Gosling feather development

[NikkiRenee]

I recently noticed that my now 3-month-old goslings feathers are starting to become wavy though all three parents are not sebastopols to my knowledge and do not show any physical traits. Is this normal gosling development? Possibly an indication of Sebastopol lineage in one of the parents? Or is it lacking something nutritional that I need to correct? Last picture is of the parents.

 

[Goosebaby]

What feed are they on?

I can definitely see stress bars so a nutritional deficiency is highly likely. Gosling’s first feathers are usually funky though anyway because they have so much change going on in their little bodies but the stress bars are a common sign of a deficiency.

 

[NikkiRenee]

What feed are they on?

I can definitely see stress bars so a nutritional deficiency is highly likely. Gosling’s first feathers are usually funky though anyway because they have so much change going on in their little bodies but the stress bars are a common sign of a deficiency.

Is there any way of telling what maybe lacking? I have three swimming pools as well as two other water options for them set up in the yard. Access to duck feed as well as grass and the occasional watermelon or other safe table scraps. I'm not sure if being moved from the brooder to outside with the rest of the flock could cause that either.

 

[Goosebaby]

Is the duck feed 20% protein? Also feed that’s over four months old starts to lose nutritional potency so if the feed’s old that may be an issue.

There isn’t a clear way to tell what’s lacking until symptoms worsen, low protein while feathers are developing is a common cause but it can be from lack of calcium, vitamin A, amino acids a disease, or psychological stress. Keep in mind too much calcium can cause severe health issues also.
Goslings are much more prone to stress bars in their first molt so it might not be anything severe going on.

 

[NikkiRenee]

Is the duck feed 20% protein? Also feed that’s over four months old starts to lose nutritional potency so if the feed’s old that may be an issue.

There isn’t a clear way to tell what’s lacking until symptoms worsen, low protein while feathers are developing is a common cause but it can be from lack of calcium, vitamin A, amino acids a disease, or psychological stress. Keep in mind too much calcium can cause severe health issues also.
Goslings are much more prone to stress bars in their first molt so it might not be anything severe going on.

I originally had it on 22 protein but noticed a little bit of twisting in the wings so I corrected and lowered the protein to 20. I go through feed pretty quickly with the flock that I have and usually buy a new bag every couple of days. I also throw scratch and oyster shell out in the yard that they free range for them to pick out at their choice. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything correctly. I know I posted pictures and other groups and I've had a lot of people saying possible Sebastopol lineage but I don't know enough about geese and cannot find enough things to read about genetics to see if that's true. It seems the main Sebastopol page that I was going to for color references is no longer active and i have not found research on other breeds to reference. I super appreciate you responding and helping me

 

[Goosebaby]

I don’t have sebbies so I can’t really say if that’s the cause of the wavy feathers.
What I was referring to are these. Stress bars.



Stress bars represent a brief halt in the feather shaft growth where there either wasn’t enough nutrients for proper feather development or there was some other stressor.
The problematic thing about stress bars is that it shows that there was an issue but not necessarily that there’s still an issue. So it could have been something to do with the gosling going off feed at the time it was introduced to the rest of the flock. The stress bars will remain until the next molt.

You can add a multivitamin to their water but I would keep an eye on wether the gosling is eating enough, watching to see if they’re being chased away from the feed by the other geese and watch for other signs of a nutritional deficiency, such as excessively eating dirt or sand, limping, drunken gait, depression, excessive growth of nails or tomia “the teeth like serrations in the mouth.”

 

[NikkiRenee]

I don’t have sebbies so I can’t really say if that’s the cause of the wavy feathers.
What I was referring to are these. Stress bars.

View attachment 4170841

Stress bars represent a brief halt in the feather shaft growth where there either wasn’t enough nutrients for proper feather development or there was some other stressor.
The problematic thing about stress bars is that it shows that there was an issue but not necessarily that there’s still an issue. So it could have been something to do with the gosling going off feed at the time it was introduced to the rest of the flock. The stress bars will remain until the next molt.

You can add a multivitamin to their water but I would keep an eye on wether the gosling is eating enough, watching to see if they’re being chased away from the feed by the other geese and watch for other signs of a nutritional deficiency, such as excessively eating dirt or sand, limping, drunken gait, depression, excessive growth of nails or tomia “the teeth like serrations in the mouth.”

I see what you mean. I will definitely keep an eye on the things you suggested. I do take it out of the birds free range yard and let it wander around with me while I do my garden stuff but I cannot say for certain what goes on when I'm at work. Thank you for all your insight