lazy goose?

[josmardavtom]

I have a two six week old geese and one of them is having an issue. I had them in a smaller pen for a little while when they were smaller in size. I would get them out a couple of times a day and walk them. The one that I am calling a male would walk were we were going and when I would stop to let them eat clover he would sit his butt down. now weeks later he seems to favor sitting a lot and even in a bigger pen where there is room to roam he walk a little bit and then sits down. I was wondering if this is normal? they are on a grass diet with a little bit of feed but just once every other day and just a little bit. Would there be something wrong with the goose itself like with his heart or is it a feeding problem? Thank you for any help.

 

[noahsgeese]

I am not quite sure but it could be a problem with the leg?

 

[josmardavtom]

I've looked at the legs themselves and they look o.k. I wondered with how he waddles if there is a problem where I can't see up inside him. he really does waddle more than the other goose. I might have to look more into this. I just remember growing up we had a dog that acted this way and he had heart worms one winter and this goose just acts somewhat the same way.

 

[chseeads]

I can't rule out that it could have a problem, but that's actually pretty typical behavior though. A lot of times they will just plop down like that and sit and eat. That's been my observation anyways.

 

[cracking up]

Sounds normal for some breeds. Some are lazier than others. My Chinese male was lazier than my female.

 

[[email protected]]

I think you are probably starving him. At that age they are growing so fast, they need 16% protein chick or waterfowl feed everyday. He is most likely too low in naicin, so add some brewers yeast or niacin to their water and see how he does. Also, I would feed him pellets e'day. They just grow sooo fast.

 

[Kim65]

Oh gosh, you aren't feeding him enough!!

The domestic geese we get from the feedstore or hatchery are NOT like Canada or wild geese, they are bred for meat mostly, so genetically they are bred to be heavy and meaty. They have lost their ability to thrive on grass and grass seeds and the odd insect. They need to be fed a poultry feed every single day, at least twice. The also cannot get the nutrients like niacin and Vit B etc the wild geese are able to do.

Get them a basic poultry (chicken, turkey) feed of 16 -17% protein and put it out for them to eat as they will. I'll bet you see much more active goslings after a few days.

I just rescued an Embden female who was probably raised this way too. People are well meaning, but don't realize domestic geese are NOT the same. She is underweight by five or six pounds and had horrid feathering. She was practically lame and was NOT walking at all for a while according to the previous owners. She had poor balance and was awfully docile.\\

If it is cost you are worried about, as long as the geese have lots of grass and water, they eat very little bagged feed when they are adult size. Right now yours need to be gaining a whole pound A WEEK. A fifty pound bag will last you a while, and mine have done fine with the lowest cost generic feed

 

[Tinted]

Quote:
I think feeding twice a day is slight overkill. I have my guys on the lawn now and they graze their hearts out, I provide a tuperware container with 2 cups of feed per day in the same spot and they go back and forth eating the feed and grazing the lawn. So far it has done them great! My two cents.

 

[ultasol]

First thing is first,.. I would get "The Book of Geese" by David Holderread and read the section on goose feed and nutritional needs of goslings. While grass alone may be ok for maintaining adult geese, unless you get your forage tested frequently your forage is likely too low in protein or nutritionally insufficient for a growing gosling. To maximize the potential of your bird give them access to a good feed, preferably supplemented with niacin. Some places have Purina Duck Grower. I used to purchase Mazuri waterfowl starter but the cost went up to over $50 a bag to get it in my town, which is too much.

Look for flockraiser. If you suspect a leg issue try adding niacin,.. It could be he/she is hot.

 

[ultasol]

Tink,.. the amount of supplemental food a gosling needs is dependent on the quality of your forage. I feed my adult geese once per day, twice when leading up to breeding season, and free choice through breeding season.... this is on top of pasture. If I am raising a gosling knowing I might keep it for show or breeding stock, I make sure it starts free choice on good quality feed of about 20%.

Flock raiser is good,.. but I have a local gamebird feed that isn't starter and has animal protein in it. Free choice continues unless a bird starts acting like it is too heavy for its legs... then I cut down on the amount of feed or cut it with oats. As soon as they are old enough they go out in a pen on pasture for the day,.. this doesn't mean they don't need the other food.