Raising goslings

[Plague]

Ok here is the situation. We have never raised goslings, we have raised ducks and chickens. Right now we have been feeding the goslings a feed that says for ducklings and goslings, however it is a bit more expensive than other options available, but what we typically feed ducklings actually lists another feed to use for goslings. We have used chicken starter for ducklings, we do use the duck specific feed to raise them now though, as less niacin we need to supplement with it. This gosling feed says 22% protein, our duckling feed we use is also 22%. The chick starter is 19% if I'm not mistaken. Our goslings are not being grown for meat, just as pets, alarms, and hopefully next year breeding. What would I need to add to the duckling food to just feed them that, more niacin? Is there anything else that would possibly be in a gosling/duckling feed that wouldn't be in just straight duck feed? I already know the chick starter would need quite a bit of niacin added. I read that goslings like ducks can have wing issues that is suspected to be related to high protein levels, in your experience are they more prone than ducks? Would we better off using the chick starter with a lot of niacin for the lower protein? Or try and source, which seems to be harder than just duck feed around here that is lower, but for them? At what point is a good time to lower their protein? We have started with our ducklings when they hit around 4 weeks old dropping the protein for any pet/breeders, would the same for the goslings be ok, or should we just already be trying to drop it? We are raising them with some ducklings, so really looking for a happy medium that both can grow and not have issues with either of possible. As the ducklings being in the brooder with them are pets/breeders besides the extra males, once they grow and we pick the male we will keep for breeding. Any suggestions and experience with this would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Percheron chick]

I like to start with one bag of duckling feed them switch to an all flock once the bag is finished. The overall protein levels will naturally drop as they start to graze and you start giving them grass as a supplement. In a pinch I don't think twice about giving them chick starter. I have found that pellets are easier for them to pick up after 3 months. If mom is with them, she'll make a mess out of mash. I always give them water laced with niacin to close to 4 months when I either sell them or integrate them in with the flock.

 

[Plague]

I like to start with one bag of duckling feed them switch to an all flock once the bag is finished. The overall protein levels will naturally drop as they start to graze and you start giving them grass as a supplement. In a pinch I don't think twice about giving them chick starter. I have found that pellets are easier for them to pick up after 3 months. If mom is with them, she'll make a mess out of mash. I always give them water laced with niacin to close to 4 months when I either sell them or integrate them in with the flock.

Thank you, did you/do you raise ducklings with them or even chickens? So I definitely need to be giving them a bit more niacin sounds like, good to know. I didn't think about how them eating grass would affect the protein levels.

 

[Percheron chick]

I raise them by themselves because they are so big and grow so fast compared to the chickens.

 

[Plague]

I raise them by themselves because they are so big and grow so fast compared to the chickens.

Yeah, we raised some chicks along side some ducklings recently in separate brooders, but the ducks even outgrew the chicks, quick. I take it I can expect the goslings to outgrow the ducklings in a couple weeks?

 

[gooseapplefarms]

I have raised 3 batches of geese so far. First batch I gave them the 22% waterfowl feed for 2 weeks, then put them on flock raiser for 2 more weeks, then they went on 18% broiler feed and grass. I started giving them a little grass each day after about 1 week of age and added a little can of sand for grit.

Second batch pretty much the same.
3rd batch I gave them 18% broiler feed and supplemented niacin in the water for the 1st month and a half. After about 6 or so weeks, they started grazing a little bit (it was cold). Now they eat mostly grass.

So, 20% flock raiser is fine from the jump, and just be sure to give them plenty of grass. I gave about 8 goslings a handful of grass total each day or so.

 

[Goosebaby]

I would keep them on the 20% to 22% feed.

Chick start isn’t appropriate for waterfowl not just because of low niacin but because goslings need more of the other B vitamins and other vitamins in general also, and the protein percentage is too low regardless of what you’re raising them for.
Goslings are larger and grow faster than chicks, they have higher nutritional needs.

