Help! Goose off her feet.

[cvamoca]

While I've had chickens forever, geese are relatively new to me.
Earlier this week I picked up 5 geese from a friend who has to give up his poultry, he is losing his foot and can't look after them any longer.
I posted the mother- who looks like a Pomeranian to me in the Pom. thread, but need some help.
I'm not sure what happened, but since she arrived here the mother goose can only walk a couple steps, limping on the left and then collapsing and using her bill and wings to try to move further. When I visited her at the owners- she seemed fine and completely mobile.
I'm worried because she's not eating much, and not engaged. If I don't cage her, she will go back into the house and hide somewhere. Yesterday I took her out in a cage so she could hang out with the family, the day before she was up and bathed but collapsed shortly afterward. The only thing I can think is she somehow got injured on the way here.
Her feet look fine- I can't find anything warm, swollen, cut or wrong with either leg and foot. I'm totally confused as to what could be wrong with her, so I can't even treat it. What worries me the most is if she doesn't start eating, she will die. All she will take is a bit of bread- what her owner fed her. I've tried every grain and pellet and nothing interests her.
She's supposedly only 3, but really, I can't tell--she could be 20.
Anyone got any suggestions other than Bumblefoot which I've already ruled out? There are no broken bones and nothing out of place, she just can't walk. I'm hoping keeping her in a cage is the best idea to get her mobility back from an injury- but maybe I'm wrong. All replies appreciated.

 

[cvamoca]

Anyone out there?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Anyone out there?

If this was a young gosling I'd say a niacin dif. but still maybe if she has been on a bread only diet where she came from. Can you get some Poultry Nutri Drench[TSC] go by directions and put into her drinking water along with some chopped up romaine lettuce Then pick up some Brewers yeast and sprinkle that in her water till she is eating better then you can add to her feed. You also may try moistening her feed with warm water and some Apple Cider Vinegar. I feed my flock Fermented feed using ACV and warm water and they love it. Sometimes when an animal is sick they'll eat feed better if it's warm and moist. you can even try it as a gruel where it's like soupy. I'd start with a small amount though to see if she'll eat it so your not having to toss but most likely someone else would eat it if she doesn't. I use 1 gallon of warm water to half cup of ACV then pour over my grains, what you could do is mix up the water/ACV and use it over the feed[grains] then when time to give her more just heat up the water mixture and pour over again. if you are interested in making FF I can give you the link. Keeping her confined will make her rest, but I'd try and let her swim with your supervision at least 1X a day to keep her muscle from wasting. usually once started on Niacin they rebound pretty fast. Of course i am only guessing since I'm not a vet but at least give it a shot. The Brewers yeast is 1 Tab to 1 cup of feed if putting in water I'd do 1 tab to 1 gal. Please keep us updated on how she is doing.

 

[cvamoca]

This is a grown goose-- she could be 3 or 23, her owner said three, but he also said 4...she came with her mate and three grown goslings from this year, on Thursday. Lovely goose, a very



pretty Saddleback Pomeranian, I believe.

I'm thrilled to say she's up and about today- Over night she finally ate her feed, and ate a lot, and drank about 2 litres of water! On her own this afternoon she left the cage, and went out to pasture with her family and grazed- first time she's actually walked, and she's walking well. Has a bit of a limp, but I thought she was dying 2 days ago, today was just unreal.
She bathed, and didn't fall. Over the course of the day she got better- we have 3 acres and they ranged quite a bit. Here they are in the back yard, prior to heading to pasture.

I'm hoping it just meant she twisted her foot or leg when she was transported here, and was "shocky" and over stressed for a few days. It was awesome to let her into the barn tonight with her husband and kids, without having to put her in a cage. I just took some lettuce and corn out to them and she was happy to accept it along with her boys.

Thank you also to Goosefan for your pm, much appreciated!

 

[RURU]

The best food for geese is either waterfowl feed , gamebird feed or All flock feed. It has the nutrition they need. Sounds like the do need niacin due to the lameness in the one. Do NOT feed bread it is wasted calories no nutrition at all for them!! Mainly grass and more grass that is their main food.

