GOSLING - abnormal wing FEATHER development

[adrian]

If you think there's something wrong, take pictures and post them here. Descriptions don't always work so well.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Just one thing to add, if you are having Warm to Hot weather geese will often let their wings slip as a method of cooling their body. Give them a pool of cool water and the slipped wing disappears until they get hot again.

 

[DuckLady]

Very true. When I was new to duck keeping, I was concerned over the wing drooping and then twitching up. Then I realized they were airing their pits.

 

[crazy goose lover]

These are pictures of my goose. This fits the description of the problem posted. All of her feathers are nice except her flight feathers that seem to get chewed off rather than released from the outer covering. Anybody else have this problem or know why it occurs? The goose is about 12 weeks old.

 

[ultasol]

He looks like he's getting in new feathers. I wouldn't worry about feather development.

 

[crazy goose lover]

okay, just nervous new mother I guess.

 

[ultasol]

If you could post a full body pic including the odd wing, it might make it easier to determine if it is the start of angelwing. It looks a little bit twisted, but photos showing more of the goose would be better.

 

[adrian]

It's a sebastopol goose, correct? I've never had them but I hear they can have feather mutations.

 

[ultasol]

THey have curly feathers, but they also are prone to angel wing adrian. It looks like the young goose has a wing full of heavy blood feathers (primaries are coming in) which can often cause a wing to hang down slightly with weight. At the same time, if the wing tip starts to point out from the body you are looking at the beginning of angel wing, which becomes permanent if not taped for correction while the bird is young.

Angel wing is a problem that is believed to be based on high protein feeds and/or genetics. It tends to be a problem in sebastopol and in good lines of dewlap toulouse, in which it is often the ones with the heaviest body/better dewlaps that are affected.

I have both breeds. So far this year the wings are looking good. I have one yearling gander that I got from another person that has angelwing, he's a dewlap. Nice bird, and I'm not worried about using him for breeding.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

The pictures look normal to me. I think you can relax. The wing looks like it is in a normal position. Those feather shafts will flake off on their own as the feather grows out. It takes a little while for the new feathers to unfurl. Make sure they have access to water to bathe in and that they are getting plenty of excercise and grazing time.