Lethargic goose

[sarahconnor]

My gorgeous domestic goose is lethargic.....I've noticed she has been quiet the last couple days and her wading pool is not all messed up(normally she drops leaves and sticks into it, she likes doing that, it is pretty funny and cute) she lives with my 27 hens and roos and eats their layer pellets, also gets to free range on grass but I have been unable to let them free range nearly as much as I used too due to some family issues(I only free range when I can watch them) I put calcium in their food about three times per week. She has always done well. She is three, and lately her eggs have been more oblong rather than the normal shape. She only laid twice per year but now she started laying in the fall and really hasn't stopped but has slowed down lately. I do't want to lose her.....thanks for any help you can offer. I went to check on her and she passed a soft sheled egg, she was egg bound. I had massaged her belly for a while earlier....

 

[Bochama]

My gorgeous domestic goose is lethargic.....I've noticed she has been quiet the last couple days and her wading pool is not all messed up(normally she drops leaves and sticks into it, she likes doing that, it is pretty funny and cute) she lives with my 27 hens and roos and eats their layer pellets, also gets to free range on grass but I have been unable to let them free range nearly as much as I used too due to some family issues(I only free range when I can watch them) I put calcium in their food about three times per week. She has always done well. She is three, and lately her eggs have been more oblong rather than the normal shape. She only laid twice per year but now she started laying in the fall and really hasn't stopped but has slowed down lately. I do't want to lose her.....thanks for any help you can offer. I went to check on her and she passed a soft sheled egg, she was egg bound. I had massaged her belly for a while earlier....

I think she has calcium deficiency. Try feeding her oyster shells crushed up. That works best. For the lethargy, I am not sure but for ducks it's usually niacin deficiency. Not sure if thatz the case in geese.

 

[Goosebaby]

Sometimes geese prefer to eat eggshells as their preferred method of calcium consumption. I give mine oystershell but they still prefer egg shells. “It’s best to boil the shells to eliminate pathogens.”

According to the egg problem article here, shell-less eggs can be caused by a number of factors

“- Immature shell gland (young layer);
- Nutritional deficiency, usually lack of calcium and vitamins E, B12, and D as well as phosphorous and selenium;
- Certain diseases, such as Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis, avian influenza, egg drop syndrome;
- Exposure to very high temperatures and extremely high or low humidity levels;
- An infestation of internal or external parasites, such as worms, mites, or lice;
- Stress prompting the hen to lay an egg prematurely, before the shell is formed;
- Egg-laying while molting;
- Exposure to toxins, such as mold, fungi, bacteria.”

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

So I’d focus first on getting her calcium, maybe some multivitamins to add to her water, then observe her closely to see if she improves or if there’s an underlying issue like an illness developing.

 

[addctd2plnts]

I'd also deworm them all and clean all bedding and pen out. They can't use the vitamins effectively if worms/parasites are taking them before the bird gets them. There's another thread on here about deworming geese where the person says they emailed Holderread's and Holderread's said they use:

"We recommend using an oral dose of 1% INJECTIBLE Ivermectin for Cattle & Swine (NOT Ivermectin + clorsulon) at the following rate: 1/10 cc per 4 pounds of bird."

This was in regards to ducks and geese. I'm not sure if it would be a different amount per pound for chickens.

I just dewomed my ducks and used the POUR ON Topical cattle/swine Ivermectin. Maybe another goose owner knows what the dose for this type of formulation would be for geese? I thought using the topical was easy. For a medium to large duck they got 5-6 drops in a variety of places. One drop on either side of the vent, about an inch away from the actual vent. One drop under each wing, and 1-2 drops on the back of the neck base. We trimmed toenails the same day so they were all done for awhile too.

 

[sarahconnor]

I think she has calcium deficiency. Try feeding her oyster shells crushed up. That works best. For the lethargy, I am not sure but for ducks it's usually niacin deficiency. Not sure if thatz the case in geese.

Thanks so much, she just passed a super soft egg….so I gave her egg shell calcium mixed in with bird seed and she ate a good bit. Hopefully there are no more eggs in there. Thanks for the kind reply.

 

[sarahconnor]

Sometimes geese prefer to eat eggshells as their preferred method of calcium consumption. I give mine oystershell but they still prefer egg shells. “It’s best to boil the shells to eliminate pathogens.”

According to the egg problem article here, shell-less eggs can be caused by a number of factors

“- Immature shell gland (young layer);
- Nutritional deficiency, usually lack of calcium and vitamins E, B12, and D as well as phosphorous and selenium;
- Certain diseases, such as Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis, avian influenza, egg drop syndrome;
- Exposure to very high temperatures and extremely high or low humidity levels;
- An infestation of internal or external parasites, such as worms, mites, or lice;
- Stress prompting the hen to lay an egg prematurely, before the shell is formed;
- Egg-laying while molting;
- Exposure to toxins, such as mold, fungi, bacteria.”

