Hello folks! I have two female brown chinese geese who are almost 6 months old, both were hand raised indoors and have a outdoor coop with pool and predator-proof small grass area. I let them out in the morning to wander in our fenced in yard, and shut them in at night.
Last friday, I let them out and Dora ran over to the side of the house behind a bush. I peeked and found her first egg (I assume laid a day or two before?), which I took. She laid her second egg that morning, and seemed confused but otherwise alright. She hasn't laid anything since (that I've found), and is acting normally.
Yesterday, I found Manny had what looked like mucus on her vent, and found a soft shelled egg in the pool. Within a couple more hours, she passed/laid two weird yolks in a thick membrane sans white, and kinda dripped what looked like egg white/mucus for a while. She acted very lethargic, and didn't eat much, but perked up a bit by the evening to honk at my husband, (very normal behavior for her), eat a little, and clean herself up in the pool. I was worried about her, and offered some straight oyster shell. I've been feeding Mazuri maintenence, but last night added some layer feed along with the oyster shell, and some clover I picked since she wasn't walking around much.
She then seemed to get tired again when I shut them in for the evening, and went into the coop box (the geese seem to usually stay in the pool overnight, and don't really use the house we built). This morning I found an egg in the house, and some pine shavings on her vent, so I assume it was hers. This egg was totally normal. She, however, has been acting pretty lethargic all day and I haven't seen her eat anything. Her poops are pretty small with more white (urine?) than anything else (although she hasn't eaten so I guess that's expected?). She's still drinking pretty good. She's just...stood still or floated in the pool or slept all day, not really honked or nibbled at me, and is very subdued and slow with all her movements. She's normally very sassy (and has been getting bitey these last few weeks; I've got the bruises to prove it!). It's also been about 80-90 out the last couple days, so I've definitely kept up with giving clean and cold water.
Sorry for all the detail, I'm not sure what is important. I'm worried about her, and don't have easy access to a vet. I don't know if some of this is normal, or if something could be very wrong. Everything I've read on egg-binding might describe her symptoms, but then she laid something yesterday (albiet weird, but for her first eggs I wasn't too worried) and probably today too, so I don't know. I didn't feel weird lumps or bumps. Does it just take a while for their bodies to find a groove? Is she just bird PMSing and needing some extra naps? How long without eating is concerning?
This is my first time raising waterfowl, and my girls are more than just livestock, they're my pets. I appreciate any help you guys can offer <3
Last friday, I let them out and Dora ran over to the side of the house behind a bush. I peeked and found her first egg (I assume laid a day or two before?), which I took. She laid her second egg that morning, and seemed confused but otherwise alright. She hasn't laid anything since (that I've found), and is acting normally.
Yesterday, I found Manny had what looked like mucus on her vent, and found a soft shelled egg in the pool. Within a couple more hours, she passed/laid two weird yolks in a thick membrane sans white, and kinda dripped what looked like egg white/mucus for a while. She acted very lethargic, and didn't eat much, but perked up a bit by the evening to honk at my husband, (very normal behavior for her), eat a little, and clean herself up in the pool. I was worried about her, and offered some straight oyster shell. I've been feeding Mazuri maintenence, but last night added some layer feed along with the oyster shell, and some clover I picked since she wasn't walking around much.
She then seemed to get tired again when I shut them in for the evening, and went into the coop box (the geese seem to usually stay in the pool overnight, and don't really use the house we built). This morning I found an egg in the house, and some pine shavings on her vent, so I assume it was hers. This egg was totally normal. She, however, has been acting pretty lethargic all day and I haven't seen her eat anything. Her poops are pretty small with more white (urine?) than anything else (although she hasn't eaten so I guess that's expected?). She's still drinking pretty good. She's just...stood still or floated in the pool or slept all day, not really honked or nibbled at me, and is very subdued and slow with all her movements. She's normally very sassy (and has been getting bitey these last few weeks; I've got the bruises to prove it!). It's also been about 80-90 out the last couple days, so I've definitely kept up with giving clean and cold water.
Sorry for all the detail, I'm not sure what is important. I'm worried about her, and don't have easy access to a vet. I don't know if some of this is normal, or if something could be very wrong. Everything I've read on egg-binding might describe her symptoms, but then she laid something yesterday (albiet weird, but for her first eggs I wasn't too worried) and probably today too, so I don't know. I didn't feel weird lumps or bumps. Does it just take a while for their bodies to find a groove? Is she just bird PMSing and needing some extra naps? How long without eating is concerning?
This is my first time raising waterfowl, and my girls are more than just livestock, they're my pets. I appreciate any help you guys can offer <3
