Goslings of 2015 Hatch-a-Long

[jtn42248]

For all those in Texas and surrounding areas.....

 

[Carrosaur]

What are you feeding them? Do they have an adult to learn from? 

He hasn't taken food yet, he drank once but when I put his beak in the food he just started shaking his head. The four day old geese are walking perfectly, they have adults outside but I'm trying to brood them for three weeks so they know I'm the one who brings the food and I'm apart of their world.

 

[jtn42248]

He hasn't taken food yet, he drank once but when I put his beak in the food he just started shaking his head. The four day old geese are walking perfectly, they have adults outside but I'm trying to brood them for three weeks so they know I'm the one who brings the food and I'm apart of their world.

Mine are being raised by the adults and they seem to know exactly who I am with no problem. But, if he is not eating there may be more going on than is apparent. He needs to eat and he needs additional niacin probably. If there is more going on you may need to prepare yourself for the worse.

 

[Carrosaur]

Mine are being raised by the adults and they seem to know exactly who I am with no problem. But, if he is not eating there may be more going on than is apparent. He needs to eat and he needs additional niacin probably. If there is more going on you may need to prepare yourself for the worse.

He's fifteen hours old, when do they normally start eating? I've never had one this young, only 2 days old from hatcheries. I brought him outside to see if he wanted grass so I walked away a bit and he started SCREEAAMING so I brought him inside..

 

[Carrosaur]

He's preening very well.

 

[jtn42248]

He's fifteen hours old, when do they normally start eating? I've never had one this young, only 2 days old from hatcheries. I brought him outside to see if he wanted grass so I walked away a bit and he started SCREEAAMING so I brought him inside..

His screaming may have been more because he was alone than anything else. Does he have any others to be with? They absorb the yolk during hatching and that can take then through 2-3 days with no problem. He will begin eating sometime during that time. Does he walk o.k.? Does he favor the leg that sticks out? Just be sure that he has added niacin if you will be feeding regular feed. If you have managed to get a waterfowl feed check the label for content so that you do not OD him on niacin.

 

[Carrosaur]

His screaming may have been more because he was alone than anything else. Does he have any others to be with? They absorb the yolk during hatching and that can take then through 2-3 days with no problem. He will begin eating sometime during that time. Does he walk o.k.? Does he favor the leg that sticks out? Just be sure that he has added niacin if you will be feeding regular feed. If you have managed to get a waterfowl feed check the label for content so that you do not OD him on niacin.

I've been putting niacin in his water, he doesn't favor it. I put him on a towel and he walks pretty well for how old he is. I'll give it a few days. I have some four day old buff and Toulouse goslings, when I put him in with them he does the SCREEEEAM thing.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do babies stick their legs out when they hatch or do they automatically go right under them?

Not ever having a gosling hatch here I can't answer that one, I don't think the legs would go out to the side though but i have seen goslings with their legs back behind them.

 

[jtn42248]

I've been putting niacin in his water, he doesn't favor it. I put him on a towel and he walks pretty well for how old he is. I'll give it a few days. I have some four day old buff and Toulouse goslings, when I put him in with them he does the SCREEEEAM thing.

Depending on the niacin/brewer's yeast the taste can be quite bitter. I get the brewer's yeast they sell at GNC which is somehow modified to taste better (they are selling it to muscle builders after all). The other goslings probably seem like giant beast to him plus it sounds like you have been trying to, and succeeding, bond him to you. While that is o.k. and some people do have success with that level of bonding it really only works if it is the only gosling. My geese are my pets but they are not like puppies. They need the company of other geese in order to learn how to be a goose. It is my personal opinion that we do a great disservice to these magnificent birds when we try to go beyond their nature unnecessarily. They need and learn from the company of adult geese and other goslings. However, I have read that the bonding is almost instant with many birds so it may be beyond the point where he will feel comfortable with other geese without some level of a sort of goose rehab.

There are plenty of other BYC members that I am sure have other opinions on this and I will defer to their expertise as I have only allowed natural brooding in my flock.

 

[Carrosaur]

Depending on the niacin/brewer's yeast the taste can be quite bitter. I get the brewer's yeast they sell at GNC which is somehow modified to taste better (they are selling it to muscle builders after all). The other goslings probably seem like giant beast to him plus it sounds like you have been trying to, and succeeding, bond him to you. While that is o.k. and some people do have success with that level of bonding it really only works if it is the only gosling. My geese are my pets but they are not like puppies. They need the company of other geese in order to learn how to be a goose. It is my personal opinion that we do a great disservice to these magnificent birds when we try to go beyond their nature unnecessarily. They need and learn from the company of adult geese and other goslings. However, I have read that the bonding is almost instant with many birds so it may be beyond the point where he will feel comfortable with other geese without some level of a sort of goose rehab.

There are plenty of other BYC members that I am sure have other opinions on this and I will defer to their expertise as I have only allowed natural brooding in my flock.

I totally agree honestly. A few weeks ago I argued my heart out about not raising geese in the house after I learned Pear was much happier outside with Kiwi, because they aren't like dogs, dogs were bred to be a part of human's lives. Since he was the only one to hatch I guess I did the wrong thing by taking him with me. Ugh. I feel horrible now. Poor little guy