gossling falling on back and cant get up.

[Bad Andy]

two times now, two seperate Gosslings somehow ended up on their backs, and couldn't get back up. they are larger gosslings (as big as my fully grown ducks) but still have down, but only little sprouts of feathers. they lay their and try to use their stubby wings and head to try to right themselvs until the down is rubbed off and the wings and neck are rubbed raw. it happened once in a cast iron tub with gratting and wood chips on the bottom, and the second time was in the duck pen in the mud right after a rain. They both survived, but they didn't look good when I got to them. why is this happening ????????????

 

[trudigale]

This is so interesting because I am having the same problem and came to backyardchickens to find help! I have one Sebastopol gosling (about 6 weeks old) that has been on it's back four times now. She (I call it a she - it might be a he

) is healthy, eats, drinks, plays in the little pool, runs in the yard with her other four siblings --- but I go out to see how the five babies are doing and count only 4........ This little one is somewhere on it's back just waiting for help to get set up right. This morning I found her on her back...... I seperated her from the group to let her rest up and make sure she is ok. Why is this happening. Do I need to do something help this from happening again? Is my baby ok?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I have waited a long time to get my little sebastopol goslings and just don't want anything to happen to them. Thank you so much in advance!
Trudi

 

[The goose girl]

I have no idea why, but it seems common enough.

On a Danish waterfowl forum there was one who experienced the same with a duckling. She posted the cutest pictures: http://fjerkrae.dk/prod/index.php?topic=17991.msg162337#msg162337

For the unfortunate people out there who do not read Danish, I can tell you that noone knew why, but a few had had the same happen to one or two of their ducklings. They just kept an eye on them and helped them up. They grew out of it quickly.

 

[Bad Andy]

they dont have real wings yet. only little nubs with down on them. is that the reason? do mature birds rely on their wings to right themselves ?
I may go out and turn one of my ducks on its back and see what it does. any excuse to play with the birds !