except for a little as a treat to get them in, or move them, etc. Plenty of greens, a little corn would be ok, fruit, etc. is good. I see they´re on grass, and that´s just great.

They actually have been eating the all flock outside for a few weeks since they spend there day with the flock. But they spend their nights in my bathroom because I don't feel they are steady enough to withstand the stampede of anxious chickens and ducks at the coop door in the AM. Today they will get all flock with the brewers yeast exclusively. Thanks for the help.

Found this on Metzer´s site. So, could be niacin deficiency after all......
The first top and bottom pics are of a normal duckling, the others have various disabilities because of niacin deficiency.

 

[8GeeseALaying]

If corn caused that my first pair of goslings would never have made it to the age they are now(3yrs old) That was before i knew about brewers yeast and all that, they were fed chick start and cracked corn 50/50 mix.

 

[tillyita]

If corn caused that my first pair of goslings would never have made it to the age they are now(3yrs old) That was before i knew about brewers yeast and all that, they were fed chick start and cracked corn 50/50 mix.

Even in humans - some are more susceptible to vitamin and mineral deficiencies than others. If they also had access to pasture and greens it would reduce the effect. Also, if the corn/maize was treated it can make the niacin it contains biologically available for the animal. Corn and maize do contain significant amounts of niacin it is just not bio-available unless it is treated.

 

[livininbrazil]

If corn caused that my first pair of goslings would never have made it to the age they are now(3yrs old) That was before i knew about brewers yeast and all that, they were fed chick start and cracked corn 50/50 mix.

I don´t believe corn actually causes it. But corn can add weight, so should be picky about feeding too much. all my gozzies get chick crumb and cracked corn, and just this past year was the first time I had problems, so once I´d learned about the niacin, all went well. My previous lots of gozzies just had grass, lettuce, etc, cracked corn and chick crumb morning and evening, and no probs at all. My muscovy ducklings top up on cracked corn, no probs there either. They don´t get a look-in with the chick crumb, only the corn they come across. They´re all free-ranging, so their main food is what they forage anyway.

 

[8GeeseALaying]

I picked grass for them everyday but a large coffee can of grass doesnt sound like it was enough now that i know what to do for them. Last year was the first time i used brewers yeast for them, i hadnt heard of it before then. Mine free range now through the summer with just a treat if needed to move them.

 

[livininbrazil]

Even in humans - some are more susceptible to vitamin and mineral deficiencies than others. If they also had access to pasture and greens it would reduce the effect. Also, if the corn/maize was treated it can make the niacin it contains biologically available for the animal. Corn and maize do contain significant amounts of niacin it is just not bio-available unless it is treated.

Agreed about being an individual thing. Interesting about treatment. Corn/maize has a reasonable amount of niacin in it. How do they treat it? One way of getting more out of it is fermentaion or sprouting, I imagine.