Gosling bought today

[mystil]

Please accept my humbelist apologies...I have done something bad.

I went to a poultry auction today and came away with 4 goslings! I put them in a crate to see how they get on with my adult trio of west of englands, all went well, so I bravely (or foolishly) let the goslings out. All went okay, abit of nipping but nothing malicious.

However went out just as it was getting cold to find the adults sitting next to the goslings but not actually allowing them to snuggle under them. So took the goslings away to sit under a heat lamp for tonight and will try again tomorrow. However the geese are calling them now. I dont feel like a nice person at the moment. My husband wanted to leave them in a crate overnight in the main geese house (but I was not keen as no heat inside the geese house).

2 of the goslings are only 1 and a half weeks old and one is particularly smaller than the others, so I am abit worried about him/her.

As it was a spure of the moment thing, I have given them some chick crumbs from my bantam chicks, I know this is not ideal. I am going to buy some wildfowl crumbs on Monday. Is this going to be okay?

Some of the goslings I saw today were in a right state, no fluff at all and all raw skin, I assume where its siblings have been plucking at each other?

Thanks for your help.
Liza

 

[Miss Lydia]

I went to a poultry auction today and came away with 4 goslings! I have put them in a crate to see how they get on with my adult trio of west of englands. I am hoping that the adults will take to them and adopt them.

2 of the goslings are only 1 and a half weeks old and one is partiocularly smaller than the others, so I am abit worried about him/her.

As it was a spure of the moment thing, I have given them some chick crumbs from my bantam chicks, I know this is not ideal. I am going to buy some wildfowl crumbs on Monday. Is this going to be okay? I have also got them on grass so they dont have the urge to pluck each other.

Some of the goslings I saw today were in a right state, no fluff at all and all raw skin, I assume where its siblings have been plucking at each other?

Thanks for your help.
Liza

If it's only a couple days till you can get the waterfowl crumbs then it would be fine, the only problem with chick feed it doesn't have adequate niacin for the waterfowl but since your switching then it's fine. but if your going to give them grass they need to have some grit so they can grind it up in their crop. small chick grit to start with. and in a separate bowl from their feed. Congrats on your new babies, hope the adults will take them.

 

[mystil]

Thank you. What shall we use as bedding? We have just put newspaper down at the moment but have got some straw if they would not eat it?

Yes I hope they take the goslings. It is sounding hopeful at the moment. One of my females is the one that is making all the noise.I am hoping that the separation will make them more keen to look after the youngsters.

The goslings were following us more than the geese about the field (which is a pain), so have abviously had human contact. It was quite funny (and not at the same time) as the goslings were folowing us and the adults were following them. I just hope they have not imprinted on people to the extent that they wont except the adults as parents. We are going to keep our distance as much as possible but still keep an eye on them tomorrow.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you. What shall we use as bedding? We have just put newspaper down at the moment but have got some straw if they would not eat it?

Yes I hope they take the goslings. It is sounding hopeful at the moment. One of my females is the one that is making all the noise.I am hoping that the separation will make them more keen to look after the youngsters.

The goslings were following us more than the geese about the field (which is a pain), so have abviously had human contact. It was quite funny (and not at the same time) as the goslings were folowing us and the adults were following them. I just hope they have not imprinted on people to the extent that they wont except the adults as parents. We are going to keep our distance as much as possible but still keep an eye on them tomorrow.

Don't use newspaper with out something on top it can cause spraddle legs if they are on smooth surface, straw would be fine, old towels would be good too anything other than something slippery like newspaper, shavings [pine] would be good and more absorbent then straw/
They will probably take to the adults it may take a few days though. you don't have the goslings out running around with out supervision? I'd be worried a fox or some other kind of pred would snatch them.

 

[mystil]

They were in a secure pen with the adults and were not left very long without us. Not many foxes around here as we have the local phesant shoot just down the road who keep the foxes at bay. Luckily.

Wont the goslings try to eat the towel or straw?

 

[Miss Lydia]

They were in a secure pen with the adults and were not left very long without us. Not many foxes around here as we have the local phesant shoot just down the road who keep the foxes at bay. Luckily.

Wont the goslings try to eat the towel or straw?

I don't think they would eat the towel just make sure there are no exposed strings, as for the straw they may try it but I doubt they would actually eat it. I'd go for the old towels, they can be shook out washed and reused,. I'm a worry wort , sorry for questioning you.

 

[mystil]

Thats okay. I would rather people querie me than just let it stand. I am just so thankful for people coming to help me. Its typical that I go alone to an auction and come back with something. If my husband was with me I would not have dared!

All the kids at the place were loving the goslings as they were getting their fingers nibbled. They must have been starving at that point. They must have arrived 9 am and I did not get home to 4pm. Poor little things.

Towel put down- They are having ago at the towel but no loose threads I could see so they should be okay. Fingers crossed.

I will put some grit out tomorrow. My other half has been giving the adults river sand (as we have a river running through the field nearest us). Im hoping that would be okay for the little'uns if I just take the smaller stuff out for them? I do have some oyster shell but it is of different sizes all mixed together.

Thank you
Liza

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thats okay. I would rather people querie me than just let it stand. I am just so thankful for people coming to help me. Its typical that I go alone to an auction and come back with something. If my husband was with me I would not have dared!

All the kids at the place were loving the goslings as they were getting their fingers nibbled. They must have been starving at that point. They must have arrived 9 am and I did not get home to 4pm. Poor little things.

Towel put down- They are having ago at the towel but no loose threads I could see so they should be okay. Fingers crossed.

I will put some grit out tomorrow. My other half has been giving the adults river sand (as we have a river running through the field nearest us). Im hoping that would be okay for the little'uns if I just take the smaller stuff out for them? I do have some oyster shell but it is of different sizes all mixed together.

Thank you
Liza

sand is fine, oyster shell is calcium which they don't need. If I was to go to a sale like that I'd probably come home with them all, I couldn't stand to see them with their feather pecked out. Poor babies. glad your babies are settling in and I bet in the next couple of days they will be part of your adult group.. Good thing in my part of the country they don't have sales and auctions.

 

[RURU]

I know for sure I would get into trouble purchasing birds if my husband was not with me..... I use pine shaving in with my goslings it absorbs so muc better than straw. But when they first hatch I buy the chucks (pads) you put under adults that might wet the bed. I can take them out and throw them away. Boy can a few goslings together make an awful mess out of the container...

Anyway congrads on your new purchase of the 4 goslings......

 

[mystil]

Yeah I wish I could have taken more home but I could not afford to buy all of them but I wish I could have. They looked terrible.

I did have a word with my husband before I went....it went along the lines of...."If I see some goslings what do YOU want me to do? Shall I buy some?....." Lol. Put him on the spot and he said something along the lines of "Use your nogging (my head)". So I used that nogging to raise my hand with my bidding number! Lol. I dont think that is what he quite meant though.

Yes good idea. Just checked them a minute ago and all well. All four snuggled up together. Is it likely that the older goslings will
pick on the smaller ones? They appear not to have done so far.

Do you worm your goslings and when?

I have some wormer I got given by the Vet for my chickens. I think it is panicure.

They will go out with the adults in a minute.
My only concern is I know for sure when they adopt them we are not getting anywhere near those little fluff balls!

Sorry lots of questions!