strange gosling

[crazy goose lover]

I have a pair of sebastopol goslings. I got them one week ago and they were a few days old when i got them. I believe one was a little oler than the other. I think they are both female. One is now twice the size of the other. The larger gosling seems fine. The smaller eats and drinks and moves fine, but the smaller doesn't act normal. The older follows every step I take. The smaller does not follow and it does not cry when left behind. It wanders off and does its own thing. Never seen one that was such a loner. I have had to start keeping them in seperate brooders because the larger one picks on the smaller one. When I move the smaller one it is fine but the bigger one cries because it is alone. Any thoughts?

 

[Kim65]

I guess there are always exceptions

Separate them so they can see each other, in the same brooder? A short piece of small bore chicken wire (edges protected)??

Are you sure the little one is a goose

??

How strange. Hmmm. In the wild, Little Miss Independence would be something's tasty snack. If she is indeed healthy and just abnormal temperamentally, I wonder if she'll pass this trait on to her goslings?

I know goslings sort of "take off" and grow like weeks at about two weeks. Maybe the size difference is related to age, or you have a genetic microgoose.

At two weeks old, goslings fur starts to feel prickly with new feathers coming in. Do you feel feather stubs coming in on either of them, or just the big one?

 

[crazy goose lover]

I wondered if she might be blind because she doesn't watch me like the others, but when i pick her up she goes straight for my necklace so I know she can see. She doesn't seem to be unhealthy in any way just small and a loner. She has goose build and features just small. They played outside all day today so they are too tired to fight tonight. they are in the same brooder without issue tonight. My friend that also has two from this batch says she has one that bites the other and keeps its back wet from chewing too so that may just be a goose thing. "I hatched and raised my other sebbie alone so I have never seen siblings interact. Neither of them are prickly yet.

 

[duckyfromoz]

I was actually thinking it could be blind while I read your first post. I have a blind duckling at the moment- and it acts in a similar way. It could still have some kind of a sight deficit and only see things close to it.

 

[OmaBird]

I raise turkeys. Some colors are known to have site problems. Sometimes they are not blind but they are near sited. Maybe that is the case with your little goose.

When ever I have something that does not seem to grow as fast as the others, I always think failure to thrive. They just stay small and usually die.

 

[crazy goose lover]

It is definitely blind. Swims into the side of the pool. Walks into other animals. Of well it is just a yard pet so it should not have too difficul of a tme adapting. Hopefully as i grows the other animals will chip in and be protective. It will always have people to assit it as needed.

 

[Kim65]

OMgosh, it never occurred to me. For a gosling to not follow is pretty strange, of course blindness would make sense

Poor little thing. I'm sure she'll have a good life as a yard pet.