 

[livininbrazil]

While I've had chickens forever, geese are relatively new to me.
Earlier this week I picked up 5 geese from a friend who has to give up his poultry, he is losing his foot and can't look after them any longer.
I posted the mother- who looks like a Pomeranian to me in the Pom. thread, but need some help.
I'm not sure what happened, but since she arrived here the mother goose can only walk a couple steps, limping on the left and then collapsing and using her bill and wings to try to move further. When I visited her at the owners- she seemed fine and completely mobile.
I'm worried because she's not eating much, and not engaged. If I don't cage her, she will go back into the house and hide somewhere. Yesterday I took her out in a cage so she could hang out with the family, the day before she was up and bathed but collapsed shortly afterward. The only thing I can think is she somehow got injured on the way here.
Her feet look fine- I can't find anything warm, swollen, cut or wrong with either leg and foot. I'm totally confused as to what could be wrong with her, so I can't even treat it. What worries me the most is if she doesn't start eating, she will die. All she will take is a bit of bread- what her owner fed her. I've tried every grain and pellet and nothing interests her.
She's supposedly only 3, but really, I can't tell--she could be 20.
Anyone got any suggestions other than Bumblefoot which I've already ruled out? There are no broken bones and nothing out of place, she just can't walk. I'm hoping keeping her in a cage is the best idea to get her mobility back from an injury- but maybe I'm wrong. All replies appreciated.

Hi cv. Just reading through, and I suspect that the diet of bread has caused the problem. What Ruru said about niacing)VitB3, same stuff, is in Brewers´Yeast, it´s a good supplement to put into your goose feed to get them back on their feet. It´d be worth getting. I bought a couple of extra geese at the beginning of the year, and one of them soon started with the same problem, but as ruru´d already told me about niacin with my previous goslings, I knew what to do, and she´s now great and has 6 goslings. Her previous owner also didn´t have the ability to care for them very well, so poor guy with his foot...probably simply wasn´t able to feed them well enough.
I´m not convinced about the Pom breed, though, as she seems a bit smaller than the others, and Poms are a biggish breed with a heavy build.
They´re very beautiful, and seems they have a wonderful home.

 

[Miss Lydia]

This is a grown goose-- she could be 3 or 23, her owner said three, but he also said 4...she came with her mate and three grown goslings from this year, on Thursday. Lovely goose, a very



pretty Saddleback Pomeranian, I believe.

I'm thrilled to say she's up and about today- Over night she finally ate her feed, and ate a lot, and drank about 2 litres of water! On her own this afternoon she left the cage, and went out to pasture with her family and grazed- first time she's actually walked, and she's walking well. Has a bit of a limp, but I thought she was dying 2 days ago, today was just unreal.
She bathed, and didn't fall. Over the course of the day she got better- we have 3 acres and they ranged quite a bit. Here they are in the back yard, prior to heading to pasture.

I'm hoping it just meant she twisted her foot or leg when she was transported here, and was "shocky" and over stressed for a few days. It was awesome to let her into the barn tonight with her husband and kids, without having to put her in a cage. I just took some lettuce and corn out to them and she was happy to accept it along with her boys.

Thank you also to Goosefan for your pm, much appreciated!

That is great news! Beautiful geese

 

[cvamoca]

Thank you- I'm pretty sure they weren't getting fed much, or anything because the owner really couldn't do much and is pretty poor. They were turned out on grass though.
When I called him to ask what I should try feeding- he said scratch and bread. That doesn't work for me- well scratch is fine- the scratch we have here has molasses in it and is 4 grain, wheat, corn, barley and oats. I usually feed flight conditioner pellets (for waterfowl), lay mash, extra cracked corn and lay pellets and mix everything together because my chickens also live in the barn(s). (I have Araucanas--the correct, rumpless tufted kind) must say hi on the Araucana page.

The white husband is HUGE- biggest goose I've ever seen- he's far bigger than my Embden/Chinese crosses- well, all that family are much bigger and heavier. I guessed Pomeranian because she fits the standard well-- correct colour, eyes, feet, but they are pretty rare, although I did hear some were brought in to the Annapolis Valley (I'm in Nova Scotia Canada) a few years ago, so it's possible--I don't know of any other goose breed that's close to that and possible to be in NS. The male is well over 20 pounds,
the kids are very close to that, and Mom is about 17 or 18.

