Sebastopol Runt or Mini Sebbie

[taushajbrown]

This is my first go at raising Sebastopol Geese I've raised several ducks, all for show and pets. And for 2 years I've waited and researched and studied and finally ordered my goslings from Metzer Farms which is where I normally get my ducks from if not from the local feed store. I've always been very satisfied and this time really isn't an exception but when I opened the box I already knew something was a bit off about one of the two. They ship them day old and they arrived at my home at day 3. She was half the males size and it's been a good week now and she's barely grew any. At day 4 she was really weak wouldnt eat or drink so I gave her some sugar water and dissolved some starter feed syringe feed her and she perked right up. Next 2 days ate well and drank and here we are day 7 and she doesn't want to walk anywhere, so now I'm trying niacin and b vitamins, good ol sunshine and Pedialyte water, with a touch of sugar. She's waking a little more this evening, my boy is a go getter, no problems at all, trying to keep up with the adult ducks actually.... But my girl is still pouty, and babyish. She likes to hang out under my chin and I've seperated her from the other gosling and duckling I have because they seemed to just run over her, literally. She's precious but what should I do one about her apparent health issues, or keep up what i have been doing and 2 is it common for female Sebs to be smaller or are there really a such thing as runts or Mini sebs, the hatchery I ordered them from was supposedly supposed to be full size normal Sebastopol Geese I suspected when I ordered... any advice.

 

[Pyxis]

Can you post a picture of her face?

The things you are doing for her are good, keep that up, especially the niacin since it sounds like she's having leg issues.

 

[taushajbrown]

 

[taushajbrown]

 

[taushajbrown]

 

[Pyxis]

Yep, definitely a goose! Just a very, very tiny one. Have you asked Metzer about it? Sometimes they're pretty small if they hatch out of small eggs but she is very small. Seems she's also failing to thrive, what with her not growing well. But you're doing what you can for that so we'll just have to hope she starts to grow

Try also giving her some Poultry Nutri Drench and adding it to her water to give her an extra boost.

 

[gailsmile]

Did she make it?

 

[Duckymomlol]

I had a Toulouse gosling that did this to me for awhile. She was half the size of her two hatch mates, constantly eating or sleeping. She caught up after about week 6, now you can hardly tell them apart.

 

[learycow]

There are mini sebastopols (I breed them) but it sounds like she has health issues and isn't a true mini.
Minis, while small and sometimes half the size of standards, should grow noticably as a regular seb. It sounds like she isn't thriving hence why shes so small.

As small and weak as she is, I'm honestly surprised they actually shipped her to you.

 

[Darchangel Farm]

I ordered 10 goslings from Metzer's this spring.I wish I never would have as four have issues severe enough that I cannot sell them as pairs or breed.My little Pilgrim girl is adorable but at 4 months old is the size of a small duck and has bad breathing problems,an American Buff arrived with a marble size lump on his face which ballooned then gradually went down but it caused damage to his face and that one also occasionally goes in circles has a fit and falls over.Then we have a Tufted Roman and a White Chinese with deformed legs that arrived that way.The Brown Chinese have horrible mottled knobs growing and just don't look right.I don't know If they have inbred their geese to this stage or what but I've heard of several people that have had very poor goslings from them.One lady simply had hers put to sleep...Pity I didn't find all that out before I ordered....