The Goslings -Image Heavy-

[Goosehaven]

I used those exact waterers that you have for my four goslings until they were around 3-4 weeks old. As long as the goslings you are getting are just days old it will work out fine because they can dip their entire beaks in it at first and clear their nostrils up until around that point. You'll know when to switch to a deeper one. By the time you get them out of the brooder they will be ready for a small bucket to dip their entire heads in.

Watch the toy thing because I made the mistake of buying some sturdy dig tits with little shoe string looking things on them because they love to chew on things. Little did I know that the little buggers beaks were stronger than I thought because they got several of them free and ate them whole. Needless to say I freaked out but they had no problems from it and passed them but needless to say, no more toys for mine after that happened.

I used towels on the bottom of my brooder for about a week and then switched to the pine shavings. It's easy to keep the towels clean at first when they are little because their poop isn't that much but by a week it was too messy. I read somewhere that they don't recommend pine shavings for days old goslings because they will try to eat them and it can bind them up early on. I can vouch that they do eat them as mine would take a bite of food and then eat some of the pine shavings. I was OCD about getting the really thick pieces out when I changed the litter but the thin slivers break down and pass through. I can't say whether it really would harm them in the first week but I was afraid to try it. Geese are just so much different than duck/chicks in that they will ingest things that the others won't. Just don't forget to sprinkle chick grit on their food to help break it down if they do ingest some of it. They also need the grit to break down the grass or greens when you start feeding them that.

Can't wait to see pictures of your goslings when they arrive.

 

[Tinted]

Thank you so much, I will send the family out to buy Grit tomorrow while I wait for them to arrive and sprinkle some over the feed from day 1. My plan is to free feed them until they are older is this ok?

 

[MsMelvin]

Glad I'm reading; my Metzer friends are arriving tomorrow morning as well. Got everything ready I think.

But; I thought the grit does not come into play for the first three or four weeks. Did I read incorrectly?



Sally

 

[marathonmultiplesmom]

Even my adult geese are able to drink from small poultry waterers. If you keep that waterer then just let them play in water once a day. You can take them for a swim outside, in a kitty litter pan or in the bath tub with shallow water. They clear out their nostrils in the water so they need to do that from time to time but the poultry waterer is fine in a brooder. The bowl is nice, too but you WILL have a big wet mess... fair warning. They splash and toss water around. I avoid the bowl at first because of that and because they are clumsy. I try to keep them dry so I do the waterer and I have a little pan that I fill with water for them but I put cloth diapers around it to soak up the water then change them.

 

[Goosehaven]

If all they are eating is their crumbles or pellets they don't need the grit but when you start feeding grass and greens they need a little bit.( also when I knew they were eating the pine shavings litter) I just sprinkled about as much grit over their food like you would salt your food at the table. Not too much at all. I know some people free feed the grit or course sand but sprinkling the grit did the trick so I stuck with that. I didn't start feeding them fine grass until they were around a week or so old.

 

[clausbelly]

I just bought diet Goslings at Kappy's in Sudbury. But, they also had Barrett's in cans and Barrett's in bottles made with pure cane sugar. Just put it on, first track is glorious droning feedback and rumbling low end, a discomforting bliss, creepy vocals coming up through the mix, reverbed, echoing, fading away. I love this band.

 

[MsMelvin]

...thank you for clarification on the grit Goosehaven, gotcha.

Post office called at 7 this morning; they are healthy but were a little weak. Now they are good! Sugar water and crumbles are fast acting. Took their first nap and are playing again now. Love the water : )

I am so pleased with Metzer.

One q; what do you folks use to cut the bands off...

 

[Tinted]

Same question do you cut the bands off?? And My guys got here about 7:48 this morning and thanks to the grow Gel were fine and dandy. I love them to bits. I left the poultry waterer in and it seems to work fine. Would it be ok to let them play in a few inches of water in the bathtub later on today or should I wait? I have 2 different types of feed in there for them to choose from a waterfowl starter and Purina Multi Flock. They are spoiled.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

Hi,

My two pairs of goslings arrived this morning. I picked them up @ 6:50a.m. They are beautiful! One pair of Roman Tufted and One pair of Tufted Buffs. Large and active babies all four have beautifully tufted heads! Eating and drinking fine before I left for work. Can't wait to go home and see them. My son, who's out of school for the Summer, said they are very talkative & active this afternoon.

Joni

 

[Kim65]

When they are bigger, you could use small indoor cat/dog waterer, that holds about a half gallon. Its deep enough they can cover their nostrils, and provides "freshish" water until of course they play and splash it empty.

Goslings aren't as fragile as chicks and turkeys past the first couple of days. If it is 70 outside, it's okay to let them out for a while. They usually need no extra heat after two weeks, earlier depending on your climate and the season.

Sure, let them splash in some water, even deep enough for them to paddle in. Just make sure it's warmish water, and that you dry them a bit with a towel and pop them under a heat lamp to dry off afterward. Maybe twenty minutes of swimming, tops, at this age, if the BR is warm. Without a mama goose, they don't have her body oils all over them to make them water proof, and their fuzz soaks water like a sponge. Of course, observe them during the swim. They hatch knowing "water" and how to dive and paddle

Thanks for sharing your pics, along with many others I can't get enough gosling fuzzy pics