Help! 2 week year old gosling keeps eating pine shavings

[Gooselover567]

I have a 2 week old gosling. She has just started eating the pine shavings. She is not just digging through them, she is eating them constantly. She eats chick starter and poops fine. Is there any side effects in the long run? Should I put some chick grit out to help her digestion?

 

[sourland]

Goslings like roughage, but eating pine shavings is not good. Can you provide access to a grassy patch so that it can graze. I would remove the pine shavings.

 

[Gooselover567]

Should I leave her outside? That is the only place where there is grass, but doesn't she need to be in the brooder?

 

[LadyWolf44005]

They should still be in the brooder. They can go outside in 3 to 4 weeks for short periods of time. Since they still dont have all there feathers, they still cant contain body heat well. As for pine shavings I am sorry to say I have no clue! Will pray for you and that little gosling! Just incase!

 

[Gooselover567]

Thank you! Does anybody else have any ideas on what I should do about the shavings? I gave her a little box of dirt to dig in but she wasn't interested.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Take out the shaving and replace with puppy pee pads or towels that can be shook out and washed and reused.

 

[Gooselover567]

Thank you for that suggestion. I will try that. But is there another alternative because I have noticed that they are very messy, and pine shavings seem to soak up their mess a lot more..

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well you could try straw and hope she doesn't eat it but it doesn't absorb like the shavings will. Do you keep feed and water out all the time? is it warm enough where you are for them to have some outside time with your supervision?

 

[LadyWolf44005]

I would also use unscented puppy pads, and moss. There is also a hard wire cloth? Thing you could do to place underneath the drinker. I am not familiar with is but from what I hear it's very useful.

Here is a example of it. Starts at around 4:45. He does talk a little about it

 

[Gooselover567]

Yes she has access to food and water all the time. She has a companion and he does not eat the shavings. I take them outside for about an hour every day where I can keep an eye on them.