Here are my first three geese- my "Babies" --these three are from a Chinese mother and an Embden father- they were imprinted at hatch and think they are my dogs- which is fine with me. White one was Lucy- but I think Lucy is a Bruce. (Tried to breed the Saddleback goose, maybe just a dominance thing?)
Second is Frankie Blue eyes- who may be a Francine.
Bruce/Lucy again, and Mr. Hanky- who may be a Missus Hanky...they are just 3 months old, and the sweetest things. And the last 2 pictures are of the new flock with the "back on her feet" hen. (I can call a female goose a hen too, right?)
We have unlimited pasture here, apple trees, lots of grass till it snows, a good vegetable garden that needs weeding, so I have great hopes that they will all live a long and happy life. Many of my chickens are 10 years old, so I'm doing something right!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you- I'm pretty sure they weren't getting fed much, or anything because the owner really couldn't do much and is pretty poor. They were turned out on grass though.
When I called him to ask what I should try feeding- he said scratch and bread. That doesn't work for me- well scratch is fine- the scratch we have here has molasses in it and is 4 grain, wheat, corn, barley and oats. I usually feed flight conditioner pellets (for waterfowl), lay mash, extra cracked corn and lay pellets and mix everything together because my chickens also live in the barn(s). (I have Araucanas--the correct, rumpless tufted kind) must say hi on the Araucana page.

The white husband is HUGE- biggest goose I've ever seen- he's far bigger than my Embden/Chinese crosses- well, all that family are much bigger and heavier. I guessed Pomeranian because she fits the standard well-- correct colour, eyes, feet, but they are pretty rare, although I did hear some were brought in to the Annapolis Valley (I'm in Nova Scotia Canada) a few years ago, so it's possible--I don't know of any other goose breed that's close to that and possible to be in NS. The male is well over 20 pounds,
the kids are very close to that, and Mom is about 17 or 18.

Here are my first three geese- my "Babies" --these three are from a Chinese mother and an Embden father- they were imprinted at hatch and think they are my dogs- which is fine with me. White one was Lucy- but I think Lucy is a Bruce. (Tried to breed the Saddleback goose, maybe just a dominance thing?)
Second is Frankie Blue eyes- who may be a Francine.
Bruce/Lucy again, and Mr. Hanky- who may be a Missus Hanky...they are just 3 months old, and the sweetest things. And the last 2 pictures are of the new flock with the "back on her feet" hen. (I can call a female goose a hen too, right?)
We have unlimited pasture here, apple trees, lots of grass till it snows, a good vegetable garden that needs weeding, so I have great hopes that they will all live a long and happy life. Many of my chickens are 10 years old, so I'm doing something right!

She looks great, they all look like they could use a bit of weight so most likely grazing and eating what you described will get them in tip top shape. in no time. They sure are pretty.

 

[livininbrazil]

Thank you- I'm pretty sure they weren't getting fed much, or anything because the owner really couldn't do much and is pretty poor. They were turned out on grass though.
When I called him to ask what I should try feeding- he said scratch and bread. That doesn't work for me- well scratch is fine- the scratch we have here has molasses in it and is 4 grain, wheat, corn, barley and oats. I usually feed flight conditioner pellets (for waterfowl), lay mash, extra cracked corn and lay pellets and mix everything together because my chickens also live in the barn(s). (I have Araucanas--the correct, rumpless tufted kind) must say hi on the Araucana page.

The white husband is HUGE- biggest goose I've ever seen- he's far bigger than my Embden/Chinese crosses- well, all that family are much bigger and heavier. I guessed Pomeranian because she fits the standard well-- correct colour, eyes, feet, but they are pretty rare, although I did hear some were brought in to the Annapolis Valley (I'm in Nova Scotia Canada) a few years ago, so it's possible--I don't know of any other goose breed that's close to that and possible to be in NS. The male is well over 20 pounds,
the kids are very close to that, and Mom is about 17 or 18.

Here are my first three geese- my "Babies" --these three are from a Chinese mother and an Embden father- they were imprinted at hatch and think they are my dogs- which is fine with me. White one was Lucy- but I think Lucy is a Bruce. (Tried to breed the Saddleback goose, maybe just a dominance thing?)
Second is Frankie Blue eyes- who may be a Francine.
Bruce/Lucy again, and Mr. Hanky- who may be a Missus Hanky...they are just 3 months old, and the sweetest things. And the last 2 pictures are of the new flock with the "back on her feet" hen. (I can call a female goose a hen too, right?)
We have unlimited pasture here, apple trees, lots of grass till it snows, a good vegetable garden that needs weeding, so I have great hopes that they will all live a long and happy life. Many of my chickens are 10 years old, so I'm doing something right!

Your babies are beautiful and the others look fine. they´ll do well where you are, enjoy them!