Gosling scratching repetedly at head

[Knightlight]

Ive raised goslings for 10 years now and have never seen the issues ive seen this year... Weve lost 7/13 keepers this year already and multiple others right at or shortly after hatch. We're doing nothing different than previous years. And I Mean NOTHING different. Theyve died one right after the other. I narrowed it down to a good possibility that they're drowning themselves by drinking too fast (the older ones). So ive only been watering them little bits at a time so they cant overindulge, which stopped them dying every day.

Now.... After 3 days of no deaths ive got one thats sitting and scratching repetedly at the sides of its head. One side, then the other, over and over. It was fine when i let them in their pen this morning, then within an hour it was scratching. The others are not aggressive. They have shade and some water (like i said, im only watering little bits at a time so they don't drown themselves), food, grass. It was not trampled at any point. The ones that are dying are 5+ weeks old, have been off heat since 2 weeks, outside during the day since 3 weeks. They are not cold or hot, have not been rained on, are not drowning in a typical fashion, are not choking on food.

Im also adding in theres NO mites or lice. Ive checked and double checked and no birds have mites or lice. That was my first thought too.

Thoughts? Prayers? Spells? Im open to whatever at this point thats going to get these little guys to stop dying.

And by raised goslings for 10 years I mean hatching out close to 300 a year and have 30+ adults at any given point across 6 breeding groups.

 

[Goosebaby]

Scratching at the face can be a sign of a respiratory infection. Inflammation in the nasal passage, ears, or face in general will cause itching or even pain.
With my experience with CRD in geese is that symptoms vary quite a lot between individuals but the facial swelling isn’t as noticeable as it is in chickens. There are other respiratory illnesses besides that that can cause inflammation in the face and sudden death so that’s something to consider.

Drowning themselves by drinking too fast would be strange for one gosling, let alone this many, especially when it’s never happened to you before.
My guess is that there’s an infectious disease or something in the water or environment that’s different than in past years that’s causing this.

If they are drinking excessively and then dying then that’s a sign something is making them ill and wanting water more than usual.

 

[Knightlight]

Scratching at the face can be a sign of a respiratory infection. Inflammation in the nasal passage, ears, or face in general will cause itching or even pain.
With my experience with CRD in geese is that symptoms vary quite a lot between individuals but the facial swelling isn’t as noticeable as it is in chickens. There are other respiratory illnesses besides that that can cause inflammation in the face and sudden death so that’s something to consider.

Drowning themselves by drinking too fast would be strange for one gosling, let alone this many, especially when it’s never happened to you before.
My guess is that there’s an infectious disease or something in the water or environment that’s different than in past years that’s causing this.

If they are drinking excessively and then dying then that’s a sign something is making them ill and wanting water more than usual.

Its not affecting any of the other birds; ducks, ducklings, adult or younger goslings, chicks, chickens, or quail. Its only this group of 5-6 week old goslings. Theres no discharge from their eyes, nares, or mouths. Zero swelling. None. They all eat well. They dont get water or food overnight, once theyre 3 weeks old and start outside, which is never an issue with any of the other birds we have and has never been an issue in the past. I also have a water test done yearly thats required by my county for me to sell eggs at markets and theres nothing in the water. No one in my area sprays chemicals or fertilizers, we're all small scale farmers that dont use those kinds of things. Im also at the top of a hill, and in the middle of the woods, so no run off from other places.

Ive experienced CRD in adults before, but have never in 20 years with chickens even come across respiratory diseases in anything less than 9 months old. Ive had chickens for 20+ years, geese for 10.

 

[Goosebaby]

Its not affecting any of the other birds; ducks, ducklings, adult or younger goslings, chicks, chickens, or quail. Its only this group of 5-6 week old goslings. Theres no discharge from their eyes, nares, or mouths. Zero swelling. None. They all eat well. They dont get water or food overnight, once theyre 3 weeks old and start outside, which is never an issue with any of the other birds we have and has never been an issue in the past. I also have a water test done yearly thats required by my county for me to sell eggs at markets and theres nothing in the water. No one in my area sprays chemicals or fertilizers, we're all small scale farmers that dont use those kinds of things. Im also at the top of a hill, and in the middle of the woods, so no run off from other places.

Ive experienced CRD in adults before, but have never in 20 years with chickens even come across respiratory diseases in anything less than 9 months old. Ive had chickens for 20+ years, geese for 10.

That’s very strange.
I wonder if something’s getting into their pen at night and exposed them to something, maybe mice?

What state were the goslings in when they died? Did you see any of them die? Did you notice any flip on their backs with leg paddling, or tremors of the head or body? Or were they lying on their stomachs with legs and neck stretched backwards?

If it happens again you should definitely send them in for necropsy.

 

[Knightlight]

That’s very strange.
I wonder if something’s getting into their pen at night and exposed them to something, maybe mice?

What state were the goslings in when they died? Did you see any of them die? Did you notice any flip on their backs with leg paddling, or tremors of the head or body? Or were they lying on their stomachs with legs and neck stretched backwards?

If it happens again you should definitely send them in for necropsy.

They were laying in various states of on their bellies, legs and heads outstretched or legs tucked under body and head outstetched. Water was pouring out of their mouths when i picked up the bodies. I unfortunately havent witnessed any deaths. All completely fine when put out to pens (in totes inside our hatchery at night so no predation or any other animal access) all excitedly eating and drinking as per usual. Then by end of day at least 1, sometimes 3 in a day, dead. Most of the times I had checked them not more than an hour prior to finding the dead ones.

I cant afford the almost $200 bill to send for a necropsy in my area or I would. Ive sent a few birds in years past when ive been stumped by causes of death, and each has been close to that amount. Nowhere near me that Ive found has cheap/free University necropsy options unfortunately...

 

[Goosebaby]

Any plants in their run or that they can reach out to and grab?

 

[Knightlight]

Any plants in their run or that they can reach out to and grab?

Nothing but grass and non toxic stuff like plantain

 

[Goosebaby]

What kind of grass and plantain?
Some grasses and other plants like clover produce cyanide in their roots.

 

[Knightlight]

What kind of grass and plantain?
Some grasses and other plants like clover produce cyanide in their roots.

Regular grasses, not sure species. Other goslings doing fine, have done fine every other year on it.

 

[Goosebaby]

Regular grasses, not sure species. Other goslings doing fine, have done fine every other year on it.

Well I have no idea then. The only thing I could guess at is a respiratory infection because of the itchy face as I said. Hopefully no more die.