Gosling neck broken or strained

[Tenrec]

Birds have keratin on their bills/beaks just like our nails, so the analogy is apt...It could be injury, or it could be nutritional (just like our nails). Hopefully he starts eating a healthy amount of protein soon. He certainly does have a lot to contend with at such a young age!

Eating on his own is EXCELLENT NEWS for the little guy, as is drinking on his own. Good job encouraging him and getting him outside. Hearing his flock probably did help him perk up a bit. Hopefully he can start eating his crumble tomorrow. I'm so happy for him!

As for atrophy/muscle weakness, hydrotherapy will usually work wonders for that, and goslings are blessed by being naturally water-loving creatures to begin with...so water therapy isn't very stressful for them at all. Maybe he's ready to get some water time in. You should probably try supporting him with your hands and see if he tries kicking around in some shallow, lukewarm/tepid water...If his nerves are ok, he should be able to gradually work up to supporting himself.

Keep up the good work!

 

[Curran]

Sorry I've been slacking on the updates! I've just been really preoccupied with everyone recently.

So he is finally using his legs on his own now but is still unable to support himself enough to walk. I've been giving him a lot more baths though, and we go outside for about an hour a day. He is finally picking at the greenery when we're in the yard, but unfortunately is still hesitant on the solid foods. He still has a crumple mixture and water in front of him 24/7 but he just doesn't seem interested in the food. He absolutely loves the pea soup though! I can warm up a small shot glass for him and he will eat on his own now until he's satisfied. And although he doesn't seem to like the oatmeal i've ground up, I sneak it in to the pea soup when he is actively eating it.

He sits up in his box a lot now and shifts to different positions on his own, but right now he's only ale to sit up on his heels. He puts pressure and can stand with his legs fully extended but only if he can be propped up with something against his back or back/side. I did try making my own version of a sling but he seemed too leak and uncomfortable for it right now? Specifically he doesn't seem to like a lot of pressure on his chest or against the front of that right leg that bothers him. And I can not be too sure but I think his "pinky" toe on that foot might be broken as well, though I really do not know how I would brace it. Any time I've attempted toe/foot braces in the past on chicks/chickens it never worked out very well, and with how tiny his toes are combined with the webbing I think it would be more trouble than it's worth and would probably just stress him out. And I know I keep saying that I think he has a broken this or that but I'm just trying to observe as he's able to move around more.

Other than those things progression is slow but steady!

 

[Tenrec]

Picking at grass? That's really good! Hopefully he will eat the crumble soon. I'm glad he gets excited about some things.

How does the pinky toe look/feel that makes you feel it's broken?

TY for the update, pulling for you guys every day. Sounds like he's on the mend.

 

[Curran]

Well there is not much to update on this time either unfortunately. He is using his legs and I feel like he has really good motion in everything, but he is still unable to fully stand up and is still falling back on his knees. During his baths though he uses them both a lot, he can extend his toes and open them up, but his right leg still seems crippled. He constantly will sit up on his knees and prop his butt up on something before stretching his legs out and putting pressure against whatever it is he's propped on. Eventually he does sit down in a normal position though, and he does a lot of grooming down around his feet and thighs!

But another unfortunate thing is that he's still not eating any solid/dry foods, and I feel like he's quite skinny when I feel along his back and tailbone. I offer him wet and dry crumples all of the time but I can't even sneak it in to his pea soup that he loves so much. He's such a smart little kid though that once I fool in him to eating something he doesn't like once, he won't go for it a second time.

I have been getting a little bit of carrot and squash in to him, but it surely isn't very much. He eats about half a shot glass worth of pea soup three times a day, and then whatever extra I offer him during off hours, but usually during those times he's sleeping. Then during I think it was the 4th day I said he was drinking and eating on his own while being in the box, but that activity has ceased.. I can show him where his water is and water him from it with the eyedropper so he knows, but he still doesn't show any interest in it for some reason. And it is just regular bottled water that he gets while in his box, during his outings is when I switch him around with electrolytes or the b-complex. But even then while he's still getting those I don't think it's very much just like with the carrot and squash since most times he will flush his bill in his bath water instead of taking it from the eyedropper.

