Sickly Mama Goose

[MamaGalGoose]

Got three 'weeder' geese, two males and one female. They are 14 years old. She been a great layer every year usually starting nesting about this time of year. Yesterday I noticed she was all fluffed up, her tail feathers were a bit sparse and her neck was low close to her body. She seemed to be pushing from her backside but I don't know if she's trying to pass an egg or pass some poo! She let me pet her which she normally NEVER has done and isn't moving much or walking much. No blood anywhere. They are large geese and I can't look her over by myself and no one is around to help. Any thoughts other than letting nature take it's course? Just took a long watch of her and she's off balance and tipping forward. Looks like her crop is full or bloated. Is it the same for geese as for chickens?

 

[Goosebaby]

It sounds like she’s egg bound. Do you have any calcium gluconate?

If you can fill a tub with warm water and set her in it for a soak, it can help her pass the egg.

 

[MamaGalGoose]

It sounds like she’s egg bound. Do you have any calcium gluconate?

If you can fill a tub with warm water and set her in it for a soak, it can help her pass the egg.

I think that would be more effort than I can manage right now. I did wrangle her down yesterday and massaged her crop area just in case that was the problem. Later I wrangled her and inspected her underside and didn't feel any eggs (they are quite large!). She also wobbly in her walk. I put her in the pond hoping to wash off some of the backside dirt but she exited the pond quickly. I also noticed her beak is dirty so she hasn't been cleaning it out. Guess I'll wait and see. She's not a young gal so who knows.

 

[Goosebaby]

If she’s a heavy breed she might be about 17 to 20 pounds, medium breeds are around 12 to 15 pounds, light breeds are around 10 to 12 pounds, the easiest was to restrain and pick up a goose of they’re non cooperative is to slowly guide them into an enclosed space, corner them, and scoop them up from behind, pinning them to your chest with your arms in a hug so that you’ve pinned their wings in place.

Sometimes when they’re egg bound the egg can press on her nerves which can render her fully or partially paralyzed in the legs temporarily, causing complete lack of movement or a wobbly gait. Sometimes an egg isn’t always easy to feel so it’s no guarantee that isn’t still the issue.

Another possibility is she could have a vitamin deficiency, if she’s eating dirt and that’s why her bill is muddy that’s usually a sign she’s lacking in something, she also could have a parasite as a result or have gotten a parasite in the first place and and is nutrient deprived because of that.
If that’s the case you might start her on corid as a 3 day drench and after put her on rooster booster poultry drench and liquid vitamin B complex. Alternatively you could put her on Toltrazuril for 3 days and give her the vitamins simultaneously as Toltrazuril isn’t made ineffective by B vitamins like corid is.

There’s also bacterial infections of the gut like clostridium that can cause similar issues, though straining is more unusual and only a symptom if she has a mega colon and isn’t able to defecate.


A third possibility is that she has a tumor pressing on her organs and nerves causing the straining and wobbly gait. If that’s the case there sadly isn’t much you can do.

 

[MamaGalGoose]

If she’s a heavy breed she might be about 17 to 20 pounds, medium breeds are around 12 to 15 pounds, light breeds are around 10 to 12 pounds, the easiest was to restrain and pick up a goose of they’re non cooperative is to slowly guide them into an enclosed space, corner them, and scoop them up from behind, pinning them to your chest with your arms in a hug so that you’ve pinned their wings in place.

Sometimes when they’re egg bound the egg can press on her nerves which can render her fully or partially paralyzed in the legs temporarily, causing complete lack of movement or a wobbly gait. Sometimes an egg isn’t always easy to feel so it’s no guarantee that isn’t still the issue.

Another possibility is she could have a vitamin deficiency, if she’s eating dirt and that’s why her bill is muddy that’s usually a sign she’s lacking in something, she also could have a parasite as a result or have gotten a parasite in the first place and and is nutrient deprived because of that.
If that’s the case you might start her on corid as a 3 day drench and after put her on rooster booster poultry drench and liquid vitamin B complex. Alternatively you could put her on Toltrazuril for 3 days and give her the vitamins simultaneously as Toltrazuril isn’t made ineffective by B vitamins like corid is.

There’s also bacterial infections of the gut like clostridium that can cause similar issues, though straining is more unusual and only a symptom if she has a mega colon and isn’t able to defecate.


A third possibility is that she has a tumor pressing on her organs and nerves causing the straining and wobbly gait. If that’s the case there sadly isn’t much you can do.

Thanks so much for all that information! I went to check on her this morning and she had fallen into a small water tub that I use in the winter and she couldn't get out as the water had lowered. She was soaked but still afloat! I filled the tub and she was able to get out. I could easily pick her up so I guess she's about maybe 10lbs? I covered the tub up. Later I checked on her and was able to hug her from behind and massage the crop again and it felt soft and pliable so I don't know if that's it now or not. I don't have any of the meds or things you mentioned. I guess I'll do what I can and leave nature to the rest.

 

[Goosebaby]

Thanks so much for all that information! I went to check on her this morning and she had fallen into a small water tub that I use in the winter and she couldn't get out as the water had lowered. She was soaked but still afloat! I filled the tub and she was able to get out. I could easily pick her up so I guess she's about maybe 10lbs? I covered the tub up. Later I checked on her and was able to hug her from behind and massage the crop again and it felt soft and pliable so I don't know if that's it now or not. I don't have any of the meds or things you mentioned. I guess I'll do what I can and leave nature to the rest.

Geese don’t have a crop like chickens do, they have more of a stretchy throat so they don’t get sour crop the way chickens do. They can still get candida from a weak immune system or slow digestion from a number of things so if she has an enlarged squishy throat something odd is going on.

 

[MamaGalGoose]

Geese don’t have a crop like chickens do, they have more of a stretchy throat so they don’t get sour crop the way chickens do. They can still get candida from a weak immune system or slow digestion from a number of things so if she has an enlarged squishy throat something odd is going on.

I didn't know that. I did some research and thought they had crops like chickens. I have two other geese who are fine so I don't know what on the property she could have gotten into. I'm thinking of buying some greens for them. They're digging for food besides the cracked corn I give them but the weeds and such haven't really come out yet. I haven't checked on her today yet.

 

[Goosebaby]

I didn't know that. I did some research and thought they had crops like chickens. I have two other geese who are fine so I don't know what on the property she could have gotten into. I'm thinking of buying some greens for them. They're digging for food besides the cracked corn I give them but the weeds and such haven't really come out yet. I haven't checked on her today yet.

What do you feed them?

 

[MamaGalGoose]

What do you feed them?

Cracked corn. Of course in spring & summer there's plenty of green stuff too.

 

[Goosebaby]

Cracked corn. Of course in spring & summer there's plenty of green stuff too.

If you can switch them to an all flock, multiflock, or flock raiser. Cracked corn is a nice treat but it’s nutritionally very poor.