duckylover2201
In the Brooder
- Apr 24, 2015
- 36
- 0
- 22
One of my goslings down at my pond (one of about 30 geese) is an only gosling to his parents and he has a heart of gold. I have known him for about 1 month and 1 week now and he is about the size of a 1-2 week old gosling. This little gosling whom I named Herbert actually comes to me when I call his name and he loves to sit in my lap and be petted. When I first met Herbert I was down at the pond giving my geese some old bread from my house when I noticed that the new baby was finally hatched. Next thing I knew a full grown papa goose runs up to Herbert flips him upside down and proceeds to peck and bite at his sternum as his parents are being chased around by the mother and some other upset geese. I then of course proceeded to run the mean goose off and take Herbert up to my house to inspect him to make sure he had no viable injuries. Once I did so my sister (16) walked into the room and Herbert literally ran to her. He then sat under her hair watching TV and sleeping for about two hours. I then took him back down to his parents and when I did so I couldn't find them at first so I put him down and let him call them. He took a look around, didn't see them and ran as fast as he could back into my arms. When I finally found the parents they all swam off together and I thought that was the end of all Herbert's problems but I was soon to be proved wrong! Everyday I went to feed the geese and Herbert being the most tame always stood at my feet and would often peck them wanting food and when he did he would wait for me to cuddle him in my arms. His parents never ever seemed to mind when I picked him up and held him because I never failed to put him right back down. About a month later I told my sister (Herbert's favorite) that Herbert wasn't growing and sure enough he had barely grown. about 3 weeks after Herbert's birth the last bath of goslings (6) were born and within about a week one was bigger than Herbert. I then knew I had some serious problems. If you look at my profile picture he is almost exactly that size give or take a little. Although he is perfectly healthy I have an extreme fear of a snapping turtle of a snake getting him because when I picked him up last night he had two fang marks pierced through the webbing in between his toes. He didn't seem to be bothered by the injury but many of the larger and smaller ducklings have also been pulled under (IVE SEEN THEM GET PULLED UNDER BUT I MANAGED TO SCREAM LOUD ENOUGH THAT THE SNAPPER LET GO). I don't wanna separate my little Herbert from his family but I want him to live a long time and the veterinarian said (whenever I described the situation) that he will probably die even though he's healthy now because of some genetic issue. But I will not give up on Herbert and I just need to know what to do in order to keep him here!
