I know nothing about geese. Please HELP!

[aspossey]

Hi all. I have a family of geese that live in our neighborhood. This year mom and dad had 5 babies. I have been feeding them and watching them grow. They normally walk down to my house every morning but for the last week or so they have not been coming. I went down to the pond where they normally stay and noticed two of the geese were different.

The first goose "Shuck" has a hurt leg. He is limping and doesn't always stay with the family. He's not far off but wont get up unless they are moving too far away. When i throw food his way he eats but he doesn't get up. He only reaches for the food close to him. He is noticeably smaller than the rest of the children. I'm not sure what I should do with him. Should I call someone to come help him or just keep an eye on him.

The second goose "Pilaf" has small wings (see pictures above). All of his brothers and sisters have developed wings but his are small and stick strait out to the side. Is this a normal stage that he has to grow through or is it a birth defect and he wont be able to fly?

I thank you in advance for any help and/or guidance you can give me. I just want to make sure I do all I can to keep this goose family happy and healthy.

-A

 

[Carrosaur]

His wings aren't small, that's called angel wing. It's when the primary flight feathers stick out and twist, often times because of too much protein I think? Unfortunately because they are wild Canada geese you cannot touch them and if you call anyone they will most likely just kill that injuried goose. You could call a wildlife rehabber just in case but they most likely won't take him.

 

[aspossey]

Thank you for the reply. I will look into a rehabilitation center and see if there is anything I can do for him if they can't take him in. I appreciate your help.

 

[aspossey]

Will these angle wings fix themselves? Do I need to worry about him not being able to fly? These are wild geese so I have absolutely zero experience when it comes to their nature. Thanks again for anyone who can help.

 

[Iain Utah]

I appreciate your concern for this wild group of geese. We have Canada geese that stop at our place every spring during their migration to hatch babies. It is fun to watch. I do not know how far you are willing to go for these youngsters, but here is my 2 cents on what is going on and what you can do.

I cannot say what is up with the lame gosling. Often, goslings/geese suffer soft tissue injuries and are big babies about it until they eventually heal on their own (self-resolve) and all is normal again. That is my hope for this one. As for the other, it is extremely rare for Canada geese on a strictly non-human diet to get angelwing. It is hard to definitively tell from the picture whether the wing is sticking at a 90 degree angel or just droopy. From 4-6 weeks, goslings grow their wing feathers and the inside shafts fill with blood making them heavy. If on a high fat diet with restricted exercise, the joint sometimes cannot bear the weight of the blood and will dislocate. This is known as angel wing. Unlike a droopy wing with a proper conformation joint which will self resolve once they build muscle/bond strength, angel wing will not. If not corrected, the bird will be permanently disfigured and will not be able to fly. The family will either leave it behind or some may decide to take up permanent residency with him at your place. But if corrected in time, it can be fixed within 48 hours.

I do not know where you are, but hopefully you are in an area that has certified avian vets. I would google all certified avian vets and contact them first. Ask them if they treat Canada geese and if they work with any local rescue groups. If you hit the jackpot, then coordinate with rescue group to treat the gosling. Also check for any local aviaries for dvm references. I personally work with a local rescue group and a few certified avian dvms that would have no problem helping this bird out, although you are technically required to have a special license to handle them. If no rescue group can be found, but if you can find a vet to help and are willing to spend the $60-100 for vet fee (best guess based on my area), you can catch the gosling, take him to the vet to get wrapped, hold him for 24-48 hours until you can remove wrap, then release back to family.

Best of luck!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Iain - what a helpful, nonjudgemental reply!