Gosling will ONLY eat grass

[Tacswa3]

I got 4 goslings when they were 6 days old. They are now 12 days old. 2 saddle backs, 2 American buff. All was good until one of the buffs isn't thriving. Literally has not grown with the rest of them. Won't eat feed and I haven't personally seen it drink. I've been syringing vitamins, electrolytes, and noticed it will only eat grass I provide in the brooder. It will literally spit out the commercial feed (Mazuri) I try to force feed it. I can tell its getting weak and if it doesn't turn around soon, its not gonna make it. What else can I try?

 

[Goosebaby]

I got 4 goslings when they were 6 days old. They are now 12 days old. 2 saddle backs, 2 American buff. All was good until one of the buffs isn't thriving. Literally has not grown with the rest of them. Won't eat feed and I haven't personally seen it drink. I've been syringing vitamins, electrolytes, and noticed it will only eat grass I provide in the brooder. It will literally spit out the commercial feed (Mazuri) I try to force feed it. I can tell its getting weak and if it doesn't turn around soon, its not gonna make it. What else can I try?

You can try making the feed into a soupy mash, that can encourage them to eat. Maybe get some pre and probiotics to help with digestion, something like Sav-a-chick.

Refusal to eat like this could be because of some sort of intestinal discomfort, maybe parasites or a bacterial infection? grass and dirt is sometimes the only thing they’ll will eat if somethings wrong, like trying to eat a lot of roughage to get rid of the discomfort, until they stop eating all together.

Maybe add a little apple cider vinegar to their water, though with the gosling falling behind the others it clearly isn’t getting enough nutrients so this looks like it could be something that acv just won’t be enough for.

Another possibility is they could be filling up on the grass, and if it’s to big and slows down digestion it could be causing a partial obstruction and that’s why they aren’t eating enough, maybe offer some chick grit.

 

[Goosebaby]

I got 4 goslings when they were 6 days old. They are now 12 days old. 2 saddle backs, 2 American buff. All was good until one of the buffs isn't thriving. Literally has not grown with the rest of them. Won't eat feed and I haven't personally seen it drink. I've been syringing vitamins, electrolytes, and noticed it will only eat grass I provide in the brooder. It will literally spit out the commercial feed (Mazuri) I try to force feed it. I can tell its getting weak and if it doesn't turn around soon, its not gonna make it. What else can I try?

Could you post some pictures of the sick goslings droppings? Sometimes it can help with figuring out what’s wrong.

 

[Tacswa3]

If I happen to observe a fresh dropping from it I will post a pic. I've only been offering a little grass part time to get them started on it. Grit has been offered since I started the grass. I forced fed a little grit the gosling this evening. I have been wetting the food, I can try to mash it up a bit more.While Im at work I have no idea how much its eating or drinking if at all. Like I said, It hasn't grown any. Only been outside twice for a little grass and water time since I've had them the 6 days.

 

[Goosebaby]

If I happen to observe a fresh dropping from it I will post a pic. I've only been offering a little grass part time to get them started on it. Grit has been offered since I started the grass. I forced fed a little grit the gosling this evening. I have been wetting the food, I can try to mash it up a bit more.While Im at work I have no idea how much its eating or drinking if at all. Like I said, It hasn't grown any. Only been outside twice for a little grass and water time since I've had them the 6 days.

No need to force grit down the throat, that could cause problems.

If a blockage isn’t the issue my guess is some sort of bacterial infection then, you can try boosting the immune system with the probiotics, acv, and maybe if you can find fresh oregano crush it in their water, it has anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic properties, though antibiotics may be needed if the gosling doesn’t improve or gets worse.

 

[Tacswa3]

No need to force grit down the throat, that could cause problems.

If a blockage isn’t the issue my guess is some sort of bacterial infection then, you can try boosting the immune system with the probiotics, acv, and maybe if you can find fresh oregano crush it in their water, it has anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic properties, though antibiotics may be needed if the gosling doesn’t improve or gets worse.

Not forcing, just putting it in the front of its mouth and letting him swallow if he feels inclined to do so. I wanted to try to some in him since he's eating grass. I know he's not going to eat the grit on his own.

 

[Goosebaby]

Not forcing, just putting it in the front of its mouth and letting him swallow if he feels inclined to do so. I wanted to try to some in him since he's eating grass. I know he's not going to eat the grit on his own.

How’s your gosling today?

 

[Tacswa3]

How’s your gosling today?

He is still hanging on. Lethargic, but not super lethargic. He'll get up on is own, walk around a bit, just seems uninterested overall. I just keep doing what I'm doing, pushing liquids, vitamins, probiotics, feeding greens. I'm starting fodder so hopefully he's still here to eat some since greens seems all he's interested in.

 

[Goosebaby]

He is still hanging on. Lethargic, but not super lethargic. He'll get up on is own, walk around a bit, just seems uninterested overall. I just keep doing what I'm doing, pushing liquids, vitamins, probiotics, feeding greens. I'm starting fodder so hopefully he's still here to eat some since greens seems all he's interested in.

You may need to start tube feeding, I don’t know if there’s a tractor supply near you but if you can find this https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/encore-avian-gro-rite-for-chickens-2-lb-54010?cm_vc=-10005 it’s super high in protein so will work as a tube feeding formula if you soak it.
For a gosling I would try to find a kitten sized gastronomy tube like this one https://www.amazon.com/LBH-Market-F...rds=kitten+feeding+tube&qid=1618075653&sr=8-3
Tube feeding can be risky in such a small bird, you have to absolutly make sure the tube goes down the right side of the throat, if it goes down the left you’ll fill the lungs. You’ll see a lump moving down on the outside of the neck as you slide the tube down.
I’m not sure how much a gosling should get so you’ll have to do some guesswork, it’s better to under feed than over feed and have them inhale some of the formula. An adult’s stomach empties every 2-2 and a half hours, goslings may be about the same so that’s a timeline they should be fed.
Also try to limit the amount of air pockets in the tube, and it helps if you apply a little ky jelly to the plunger to keep it from sticking.
Always run boiling water through the tube after it’s been used to prevent bacteria growth.

It might be a good idea to get this for your gosling if you do tube feed because tube feeding can increase the risk of getting Candida https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...VZCH7&linkId=7efc0888c1aafab2b9e28d62c128c842

 

[Tacswa3]

Little man or ma’am appears to be doing much better. I’ve seen some growth and actually eating more grain on his own. He just might make it after all.

On another note, I bought a pair of adult Buffs a little over a month ago. The gander’s feathers looked a bit rough and the seller said because the males have been fighting. Made sense as it was the start of breeding season and the seller has a large flock. Since then his feathers continue to get worse and I can’t tell if it’s a moult. I’m concerned because his neck has gotten patchy. Seems to be early for a moult. He acts fine otherwise. He came from a good environment with large acreage to roam and a pond. His lady has been sitting on a clutch for nearly a month. My other 2 Chinese geese look beautiful, no signs of moult.

Im not new to moulting chickens or ducks but this is my first year owning geese. Does this sound like A moult ?