Gosling Hatched in Cold Weather

[Mary-Anne]

Hello!! I am new to this forum. I live in Anola, Manitoba, Canada and own two geese (I have a Tufted Toulouse Gander and a large white female), 3 Muscovy ducks and 4 hens and a rooster. Not to mention I have a horse ranch.
The silly female has been setting on eggs most of the fall and I didn't think much of it BECAUSE its cold out (has been -20 C). Well - I smelled a really funny smell on Saturday morning and couldn't figure it out. Went and fed the horses and then went back to check it out again.. When they finally quit honking at me I finally heard a faint cheeping. Thought I was imagining things. Moved the female off most of her nest - only saw some eggs. Listened again - more faint cheeping. Moved her completely off the nest this time and Lo and behold - there sat a gosling cheeping at me. Kinda set me a in panic cause I knew it had no chance of survival to stay in the shed... Ran to town, got goose starter and set up a home in my claw foot tub. Was attacked ferociously when I "weaned" the baby. LOL

Frosty is currently 5 days old. He seemed more active at a day then he is now. He spends a lot of time sleeping (will wake up and cheep when I touch him), is still a a bit wobbly, drinks water and occasionally pecks at a few grains. I have let him swim in the tub once (under careful supervision) and I make sure to dry him with a fluffy towel and blowdryer on low so he doesn't get chilled. He has a stuffed little horse to sleep with. Anything else I should be doing?
I can't seem to use the insert image function...
Mary-Anne

 

[Mary-Anne]

 

[RURU]

Welcome

. What a cutie pie. Do you have a heat lamp on this little one because they need it to keep their temp up. If you do not have a heat lamp on the baby it might be cold.

 

[Mary-Anne]

No I don't.. He is in my bathroom and I have it so warn in there I sweat when I put my makeup on.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Can you give the little one a non breakable mirror for company? and I'd also put a smaller bowl of water more of a chick waterer for now gosling can drown in a small amount of water .And some good poultry vitamins added to it's water would give it a boost. Poultry Nutri Drench is a good one.

 

[Mary-Anne]

I will try and find a mirror for him. He has climbed in and out of the cereal bowl so I thought it was ok.. In fact the first couple of days he would climb in and splash around. He doesn't seem interested in doing that the last few days.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I will try and find a mirror for him. He has climbed in and out of the cereal bowl so I thought it was ok.. In fact the first couple of days he would climb in and splash around. He doesn't seem interested in doing that the last few days.

Maybe he is getting chilled if he is getting wet.

 

[RURU]

Even if you think it is hot enough it still needs a brooder light so it can pick and choose when it wants to lay in the heated area. If it is playing in the water it is getting chilled it can catch cold and die on you....

 

[Mary-Anne]

He was pretty active when I got home tonight.. Cheeping away at me. He had put some goose starter into his water bowl and was moving a lot quicker. I don't think he is cold. It is very warm in there and he is always dry except for the first couple of days.

 

[8GeeseALaying]

Its silly to get on here post a thread and ask "is there anything else i should be doing?" And then disregaurd all the advice that everyone has given you. You may have it warm in there and you may sweat while in there but you are up higher, heat rises, he is down lower in the tub and whether or not you can feel the difference, where he is, it IS a few degrees cooler down there. It is better to give him a choice with the lamp in there like RuRu said than to have to bury him later.