Help w. injured goose, please (spec. can I give her aspirin in her feed instead of her water?) Thx

[Miss Lydia]

Last night I spent time w/ my gander whose brother had insisted that he move to a secondary site last winter. I'd planned on seeing all the geese before Halloween eve, but when you've a sweet heart calling you back about 5 times to keep you from leaving, you come back each of the 5 times and sit a little more. He ate well (Nutrena scratch, feather fixer, sunflower seed hearts and tender, baby grass) and I love him dearly. 5 mosquito bites on one hand, one for each curtain call. Totally worth it.

This morning I got out to my injured goose, her sister (in-law) goose and her husband. That foot's really sore (I don't see any punctures, bites or tears, but there are so many things it could be...) She's had a touch of arthritis/rheumatism in the other leg from last year, so having to stand on that foot to preserve the other isn't easy. I took advantage of the cooler morning weather to see that she'd eat as much of her feed as she wanted (same mix as above--feather fixer, thankfully, has pre- and probiotics--except I gave her more sunflower hearts to balance out the medicine.) Gratefully, my girl ate w/ ardor & likely ate most all of her mixed in, powdered, cherry baby aspirin (any gain's a gain, it doesn't have to be 100%).

When she was full, she stepped into their other "room" of earth for preening and napping. My beautiful girl is wise: she tucked herself into an unreachable spot before tucking her beak into her back for a snooze. After a little while, her sister and husband called her over to a still small, but sunny spot, near enough to the water that they could flush if people lunged w/ their dogs.

When the people did, I was cleaning up their shoreline for dangerous bits--fishing ephemera, hooks, line, etc., long, thorny acacia and mesquite branches fishing people had broken off to hold their rods, then thrown back into their habitat when done. When people let their dogs lunge on their leashes, I just made a point of cleaning up btwn my 3 and the cruel people and shook my head in shame for our species. They walked on.

Somewhere btwn 3 and 5 fire ant stings from this morning. Totally worth it, esp. if she's had any peace from the pain today. I hope to look in again tomorrow. (O.k., I really *do* despise fire ants, but she is, they are, worth it.)

Besides, there's pure joy in birds and an animal-hearted person drawing to each other like magnets, or having bonny little ducks stand atop your shoes to be first in line for food (or tickle your sides w/ their beaks as though you were a feed ATM.)

I'm hurting from being in the light today, but, my stars, are the little ones are worth it.

(However...If *anybody* knows a good way to fend off fire ants (I cover from head to toe), I'd be in your debt <3 )

Thankfully we don't have fire ants here but I wonder if the insecticide wipes would work you can get them with natural botanical plants in them I use them for the no see ums we have here and they work.

Those geese and ducks are blessed to have you caring for them.. I hope your goose starts feeling better. Can you look on the bottom of her foot for a cut or injury? if they get a splinter, cut ,anything where the skin is open they can get an infection called bumble foot.

 

[JanetMarie]

Rosemary oil diluted with a carrier oil works well to repel ticks, fleas, and flies. We have nasty black flies and deer flies here, and it helps some.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@lovedbygeese any updates?

 

[lovedbygeese]

I'm so proud of my little Canada girl <3

I've spaced out doses to try and make sure her belly or anything else wouldn't be overwhelmed and you couldn't ask for a better patient. I was so worried it might be too much to have finely powdered aspirin in her feed and not her water, but I think keeping her meals varied/interesting and feeding her when she's not too lackadaisical about food is helping.

(It's a curious thing trying to figure out what they'll love, though. Those mouths are like a second set of eyes for them (monocular vision), so things go in, get swished around--heaven forbid if there's something powdery like turkey starter or tough to get off the roof of their mouths like old fashioned oats...Oats and barley are a couple tips I got from the Jack Miner Sanctuary. They're supposed to most closely supplement their diets like they would they free-foraging, but like anybody else they each have taste, texture, and shape preferences. Quick cooking barley has the right combo happening. The only forms of oatmeal I haven't tried are Irish steel cut and granola, lol. Coming into winter I'm looking at electrolytes, quality proteins and carbs...little bursts of simple carbs seem to help them wake up & stay w/ it...a bit more on foods, esp. foods over winter, would be a great thread...)

Oops, I digressed...

So, her foot/leg are still considerably sore, but my guess it'll be a slower, cool-weather recovery, but it seems to be making a difference for her, having a little medicine (on a nice overcast day when I'm not feeling lousy, I'd like to sit w/ them an see how long it appears to take until the pain backs off.) My guess would be that she's improving at roughly 2 - 3% / every few days.

She's so determined <3.

((Thanks for asking, Miss Lydia...Thanks, everybody))

I'll keep posting updates since adding dry meds to dry food could help someone out in the future

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm so proud of my little Canada girl <3

I've spaced out doses to try and make sure her belly or anything else wouldn't be overwhelmed and you couldn't ask for a better patient. I was so worried it might be too much to have finely powdered aspirin in her feed and not her water, but I think keeping her meals varied/interesting and feeding her when she's not too lackadaisical about food is helping.