But back to the not eating part, I was reading a couple of threads where a poultry nutri-drench was suggested for similar weight problems from an inability to eat, do you think that would be something that could help him from becoming emaciated like that? I feel like he's getting a good amount of pea and vitamins in him without getting overdosed, but I'm just thinking that normally he would be eating a 18% protein crumple like his sibling. But I'm worried about the nutri-drench being too strong for his system right now if that makes sense?

Anyway, I have some update pictures of his feet too! I still feel like his middle/pinky toe (on the right) might be broken from the way they curl around/under sometimes, and he doesn't seem to have much control over them. though the pictures don't properly show what I'm referring to since he's in the water with some distortion, they're more just to show how he's using them in the water.

 

[Tenrec]

Grooming is a very good sign...Sorry to hear that bum leg is still bothering him though.

How's his keel feel? Skinny?

Going back to not eating and drinking enthusiastically isn't great...Sounds like he's a picky boy too! He really needs that protein at his age. If you have some poultry Nutridrench, though, and you can get him to take it, that'd be great for him. It's got a bit of protein in it, as well as other nutrients. Nutridrench shouldn't be too strong for him. Can you get him to eat any boiled egg? Or scrambled egg?

The toe curling could be a break, or it could be neurological, especially if his right leg is lame. Keep up the baths, for sure.

Thanks for updating, I'm pulling for the little guy. Checking this thread is pretty much a daily thing for me now, haha.

 

[Curran]

Well I have some great news! I guess he heard me complaining about the whole solid food situation because almost immediately afterwards he started to eat his crumples!
But the picky guy still won't eat much of anything else, but I'm very happy he's at least become accustomed to what his regular food will be. Now he's had about 5 good feedings worth of those crumples though and he seems to be doing a little better on his legs, I even saw him once when I peeked in his box standing somewhat upright on his feet instead of the heels, so I definitely think he's still making progress.

And then, I can't really tell if his knees are skinny, I'm just solely basing it off of how his torso feels? I mean the previous goslings I raised who never had any health problems I thought their knees looked oddly skinny as well, but I was told they were normal so I'm probably not the best judge of goose legs.

Nothing really else to update on,though he's certainly been keeping me busy. Now he lets me know when he's ready for something since he's in the kitchen and can see when someone is around. Also I haven't had the opportunity to get that poultry drench (though I think we're out of the red now), but I definitely want to have some on hand for the future. I've never seen or heard of it before around our feed stores so I will have to do some shopping.

And thank you again for all of your support! It's been very helpful to have someone to bounce ideas around with and help educate me on some things. I know I've been his bedside nurse this whole time but you've seriously helped him out a bunch too!

 

[Tenrec]

Well I have some great news! I guess he heard me complaining about the whole solid food situation because almost immediately afterwards he started to eat his crumples!
But the picky guy still won't eat much of anything else, but I'm very happy he's at least become accustomed to what his regular food will be. Now he's had about 5 good feedings worth of those crumples though and he seems to be doing a little better on his legs, I even saw him once when I peeked in his box standing somewhat upright on his feet instead of the heels, so I definitely think he's still making progress.

And then, I can't really tell if his knees are skinny, I'm just solely basing it off of how his torso feels? I mean the previous goslings I raised who never had any health problems I thought their knees looked oddly skinny as well, but I was told they were normal so I'm probably not the best judge of goose legs.

Nothing really else to update on,though he's certainly been keeping me busy. Now he lets me know when he's ready for something since he's in the kitchen and can see when someone is around. Also I haven't had the opportunity to get that poultry drench (though I think we're out of the red now), but I definitely want to have some on hand for the future. I've never seen or heard of it before around our feed stores so I will have to do some shopping.

And thank you again for all of your support! It's been very helpful to have someone to bounce ideas around with and help educate me on some things. I know I've been his bedside nurse this whole time but you've seriously helped him out a bunch too!

YAY CRUMBLES! That's the ticket. That protein and solid food is going to help a lot. Starting to stand is great too.

Also, his keel! Sorry I wasn't clear on what that is, but in birds, if you feel the keel of the sternum, it can give you a good idea of what the body condition is...How thin/fat the bird is.

https://www.charlottestreetanimalho...r_all_1x/public/birddiagram.png?itok=EtOAkW1u

Here's an image for the reference.

