I adopted 6 two month old Pomeranians yesterday. They appear healthy, but they were fed nothing but chicken layer crumble from birth. The guy who sold them to me said that is how he has raised all his geese, and his adults were healthy and beautiful. I am concerned that there may be medical problems later due to this diet. What do I need to watch for as they get older? I put them on grower with niacin when I got them home. Would you make any other changes to their diet to try to correct earlier diet issues?
First, congratulations on getting a set of Pomeranians!!!! What color did you get....any pictures? As to their health, it all depends on whether they also had access to pasture or other forms of supplementation. If they look good and are having no trouble walking (legs are not bowed or undersized...look weak) you will probably be okay. Given that they are still young though, you may want to add some Brewers Yeast to their food just to make sure they have sufficient Niacin. Also, you said his adults looked healthy and beautiful, so I would guess you are probably good: By their age and size, if they had any nutritional issues, it is more than likely you would be seeing signs of it. Good luck with them: I hope you enjoy them!
Thank you. I am not nearly as worried now. Where do you get your Brewers Yeast? I had trouble finding it last year. I need to look up how the SOP spells it. Are they grey or gray saddlebacks? I created an album of their baby pictures: https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/album/view/id/6219773/user_id/91713#
I get my brewer's yeast on Amazon: It is the best price I could find since I couldn't find any locally. Also, I use Gamebird starter for the first couple of weeks, then mix it 50/50 with Chick starter till they are about 2 months old. Then I switch them to straight chick starter: All topped with the Brewer's yeast. You have to watch out for the higher protein as it may be linked to Angel Wing. Also, I put them in a daytime playpen from 2 days old so they can get started on pasture right away. All my Pomeranian's are Buff Saddlebacks. I started out with an unrelated pair, then hatched some of their eggs. Then to get another bloodline, I purchased eggs from Kawonu and then Celtic Oaks sold me 4 goslings she had hatched from Kawonu's eggs as well. Now, I am up to 16 of them varying in age from 3 years old to 3 days old. I have one final egg still developing in my incubator that is due to hatch later this week (fingers crossed). Your babies look really good and are super cute. Enjoy them and all their fluffy puffy sweetness now because they will be huge in just a couple more weeks.
Thanks for the tip on Amazon for the brewers yeast. I have never used the gamebird starter because I was afraid of the high protein. Since I started out with Embdens, I tried to keep the protein low to slow down their growth. I was worried about leg problems. How do you contain your little ones on pasture? I usually just supervise when they are that small. They are hawk bait when they are babies and they wiggle through all the fencing I've used. I don't know the bloodline of my geese. The breeder told me that they got the geese in Michigan, but that is my only clue. The breeder was not very knowledgeable. It is good to know that Celtic Oaks has Poms. She isn't that far from me, and I was planning on going over there in the fall. The only things I don't like about geese is how fast they grow. They are so cute and cuddly when they are small, but they get independent and too big to cuddle in no time at all.
Here is one of my playpens I use until they are about 2 weeks old... Then I use step-in posts (white plastic 3' tall with a spike on the end), and the green poly fencing to create a yard (under a low hanging tree) in the goose pasture. The adults check on them constantly. Once they are about 5-6 weeks I let them out in the front juvenile pond....here (pasture to the right)... My plan is to sort them once they all have their adult feathers. We are getting ready to build a third small pond and house in our goat pasture so we can move some of the ducks and geese there too. As to the Angel Wing thing....I have to wonder if the birds have to be genetically pre-disposed to getting it. I have never had a case until recently. Right now I have a 6 week old from purchased eggs that developed it. He is in a large kennel with a private yard for a few days because the other geese pull his wrap off.
If yours can make it at 5-6 weeks, I guess mine will too. It has taken so long to find Poms that I sure don't want to loose them. I guess I will give them a week to get used to being here, then let them loose. You have very lucky waterfowl with 3 ponds to choose from. It sure will make breeding easier if you can separate them. Isn't that just like a goose to pull off the wrap. Everything has to go in their mouths. I have only seen one case of angel wing myself, in one of my friends' ducks. Your experience would certainly indicate that it is a genetic weakness.
Well, the decision to let them loose all depends on the predator situation you have. Also, my 2 adults and 4 adult sized juveniles stay with the little ones all day. Plus, I have a tremendous amount of low tree canopies that protect them as well. I have hawks, but also a lot of very territorial crows that run them and the owls off (If I hadn't seen that the other day I wouldn't have believed it). By 8 weeks the Poms will definitely be big enough to be safe from air predators during the day (they are about 3/4 their adult size). Just follow your instinct and you'll be okay. If your Embdens have survived you, then I am sure the Poms will as well....lol. Good luck with them. Heck in a couple of seasons I'll be buying some eggs from you to get your bloodlines to add to my flock!
I guess I need to start breeding crows. I know they are as large as some of my chickens, but they just look so tiny next to my Embdens. Hopefully my breeding skills will improve to the point that I actually have some eggs to trade.
You'll get there, breeding wise that is. I got lucky with my pair and all I had to do was collect the eggs. In no time flat, you are going to have a good sized flock of Poms running around and bossing everything on your property around as well.