OK, me too, one last shot at that Pilgrim male gosling. PLEEZE HELP!

[Denninmi]

Well, unfortunately, the possible male gosling that hatched for me Saturday night and went downhill did die today. It seemed pretty healthy when it hatched, had no obvious issues, but just wouldn't eat or drink no matter what I tried. I did try force feeding and watering it,4but it was too little too late, and I didn't get much down it.

So, the 4th and final egg of the batch DID hatch tonight -- I had to assist a little bit with it being shrink wrapped around the wings, but not too major, and the second I resolved that, it came right out.

It has been out now for about 3 1/2 hours. It seems ok (but so did the last one). And, it has the same lighter colored beak as the other. So, I believe it may possibly be the male I want.

IF THIS WERE A CALIFORNIA CONDOR OR A WHOOPING CRANE or some other incredibly rare and endangered bird, WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR IT?

This is my plan:
.
I'm going to keep it in the incubator at least overnight. I have already given it some electrolyte solution with Duramyacin and avian vitamins -- it didn't get much down, a few drops, but that is pretty normal at this age.

I'm going to get up every 2 hours all night and continue the electrolyte solution with vitamins.

Tomorrow, I don't know if I should take it out of the incubator in the morning or leave it there all day. I can make sure it has water and food in there, and my mother can help check on it while I'm at work.

I will try to get it to eat something in the morning, but I know that it often won't eat for the first 24 hours.n

Oh, and I dusted the navel with styptic powder and Duramyicin. It was slightly rough, but nothing that concerned me, I've seen worse by far and the birds were fine.

So, please, open to any advice. TIA.

 

[blefky]

I've hatched other birds, but am new to geese (first pilgrims due to hatch this weekend

), so my advice may be off mark. That said, I'm wondering why you're giving oral antibiotics to your hatchlings? Is this preventative, or is there a reason that I'm, as a newbie to geese, unaware of. I ask because, as an old nurse, I can tell you that some antibiotics can cause stomach upset, and I'm wondering if this may be putting your babies off their feed? Again, just a thought, from a newb. Good luck. Keep us posted!

 

[Denninmi]

Thanks. Last year, I gave everything I hatched Duramyicin for about 10 days as a preventative. Some people do this, it's pretty much SOP to give antibiotics in this way for commercial operations I think. It's also probably a really, really bad idea all around, causes resistance, lots of other issues. So, this year, I didn't do it.

But I decided to with this one just to be on the safe side.

He (or she, not sure yet) seems really perky this morning, and IS beginning to eat a little bit, or at least go through the motions. I know they don't really eat for the first 24 hours, still absorbing the egg, but he/she is pecking at things and took a few pecks at moistened starter.

So, cautiously optimistic.

 

[Cottage Rose]

Goslings really need quiet, undisturbed rest for about 12 - 24 hours
and leaving them in the incubator overnight is good.
Its hard work getting out of that shell.
There's no need for antibiotics.
Maybe electrolytes in the water if you are worried and some finely chopped dandelion greens.
Do not pick the goslings up and bring it to the food dish.
Just offer luke warm water with an eyedropper or wet your finger, dip into greens and offer/bring to gosling.
Danelions are packed with nutrients and they're also a mild diaretic which can help if the gosling has
encephalitis (too much water on the brain) from the egg not drying down enough.
I start out all my goslings on dandelion greens.
I even cultivate dandelions in my garden and pick the leaves all summer.
But again, goslings are usually rather droopy the first 12 - 24 hours and just need to rest up.
They're not perky like chicks when they hatch out.
As for the one that died...those things happen to all of us.
It probably just didn't develop right, was helped out of the egg too soon or had encephalitis.
Myriad are the things that can go wrong with artificial incubation.
Good luck with your new baby!

 

[Denninmi]

Thank you.

Yes, I have dandelions, as well as lettuce, spinach, kale, orach, mizuna, and all other kinds of greens.

I will start with the dandelions, as they do definitely have a lot of medicinal properties. I can add other stuff in later.

I've been giving the two older ones the outer leaves of Romaine lettuce as well as a little bit of kale, orach, and goosefoot, plus some wheat grass. All of which has proven very popular.