What you do is take the bird, with its back against your chest and its chest/abdomen facing forward. If you feel down the bird's chest, you will find the breast of the bird, with the keel of the sternum (sharp structure on the breast bone) in the center, and the breast muscles on either side. If the bird is in poor condition, the keel will be very pronounced, and the breast will be concave, sunken in against the keel. In most breeds and species, a healthy bird should have a somewhat even, round triangle, or even a round semicircle in some poultry. You can get a feel for what a healthy bird should feel like on your own flock.

You're right, though...Their little knobby legs only serve to make them look more awkward on land.

It's definitely worth having nutri drench on hand!

And being a nurse is a HARD JOB. It really makes all the difference though...You two are doing all the work, and good work at that. No problem on talking here, I'm glad to be of help.

 

[Curran]

Oh man sorry this is such a late update! I have just been super busy around the farm and with our little guy, and now I'm coming up on another busy weekend so I thought I better post it while I can. but you can take my silence as a good sign. xD

So overall he is doing really good, he loves his crumples and is getting a lot better at walking around. I know it took a lot of hours worth of baths to get his little legs worked back up, but now he's able to be on the ground and walk/hobble around on his own which he really enjoys. And though he isn't walking perfectly just yet, he still kinda does the old man hobble on his knees, but hecan actually stand up and walk places now! usually that ends up being 3 steps though before he plops over, but that's okay in my book.

And then, I REALLY wish I would have had my camera on me yesterday. I took him in to the main yard where the adult geese and his sibling are and man was it a family reunion! Everyone recognized him and he recognized them, his mom and dad were very happy to him but I think the most excited of everyone was the sibling. They both were beep-beeping at each other and the sibling would run back to the parents and get all excited about it, then eventually they ate together and everything. At the end my little guy really wanted to head out with them, he was doing his best to hobble along behind them buuuuut I think that actual reunion will have to wait a bit longer. I'm going to wait and see how his leg develops from here though before I decide if he'll be my foster child or have visitation with his parents. But yes it was really so adorable the way they all communicated with him and vice versa!

I do have a litle update video as well, though it is mostly just him doing gooser things and beeping about. He does a few hobbles for show but nothing spectacular, but it is certainly nice to see him so active and happy!

By the way if you don't notice from the video name, I decided to name him Beaker!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh man sorry this is such a late update! I have just been super busy around the farm and with our little guy, and now I'm coming up on another busy weekend so I thought I better post it while I can. but you can take my silence as a good sign. xD

So overall he is doing really good, he loves his crumples and is getting a lot better at walking around. I know it took a lot of hours worth of baths to get his little legs worked back up, but now he's able to be on the ground and walk/hobble around on his own which he really enjoys. And though he isn't walking perfectly just yet, he still kinda does the old man hobble on his knees, but hecan actually stand up and walk places now! usually that ends up being 3 steps though before he plops over, but that's okay in my book.

And then, I REALLY wish I would have had my camera on me yesterday. I took him in to the main yard where the adult geese and his sibling are and man was it a family reunion! Everyone recognized him and he recognized them, his mom and dad were very happy to him but I think the most excited of everyone was the sibling. They both were beep-beeping at each other and the sibling would run back to the parents and get all excited about it, then eventually they ate together and everything. At the end my little guy really wanted to head out with them, he was doing his best to hobble along behind them buuuuut I think that actual reunion will have to wait a bit longer. I'm going to wait and see how his leg develops from here though before I decide if he'll be my foster child or have visitation with his parents. But yes it was really so adorable the way they all communicated with him and vice versa!

I do have a litle update video as well, though it is mostly just him doing gooser things and beeping about. He does a few hobbles for show but nothing spectacular, but it is certainly nice to see him so active and happy!

By the way if you don't notice from the video name, I decided to name him Beaker!

Aww my gosh what a precious baby.. You have been awesome to stick with Beaker through this and get him where he is today. I hope he continues to improve to where he can be with his goose family all the time. But your right he isn't ready for that yet. Love that lil talking gosling.

 

[Tenrec]

I see he's earned a name now. Beaker. A fine name!

Aaaw. I'm so glad he still knows his family. That should perk him up a lot, yes. Seems like you've been working really hard with the physical therapy, and it's paying off! What a precious video, thank you for sharing...He's so much better looking than before.

Keep up the good work, you two. And thanks for the update, I will indeed take no news as good news in this case, but I'm glad to see the little guy.