Is my gander too fat

[Magriet]

I am worried that my gander is too fat. Unfortunately through circumstances beyond my control they do not have a lot of space. The space is enough though for them to run and fly a little. I do not have the facility to feed them seperately. Is it very

I feed them duck pellets and a little corn, but I think when we were away the carer gave them too much. Then they eat a lot grass and are making great big holes! The others look fine. I attach photos of him and the others. They are mom, dad and babies.

 

[Goosebaby]

Out of curiosity why do you think he’s too fat other than the feed and space issues?

It can be hard to gage appropriate weight with geese sometimes because of breed and body type differences, for example if you told me this was an embden and his weight is 12 pounds I would say he’s emaciated and on the verge of death, but if he’s a Classic Roman that’s around average.

The only sure way is to do a physical examination and feel the keel, if you can’t feel the keel he’s obese, if it feels like a razor jutting out abruptly from his chest he’s emaciated.

http://www.poultrydvm.com/featured-infographic/chicken-body-condition-score-chart

 

[Magriet]

They are all mixed race with a lot of embden in the mix except for the little black one, but he looks fine. They are not tame enough to pick up and the reason for that is a whole other story too long to tell here.

I think he is too fat because his feet hardly sticks out under his body and he did not use to look like that and that is why I am worried that he is too fat. If it is not a problem then it is fine. I just read he is not supposed to get so fat.

 

[Goosebaby]

It’s really hard to say without actually feeling his keel but he seems to look fine.

The problem with geese is that their feathers are so thick it can hide wether they’re over or underweight a lot of times.

 

[Magriet]

Thanks, I will just relax. I wish I could actually feel his keel but he will not allow it. The duck pellets are available all day and at the moment there is quite a bit of grass, not enough for them to live on but it seems to fill them because they are not eating a lot of the food we give them.