two geese can't walk both within three days

[ThiefPouter06]

I have two 6 week old geese, both have lost functions of their legs, one is also gasping for air. Symptoms occured within hours. The second goose showed symptoms within three days of the first goose displaying symptoms. I gave them niacin today in case that was the problem. However, this appears awfully sudden. Could this be poisoning of some kind? The other four geese appear perfectly fine at this moment.

 

[marathonmultiplesmom]

I have one young goose or older gosling, fully feathered. She just became weak and limped for a day or so, flapping to get around and sitting all day. Noticably weak. Today she couldn't walk and when I took her to the water she drank like she hadn't in days. She was also very light and boney. I separated her into a shaded pen that has lots of greens, switched her food to flock raiser for higher protein and put her brother in with her to keep her company. I hope she pulls through. I have no clue what the problem is. The other 12 geese are all fine. I am hoping this is nothing contagious but I doubt it since all the others are okay.

 

[chickenlady08]

I have read on here that geese need more niacin than the chicken does. they also need Brewer's Yeast (well I dont know if they need it but it helps to keep their legs strong). I bought the 500mg niacin and had some brewers yeast and crush them up and put them into the drinking water for them. I have also started to add vitamins and electrolytes to the water and not use the extra niacin since the geese and chickens drink from the same buckets and waterers.

I am sorry that your babies are doing well but try some vitamins esp Niacin and the Brewers yeast. Hope that may help them out.

 

[chickensioux]

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ditto, I would try some vitamins. I use the brewers yeast and I buy avian vitamins at walmart. Good Luck!!!!

 

[ThiefPouter06]

I had to put them down this morning. One was flat on its back and couldnt get up or move its wings. Lack of niacin works that quickly? I would have thought it would have been more gradual. How often should I give them niacin? The only brewers yeast I found was in tablets with garlic is this ok?
Matt

 

[chickenlady08]

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Oh I am so sorry about your geese

. they could have had a some niacin in their system but depleted it and that is why they went down so fast. I am still kind of new to geese but I read alot on everything that I own (chickens, geese, rabbits etc) so I can be familiar with anything that can go wrong. I got the vitamins and have been using them instead of the individual niacin and brewer's yeast. And the only kind of brewer's yeast I had or even found was the kind with the garlic. I have also read that garlic is a natural wormer and it is healthy for them. I sure hope so. I think grow so very fast that if they didn't have the niacin regularly then that is why they failed so fast.

Once again I am truly heartbroken that you lost your babies. I am truly so very sorry.

 

[marathonmultiplesmom]

I don't have any brewers yeast for my birds. Can I use regular dry active yeast for now? I have been trying to look this up to no avail. None of my books even mention that. One is for ducks/geese and one is general poultry with a section on water fowl. Neither cover what to do when something goes wrong.

I'm not quite ready to put down my bird but she is weak and light and can't stand.

 

[chickenlady08]

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I found this book that many people recommended on this website. It is called The Book of Geese a complet guide to raising the home flock) by Dave Holderread. It is very imformative and he has raised geese and ducks for quite some years. I had some of the Brewer's yeast for my dogs and cats that had garlic in it and I asked my vet if it would cause any problems with my geese or chickens even and she said no. I don't think the dry active yeast is the same type and I don't know if it will hurt or help your bird. Do you have any of the Niacin or any type of vitamins (Without IRON) that you can crush up and put in the water. I also give my 2 geese and flock of chickens a large amoung of Kale each morning. I have a big rubber bowl that I break the kale up in and sprinkle with the vitamins and electrolytes and then add water. They get the benefits of all the vitamins from the kale and then from the vitamins that are diluted in the water even if they think it is a game to grab the kale out of the water.

Do you have a livestock supply or tractor supply, walmart, or other type store that you can run out and find some vitamins from them. they will prob have the brewers yeast with garlic for dogs and cats that you can use as that is what I am using.

Offer anything that is high in vitamins and minerals (greens) mine love kale the best. But turnip greens, collard greens and maybe even spinach may work. Mind don't care for the turnip greens and kale works for everybody. Make sure you are giving him/her grit to help grind up the greens (maybe even some grasses would benefit now)

I got my book at Metzgersfarms.com or something like that but if you do a search on here in the geese section I asked about a book and then vitamins and someone sent me a link to download the book for FREE (but I had already purchased it)

I

and pray that your bird makes it. His bones may also be weak if he isn't getting enough to eat, but I am not sure if giving them calcuim will benefit or harm them.

Good Luck and keep me updated on you baby. don't put him/her down, let it fight because it sounds like it is not giving up.

Lisa

 

[marathonmultiplesmom]

Ok, I will have to go out into town tonight. We have 5 adults sharing 2 cars and one of the cars is off on a fishing trip so hopefully I can go tonight. We are kind of isolated out here.
I only have vitamins WITH iron so that is no good. I always buy with iron because me and my daughter are prone to having low iron levels. So I will get some chewables.

My goose is drinking plenty of water but has no appetite. She doesn't want to eat on her own. However, she will eat if I open her beak and put in some food. I gave her a little flock raiser like that today. I don't think she ate anything at all yesterday but the day before she was eating. She feels very boney in her back. I have her in a separate pen and I took her out to the swimming tub today and put her in for about 10 or 15 minutes and she was able to swim slowly. She even made a few attempts to get out but that was hard for her. I think I will continue with swim time every day. Its the only way she gets to use her legs. Her neck seems like the strongest part on her.

 

[chickenlady08]

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I know how you feel about being in the middle of nowhere. We just got our very first Wal-mart in July. Whoo hoo that is exciting. LOL. do you have a feed store around you? I probably would try to get the Poly vi-sol (baby type vitamins) if you can't find the animal vitamin pack. I have never used them but I have read where many people use them if they don't have the animal vitamins (I have them in powder form and they mix with water. Try to give some yogurt to her, loaded with vitamins, calcuim. get the plain kind no flavoring. I am so sorry that you have a sick goose. I had a rooster 'Jack' that became lame last year and he was only 4 months old. took him to the vet and xrayed him. thin bones and that was all she could tell me. I researched and researched and narrowed it down to Ricketts. (calcuim and vitamin d deficiancy) babied him and treat him like my kid.lol I dont know if you could use the same recipe that is used for Ricketts or not. It has honey, egg yoke, oatmeal, (search for Ricketts recipe on here and even the internet and it will give you the exact ingredients. I also added vitamins and calcuim powder to it.

Lisa