(It's a curious thing trying to figure out what they'll love, though. Those mouths are like a second set of eyes for them (monocular vision), so things go in, get swished around--heaven forbid if there's something powdery like turkey starter or tough to get off the roof of their mouths like old fashioned oats...Oats and barley are a couple tips I got from the Jack Miner Sanctuary. They're supposed to most closely supplement their diets like they would they free-foraging, but like anybody else they each have taste, texture, and shape preferences. Quick cooking barley has the right combo happening. The only forms of oatmeal I haven't tried are Irish steel cut and granola, lol. Coming into winter I'm looking at electrolytes, quality proteins and carbs...little bursts of simple carbs seem to help them wake up & stay w/ it...a bit more on foods, esp. foods over winter, would be a great thread...)

Oops, I digressed...

So, her foot/leg are still considerably sore, but my guess it'll be a slower, cool-weather recovery, but it seems to be making a difference for her, having a little medicine (on a nice overcast day when I'm not feeling lousy, I'd like to sit w/ them an see how long it appears to take until the pain backs off.) My guess would be that she's improving at roughly 2 - 3% / every few days.

She's so determined <3.

((Thanks for asking, Miss Lydia...Thanks, everybody))

I'll keep posting updates since adding dry meds to dry food could help someone out in the future

I ferment my flocks feed, and add reg oatmeal to it and since it is moist they gobble it right down. I don't know how well you could do this with yours you caring for at a park but using a moist food may also help to hide the dry med.

I am glad to hear your seeing improvements. Mine right now are getting for winter in afternoon for a treat good quality dog kibble/ Lamb and Rice- Dried whole corn- Dried mealworms I put this in a bowl and stir it to mix this give them protein for good feather quality and carbs for over night heat.

Thanks for the update.

 

[lovedbygeese]

How does fermenting augment the feed, Miss Lydia?

When I tried giving them meal worms last year they spat them back at me (they have definite opinions on things...which I love about them <3)

Update on my Canada Girl: She still has a considerable limp w/ that foot, but it seems like the aspirin kicks in within or just under an hour and she's doing o.k. w/ it so long as she has plenty on her belly when she takes it. I stayed w/ 3-goose-combo yesterday morning while they napped in the sun since tours of loud school children were walking up and flushing birds around the park. By snoozing time, she'd settled into resting on her bad foot and tucking her arthritic foot up to sleep then, thankfully, lowering herself to rest on the ground and rest both feet (her husband was napping so close that whenever he stretched his wings, he just brushed his bride so he knew where she was at all times. Her sister slept to her other side.)

Sometimes there are few things prettier than feathered eyelids...

(btw...Who should I write to see if we could get duck and a geese emoticons?)

 

[Miss Lydia]

How does fermenting augment the feed, Miss Lydia?

When I tried giving them meal worms last year they spat them back at me (they have definite opinions on things...which I love about them <3)

Update on my Canada Girl: She still has a considerable limp w/ that foot, but it seems like the aspirin kicks in within or just under an hour and she's doing o.k. w/ it so long as she has plenty on her belly when she takes it. I stayed w/ 3-goose-combo yesterday morning while they napped in the sun since tours of loud school children were walking up and flushing birds around the park. By snoozing time, she'd settled into resting on her bad foot and tucking her arthritic foot up to sleep then, thankfully, lowering herself to rest on the ground and rest both feet (her husband was napping so close that whenever he stretched his wings, he just brushed his bride so he knew where she was at all times. Her sister slept to her other side.)

Sometimes there are few things prettier than feathered eyelids...

(btw...Who should I write to see if we could get a duck and a geese emoticons?)

hit the red flag and speak to a mod or PM nifty chicken he owns BYC
I'll get you the link to the FF I use it can explain it better than me.

There is alot of good info and links to good info on this thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/no-strain-hot-water-easy-fermented-feed-method-w-video

Only my 2 female geese love meal worms my gander won't touch them.

I love goose eye lids too, and I am glad to hear the aspirin seems to be helping.

 

[lovedbygeese]

I'm intrigued and impressed and the birds might be giddy w/such compact nutrition, but where do you get "mother" to start fermenting?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm intrigued and impressed and the birds might be giddy w/such compact nutrition, but where do you get "mother" to start fermenting?

In the grocery store they sell Braggs ACV and some carry Heinz with mother. matter of fact I bought a gallon of store brand ACV a couple weeks ago and I was surprised to see the mother in it. so pick up a gallon and look you should see the mother floating around in it. I buy my ACV with mother from Vitacost on line they have free shipping over 49.00 and it's cheaper than Braggs. But I also buy other products from them too.

I make up about 2/3 of a 3 gal bucket and use half cup ACV to my water for mixing. it grows as it ferments so don't fill the bucket to the top if you start making it. I've been feeding ff since 2012 mine love it.

 

[JanetMarie]

@lovedbygeese: How is the family? Do you much grass/forage where you are, and in the winter?