Sudden gosling death

[Anne 671]

Hatched 4 African goslings last week in April. They have been very healthy and growing well. Due to heat up to 90 today I let them in the kiddy pool in the morning. They are in a shaded pen . Had an appointment ,so put them back in the pen. By late afternoon my biggest one was dead , no obvious cause. Can this normally happen in raising geese ? Spontaneous death for no apparent reason ? Heat ? Should I set up a fan ? Very upset. Do not want it to happen again.

 

[GermanKennhuhn]

Unfortunately I don’t have any experience with geese, I’m so sorry about your loss.

 

[Goosebaby]

It could be heat exhaustion, it could be an unknown heart condition, it could have been from a predator.

I’m sorry for your loss!

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

At that temperature (assuming no extreme heat index), if they had access to shade and had an adequate drinking water source while they were in their pen, I think it would be unusual for heat exhaustion to have caused a fatality.

As @Goosebaby mentioned, conditions like heart defects in newly-hatched goslings can sometimes result in sudden death, but we're only able to guess. The only way you'd know the cause of death for certain would be to send the gosling for a necropsy.

Condolences on the loss of your gosling.

 

[Miss Lydia]

very sorry for your loss