Weight Loss

[Franki]

I was wondering if anyone might have experienced this and could give some direction.
I have two 18 yr old geese. Brother sister pair.
The male had a rough summer but seems to be pulling out of it nicely;
I have been watching the female closely for a couple of months now.
She seems very thin. I took her to one vet who said no problem
Took her to another that I think is a great bet, he pulled my boy through.
She has blood work and it came back negative.
She does a lot of grazing. gets duck pellets and cracked corn, how much she eats I don't know.
I see the male eating it frequently but her not so much.
She does eat quite a bit of lettuce at night in her barn and apple.
I'm going to contact the vet again this week but wondering if anyone had and experience with this in the past.
I am trying to get some weight on her for winter.

Thanks,
Linda

 

[RURU]

I have not had this happen but they are older geese. One thing I noticed you said the female eats lots of lettuce. What kind of lettuce because ice burge lettuce has no nutriential value to it that I am aware of. She like apples. Does the vet think she is under weight? I now feed Kent multiflock feed mixed with whole oats for the winter. 350 lbs of multiflock and 150 lbs of oats. This is so you get the idea of percentage of pellets to oats. Does she like grains like oats, wheat?
I sometimes feed for higher protien shelled peanuts, sunflower seeds. I go to Walmart and they have bird feed that is called Patio, Porch and Deck mix and my geese love it mixed into their feed. There is also a Nut n' Berry mix bird seed that my geese love as well. But with this you do it in moderation with the pellets.
There are others on here who would know much more than I do but thought this might help.

 

[Going Bhonkers]

I have not had this happen but they are older geese. One thing I noticed you said the female eats lots of lettuce. What kind of lettuce because ice burge lettuce has no nutriential value to it that I am aware of. She like apples. Does the vet think she is under weight? I now feed Kent multiflock feed mixed with whole oats for the winter. 350 lbs of multiflock and 150 lbs of oats. This is so you get the idea of percentage of pellets to oats. Does she like grains like oats, wheat?
I sometimes feed for higher protien shelled peanuts, sunflower seeds. I go to Walmart and they have bird feed that is called Patio, Porch and Deck mix and my geese love it mixed into their feed. There is also a Nut n' Berry mix bird seed that my geese love as well. But with this you do it in moderation with the pellets.
There are others on here who would know much more than I do but thought this might help.

 

[Franki]

Thank you for the information.
The lettuce they eat is Romaine. We have a place called Marcs and they sell it in packs of 3. Between the two of them they get a pack /night.
I have tried the oats and wheat.
They get a bowl of oats and wheat in water every evening. I see then play in it but how much they eat I don't know.
They also have it mixed dry with cracked corn and they don't touch it. I still put it in thinking maybe eventually they will get interested in it.
I am going to head out to Walmart now and pick up the foods that you suggested because now that I think about it I do see them eating the food that has fallen from the bird feeders.
Are the sunflower seeds shelled or unshelled? I can pick them up a bag and put it in a dish.
Thank you so much for the info!

Linda
Jordan, Reebok and Oliver.

 

[RURU]

You are quiet welcom Linda. I sure hope that this maybe help get some weight on the goose. Just mix a little of it in the oats and wheat. Corn is just a treat you can give when super cold out but not as a main diet.
I would mix the oats the pellet feed with a small handful of the bird seeds mixtures I sugested.

On the Porch, Patio and Deck mixture it is all shelled nuts. On the Nut n' berry mixture it has whole sunflower seeds.

Let me know if they like the bird food I recomended? I know your ducks will......

 

[wildpeas]

I dont have any advice as my geese are only 6 months old, I justed wanted to say how wonderful it is that your geese have made it to such an old age!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I dont have any advice as my geese are only 6 months old, I justed wanted to say how wonderful it is that your geese have made it to such an old age!

X2

 

[NovaAman]

I didn't know geese would live to 18 years! WOW, that is cool.

 

[NovaAman]

I just looked up the life span of domestics... 22-25 years! WOW!

 

[Franki]

Thanks to everyone that replied. I know 18 - who knew when I took them at 2 days but you know what?
I hope they live 10 more years.
No ducks, just three spoiled geese.
This is the first summer that I've ever had any health issues with them. I thought I might lose the boy but he has a great vet. He stayed there for almost 2 weeks.
I had to take her there to stay with him she was so upset.
He is doing well and takes his last pill tonight Yeah!
She grazes a lot and her stool is dense and dark green, but I rarely see her eat duck pellets or cracked corn.
I see him at the bowl frequently.That's why I started with the lettuce, apples and grapes hoping to get more into her and get weight on her wth the cold coming.
Anyway, I did go and get both of the foods you suggested.. Had no idea that Walmart carried those.
I put some in a bowl and took it out to them. She poked at it, shook her head and walked away.
He checked it out a little longer but didn't try any.
I will fix them up a bowl shortly. They have quite a few bowls in their barn, lettuce, grape/apple, oats and wheat in water, duck pellets, a bowl of corn, wheat and oat mix, just plain corn and grit.
Now I will add the Deck, Patio mix an the Fruit and Nuts.
I have another male that gets pellets and corn and grapes b/c that's all he will eat and he is a chunk. I can barely pick him up.
Don't know his age, I rescued him 9.5 years ago.
Thank you all again.
I will let you know how it goes.
Linda