Sick gander!

[Belushigoose]

Hi everyone. I am really hoping that someone can help me here. I have a normally strong healthy gander who has just gone down in the past couple of days. He really can't walk and when he tries to tilt his head back when he drinks he almost flips over backwards! He is still drinking though and has some movement in his neck. I don't see any discharge from his eyes or mouth. I think it maybe the food as both of the geese that I have will not eat it. I have since replaced the food with a new bag. Could this be botulism? I have been giving them both water with Sulmet mixed in it now. My vet has little to no bird knowledge. Does anyone know what this could be and how should I treat it? Thanks!

 

[gm21255]

Niacin deficiency can cause a goose to go lame and can also show neurological symptoms.
Give 100mg of niacin per gallon of water.
You can find niacin at a health food store or grocery store.
Just plain niacin, not the "non flush" type
Soak the niacin tablet in a small amount of water for a few minutes, then crush it as best you can and add it to their drinking water.

This dose woud be a short term treatment until the gander improves. Too much niacin can cause other problems.
Once the gander has recovered, make sure he's getting feed that meets the waterfowl niacin requirements.
Waterfowl maintenance feed is ideal but hard to find in some areas of the country.
I use a high quality all flock feed and add brewers yeast as a source of extra niacin, plus all the greens they can eat.
Grass is an excellent source of niacin.

I had a gander start limping a few years ago, then go down completely. When he tried to stand up, he would stumble around like he had brain damage. My vet treated him with antibiotics and niacin injections. It took a while but he recovered completely.

Good luck!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just in case.. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/700526/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal#post_9508213

How is he today>?

 

[Belushigoose]

He is still about the same. I got the vitamins and put it in his water. His buddy that's with him just hates me coming around him! Is there anything that I can do about his back flips? Every time he gets water, his head goes back and he lands flat on his back and cant get up! Should I remove him from the pen?

 

[Miss Lydia]

He is still about the same. I got the vitamins and put it in his water. His buddy that's with him just hates me coming around him! Is there anything that I can do about his back flips? Every time he gets water, his head goes back and he lands flat on his back and cant get up! Should I remove him from the pen?

How old is he? do you have a dog crate that he would fit into that he wouldn't be able to flip over in? maybe prop him with some clean old towels, I know when young ducklings chicks have wry neck which can cause them to flip it's sometimes recommended to place rolled towels around them kinda like a donut to keep them from flipping over. Did you look at your old feed real good to see if there was mold in it, if so I'd get some charcoal the kind in the link I gave you and start him on it or the molasses flush what ever you have Epsom salts is the other one and go right by the directions. He might do better on his own till you figure out what's going on.

 

[Belushigoose]

He is around 2 yrs. I am somewhat of a new owner off geese, I have only had them for a few years. I have been having this sort of problem with other geese before this. My vet just knows nothing about birds and there really are no bird vets in my area. I think the one nearest to me is about a 6 to 7 hr. drive and I would hate to stress them with such a long ride. I raised them on broods best and when they got older I fed then just chops as my local feed store told me. I asked them today if they have waterfowl feed which they did not. The poor boy is aware of his surroundings but his balance is just way off. Would injections be a better way of getting it to him?

 

[gm21255]

I've never heard of chops before. I looked it up....is it chicken feed and chopped corn? Chicken feed doesn't have adequate niacin for geese. Adding wheat or barley to the chicken feed would be a better source of niacin than corn, and adding brewers yeast to their feed would be advisable as well.

I agree with Miss Lydia that confining him and stabilizing him somehow is a good idea.
Since he is so unstable when he drinks, is he actually able to swallow the water?
If you don't think he's getting enough water, you might have to help him out with an eye dropper or plastic syringe....you just want to make sure he's getting full advantage of
all the good stuff you're adding to the water.
Also try offering him dark greens like dandelion greens, kale, collard greens, which are highly nutritious.

I am fortunate to have a long relationship with a vet who has a sub-specialty in avian medicine. When he treated my gander (who started out with a slight limp, then couldn't walk, then couldn't keep his balance when he stood up) he just sort of threw everything but the kitchen sink at him. We weren't sure if it was injury, or toxins, or infection. I was very new to geese at the time with no experience handling or medicating them....let alone giving injections. It took my vet a while to figure out the right dosage and find the right source of niacin for injections, so I don't think it's something you can pick up at a feed store. I think we even used two different antibiotics during the treatment.

I don't know how many vets are in your area, but you might try calling regular vets and see if anyone treats birds. My vet is a dog/cat vet but also treats birds. Some equine vets might even treat poultry....worth a try.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm thinking nutritional now. Do they graze at all? Can you get an "All Flock" feed? I have to use this since I can't get water fowl feed here but I have a mixed flock anyway so feeding just water fowl wouldn't be good for my chickens anyway. But All Flock would be the way to go with your geese. and then supplement with Brewers yeast and greens [not spinach] chopped collards-. kale- Romine lettuce.

You never said if the feed they wouldn't eat was moldy.

 

[Belushigoose]

He's up! This morning when I went to check him, I saw his head pop up and then he got to his feet! He is still alittle weak, but now he can bend his neck without doing a back flip! His buddy is ready for him to come back out, but I think I should keep him away from thier pool until he is stronger. Yeah chops just means chopped up corn. I feel so stupid for not realizing that the chops may not be enough! I just thought that the feed store that I bought them from knew what they were talking about when they said to feed them chops. But then again, that is all they really sell to feed birds outside of the broods best. Can anyone suggest a good mix of feed that I could make myself as my feed store does not carry waterfowl or all flock food? I would let them graze freely in my yard, but in my area, some people do not feel that they should keep thier dogs contained. Thanks!

 

[Miss Lydia]

He's up! This morning when I went to check him, I saw his head pop up and then he got to his feet! He is still alittle weak, but now he can bend his neck without doing a back flip! His buddy is ready for him to come back out, but I think I should keep him away from thier pool until he is stronger. Yeah chops just means chopped up corn. I feel so stupid for not realizing that the chops may not be enough! I just thought that the feed store that I bought them from knew what they were talking about when they said to feed them chops. But then again, that is all they really sell to feed birds outside of the broods best. Can anyone suggest a good mix of feed that I could make myself as my feed store does not carry waterfowl or all flock food? I would let them graze freely in my yard, but in my area, some people do not feel that they should keep thier dogs contained. Thanks!

That's great news!!! I found this on Cottage Roses web site if you scroll down a ways you'll see she gives recipes for feeding water fowl. Do you have any Tractor Supply stores within an hours drive or other feed stores? They sell feed. I have to drive 45 min. to get to a TSC. on way.

http://cottage_rose_birdsnblossoms.webs.com/tipsonraisingwaterfowl.htm