Gosling won’t drink on its own and shakes head when I give it water

[SterlingAries]

I bought 4 African goslings yesterday and 2 brown Chinese. One of the African goslings (the smallest of the bunch) isn’t moving much and I haven’t seen it eating or drinking on its own much. When I give it water, it immediately shakes its head for a few soconds and sometimes stands ups and almost falls over while doing it. It’ll continue to drink though if I’m the one giving it water and it’s not on its own. The best thing that my local store could recommend was pedialyte or hydra hen. Any idea what’s going on or suggestions on how to help?

 

[Goosebaby]

What feed are they on? Where did you get them? Is the gosling able to walk? Have you noticed any other symptoms or behaviors that are different from the other goslings?

It could be a vitamin deficiency, not enough niacin and other b vitamins as well as not enough vitamin e can cause leg and balance issues among other problems.
If this is the can liquid B complex administered over a few days as well as a multivitamin mix will help.

 

[SterlingAries]

What feed are they on? Where did you get them? Is the gosling able to walk? Have you noticed any other symptoms or behaviors that are different from the other goslings?

It could be a vitamin deficiency, not enough niacin and other b vitamins as well as not enough vitamin e can cause leg and balance issues among other problems.
If this is the can liquid B complex administered over a few days as well as a multivitamin mix will help.

We have them on all stock but just got them yesterday so I’m not sure what the store had them on. Got them from Virden’s Farm and Garden. The other goslings are all good and energetic. This one can walk but doesn’t much, mostly just sits there sleeping. I called our closest farm supply store and they said all they have is an electrolyte and vitamin supplement that includes B12,D3,E, and B.I’m going to get that mix as soon as possible

 

[Goosebaby]

If you can find Purina flock raiser I’d switch to it, I don’t know what all stock is so I can’t look up the nutritional percentages. Some all flock type feeds are great, others can be too low in one thing or another.
I don’t know where you are but If you have a tractor supply they usually carry Purina flock raiser as well as durvetb vitamin complex. They also have rooster booster poultry cell which is a multivitamin mix, also there’s this stuff which is great https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/prairie-pride-vitamins-electrolytes-8-oz?cm_vc=-10005
Avoid the sav-a chick, it hardly has anything in it.

You might also try getting some small syringes “3 ml” in case you can’t get the little one to drink vitamin water, tractor supply also usually carries those, syringe feeding goslings is trickier than adults because they’re so little but sometimes it’s necessary.

It could be a congnital issue, if that’s the case there isn’t much that can be done, it could also just be vitamin deficiency. Sometimes if the mother was low on vitamins when she laid the egg the yolk can have only just enough nutrients to get through incubation but leaves the gosling vitamin deficient upon hatching.

 

[SterlingAries]

If you can find Purina flock raiser I’d switch to it, I don’t know what all stock is so I can’t look up the nutritional percentages. Some all flock type feeds are great, others can be too low in one thing or another.
I don’t know where you are but If you have a tractor supply they usually carry Purina flock raiser as well as durvetb vitamin complex. They also have rooster booster poultry cell which is a multivitamin mix, also there’s this stuff which is great https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/prairie-pride-vitamins-electrolytes-8-oz?cm_vc=-10005
Avoid the sav-a chick, it hardly has anything in it.

You might also try getting some small syringes “3 ml” in case you can’t get the little one to drink vitamin water, tractor supply also usually carries those, syringe feeding goslings is trickier than adults because they’re so little but sometimes it’s necessary.

It could be a congnital issue, if that’s the case there isn’t much that can be done, it could also just be vitamin deficiency. Sometimes if the mother was low on vitamins when she laid the egg the yolk can have only just enough nutrients to get through incubation but leaves the gosling vitamin deficient upon hatching.

We use dumor 17% all flock pellet from Tractor Supply (also made by Purina).Also TS is where they said they only had the save a chick mix and hydra hen but I’m going tomorrow morning to see if they have what you suggested. I’m about to try a small amount of pedialyte for now like Virden’s suggested but I’ll definitely look for the other feed tomorrow too if you don’t think the dumor is good? I just checked on it and it’s at least standing some now

 

[Goosebaby]

Dumor is too low in protein, goslings should be on a 20% to 22% protein percentage feed. Definitly try the pedialyte.

 

[SterlingAries]

Dumor is too low in protein, goslings should be on a 20% to 22% protein percentage feed. Definitly try the pedialyte.

So it’s definitely standing up a little more but still not walking much and chirping when it wasn’t before. I just saw it poop for the first time too. Still just trying to constantly sleep and not eating that I’ve seen though. Took like 2 drinks of the pedialyte water mix.

 

[Goosebaby]

So it’s definitely standing up a little more but still not walking much and chirping when it wasn’t before. I just saw it poop for the first time too. Still just trying to constantly sleep and not eating that I’ve seen though. Took like 2 drinks of the pedialyte water mix.

Standing up and chirping That’s a good sign!

 

[SterlingAries]

Standing up and chirping That’s a good sign!

Yeah I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow after I get the vitamin mix, I’ve been checking on it every hour and giving it water

 

[SterlingAries]

Yeah I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow after I get the vitamin mix, I’ve been checking on it every hour and giving it water

The gosling is worse now but I found a round sore on it’s stomach that said it was from being taken from the egg too early possibly when I looked it up in the umbilical area. It’s barely alive, I’ve sat with it for an hour