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

So I’d focus first on getting her calcium, maybe some multivitamins to add to her water, then observe her closely to see if she improves or if there’s an underlying issue like an illness developing.

Thanks for all the info, she did pass a soft egg and is now honking and eating grass. I imagine I would boil the egg shells or even cook in the pressure cooker then crush them up over her food. I’ll get to that and pick some vitamins up from southern states.

 

[sarahconnor]

Sometimes geese prefer to eat eggshells as their preferred method of calcium consumption. I give mine oystershell but they still prefer egg shells. “It’s best to boil the shells to eliminate pathogens.”

According to the egg problem article here, shell-less eggs can be caused by a number of factors

“- Immature shell gland (young layer);
- Nutritional deficiency, usually lack of calcium and vitamins E, B12, and D as well as phosphorous and selenium;
- Certain diseases, such as Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis, avian influenza, egg drop syndrome;
- Exposure to very high temperatures and extremely high or low humidity levels;
- An infestation of internal or external parasites, such as worms, mites, or lice;
- Stress prompting the hen to lay an egg prematurely, before the shell is formed;
- Egg-laying while molting;
- Exposure to toxins, such as mold, fungi, bacteria.”

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

So I’d focus first on getting her calcium, maybe some multivitamins to add to her water, then observe her closely to see if she improves or if there’s an underlying issue like an illness developing.

Tha is so much for all the great info. She passed a soft egg and is eating grass and honking like her old self. I will pressure cook some eggshells and sprinkle them over their food. I will pick some vitamins up from southern states. I haven’t been able to free range them as much so I’m sure the vitamins will be good for her and the hens.

 

[sarahconnor]

I'd also deworm them all and clean all bedding and pen out. They can't use the vitamins effectively if worms/parasites are taking them before the bird gets them. There's another thread on here about deworming geese where the person says they emailed Holderread's and Holderread's said they use:

"We recommend using an oral dose of 1% INJECTIBLE Ivermectin for Cattle & Swine (NOT Ivermectin + clorsulon) at the following rate: 1/10 cc per 4 pounds of bird."

This was in regards to ducks and geese. I'm not sure if it would be a different amount per pound for chickens.

I just dewomed my ducks and used the POUR ON Topical cattle/swine Ivermectin. Maybe another goose owner knows what the dose for this type of formulation would be for geese? I thought using the topical was easy. For a medium to large duck they got 5-6 drops in a variety of places. One drop on either side of the vent, about an inch away from the actual vent. One drop under each wing, and 1-2 drops on the back of the neck base. We trimmed toenails the same day so they were all done for awhile too.

I have never done that before. All my birds are laying now and my goose looks so much better, she is honking and eating grass. I think I would like the topical drops for my goose but her feathers are so dense idk if I could find her vent. I am cleaning the hen house tomorrow. She is my only goose and lives with my chickens. I’ve never given her an injection before so I would be nervous doing that. Thanks for the info.

 

[Goosebaby]

I have never done that before. All my birds are laying now and my goose looks so much better, she is honking and eating grass. I think I would like the topical drops for my goose but her feathers are so dense idk if I could find her vent. I am cleaning the hen house tomorrow. She is my only goose and lives with my chickens. I’ve never given her an injection before so I would be nervous doing that. Thanks for the info.

There are injectible wormers but the kind they’re talking about is oral, not injectible.
I don’t know the dosage for ivermectin but geese and chickens can also be wormed with fendbendazole “safeguard horse paste” and albendazole.

The dosage for SafeGuard is 0.25 ml per pound once a day for 5 days to kill most types of worms except tapeworms.

The dosage for albendazole is 0.08 ml per pound once, repeat in 10 days to kill whatever parasites have hatched.

I suggest buying some 6 cc to 12 cc syringes, something like these https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/ideal-instruments-12cc-luer-lock-syringe?cm_vc=-10005 to draw the paste out of the wormer tube “if that’s what you’re going to use” to get the exact dosage and then administer it to your bird.

Note that cc is the same as ml “milileters.”

This is how to safely administer oral liquid meds to a bird, it’s important not to get it down the wrong tube or they could aspirate https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[Goosebaby]

Also there’s two methods of how to give medicine to your goose, depending on how cooperative she is.

If she’ll let you, wrap one hand over the top of her bill and apply pressure with your fingers to the rear corners of her mouth to get her to open up and insert the syringe into her mouth down (her) right ride of her throat as far back as you can get it and hit the plunger.

If she’s not cooperative: corner her, use your body to pin her, squat over the top of her, don’t sit on her but apply just enough pressure to keep her immobile and then open her mouth and give medicine the way I described.

The quicker either method is done the better.