Larger breeds will continue to have higher nutritional needs than other geese. Mine for example eat 22% Purina flock raiser more or less year round.
Molting and laying birds also have higher nutritional requirements than they otherwise would.


Angel wing has been linked to feeding high protein high carb feed, but angel wing is tricky, you can have a whole gaggle of goslings and only one or two might develop angel wing. For this reason some think it could be genetic and not nutritional. In my opinion it’s a mix of both, individual metabolisms differ.

I’ve also wondered if nutritional deficiency can also cause angel wing because the bones and muscles aren’t getting what they need and might be weak and developing incorrectly.


If angel wing does appear it’s easily correctable by wrapping for 3 or 4 days so long as it’s caught early. If left uncorected the issue is permanent.

 

[tnlobo420]

I would keep them on the 20% to 22% feed.

Chick start isn’t appropriate for waterfowl not just because of low niacin but because goslings need more of the other B vitamins and other vitamins in general also, and the protein percentage is too low regardless of what you’re raising them for.
Goslings are larger and grow faster than chicks, they have higher nutritional needs.

Larger breeds will continue to have higher nutritional needs than other geese. Mine for example eat 22% Purina flock raiser more or less year round.
Molting and laying birds also have higher nutritional requirements than they otherwise would.


Angel wing has been linked to feeding high protein high carb feed, but angel wing is tricky, you can have a whole gaggle of goslings and only one or two might develop angel wing. For this reason some think it could be genetic and not nutritional. In my opinion it’s a mix of both, individual metabolisms differ.

I’ve also wondered if nutritional deficiency can also cause angel wing because the bones and muscles aren’t getting what they need and might be weak and developing incorrectly.


If angel wing does appear it’s easily correctable by wrapping for 3 or 4 days so long as it’s caught early. If left uncorected the issue is permanent.

Been raising peacocks for 20 yrs, ducks for 3 and now I have the first breeding pair of Africans and 2 goslings. These are kool. So the game feed by flockraiser is OK for geese as well. Was worried with al of these people stating that the protein was too high. Found some Manna grower/starter for ducks - seems to be pretty good. I have one @ 5 weeks and one at 7 weets. The 7 week old developed andel wing and we have beed wrapping for the last 3 days. Some sites recommend to remove at night and re-bandage the next day - thoughts ??

 

[Goosebaby]

Been raising peacocks for 20 yrs, ducks for 3 and now I have the first breeding pair of Africans and 2 goslings. These are kool. So the game feed by flockraiser is OK for geese as well. Was worried with al of these people stating that the protein was too high. Found some Manna grower/starter for ducks - seems to be pretty good. I have one @ 5 weeks and one at 7 weets. The 7 week old developed andel wing and we have beed wrapping for the last 3 days. Some sites recommend to remove at night and re-bandage the next day - thoughts ??

Wrapping for 3 to 4 days and removing the bandage at night is just fine, it worked for my goose Tuesday who was developing angel wing.

What’s the protein percentage on your feed?

Angel wing can be caused by too much protein and carbs, others argue that it’s due to genetics. In my opinion it’s a mix of both.
Tuesday was the only gosling to start developing angel wing in a group of 4 who were all fed Purina flock raiser “22% protein.” The others are Toulouse and Toulouse Buff mixes, but Tuesday is a Classic Roman Toulouse mix, she inherited her mom’s tiny body but her dad’s big wings that were much too big for her as a gosling. Her wrists started to twist but the larger goslings never had an issue. Her mom never had an issue on the same feed as a gosling either though despite being a smaller breed and overall out of all of my geese Tuesday is the only one who ever got it.
So personally I think it was a genetic quirk that predisposed her to having a different metabolism than the rest.
It isn’t uncommon to have one get it but the others be fine out of a flock of goslings. If most of all of them started getting it I would suggest lowering the protein percentage but if it’s just the one they’ll be fine.