Young gosling broke its bill

[JacinLarkwell]

I'd almost suggest just waiting until full grown then, but I'm not sure that would work at that point since he would be used to no bill

 

[Sierra G]

I'm thinking of trying some nail serum and see if that has any effect. It's supposed to harden fingernails and help them grow faster. If it's non-toxic it might not help, but it shouldn't hurt either.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

This waterfowl sanctuary might be a helpful resource if you decide to pursue prosthetics. Best wishes for your gosling - what a rough start.

 

[Sierra G]

He's still doing okay. Very active and has bonded with my pilgrims and ducklings. He's outdoors and on grass, but I think he eats more crumble than grass. His biggest problem at the moment seems to be grooming. I've been wiping him down in the evening with a damp wash cloth because he doesn't seem to be able to clean his back or chest. He's not growing as fast as I think he should, but he doesn't look malnourished or sick. His name is Swole (because he's buff) and while he's not exactly living up to his name he's doing better than I thought he would.

 

[MistyandLuna]

He's still doing okay. Very active and has bonded with my pilgrims and ducklings. He's outdoors and on grass, but I think he eats more crumble than grass. His biggest problem at the moment seems to be grooming. I've been wiping him down in the evening with a damp wash cloth because he doesn't seem to be able to clean his back or chest. He's not growing as fast as I think he should, but he doesn't look malnourished or sick. His name is Swole (because he's buff) and while he's not exactly living up to his name he's doing better than I thought he would.

Glad to hear he’s doing pretty good. Has his beak grown back at all? Or is it still the same?

 

[Sierra G]

Glad to hear he’s doing pretty good. Has his beak grown back at all? Or is it still the same?

The beak isn't showing any improvement.

 

[Sierra G]

Glad to hear he’s doing pretty good. Has his beak grown back at all? Or is it still the same?

The beak isn't showing any improvement.

 

[Weeg]

Ohhh, poor baby. I'm really glad he's still doing alright, thats so good to hear. Try making a mash of his feed so its easier to eat. Even though he doesn't look malnourished, it will at least make it easier for him. Keep us posted on how he does, what a tough cookie!
@KaleIAm @Miss Lydia @Isaac 0

 

[KaleIAm]

Ohhh, poor baby. I'm really glad he's still doing alright, thats so good to hear. Try making a mash of his feed so its easier to eat. Even though he doesn't look malnourished, it will at least make it easier for him. Keep us posted on how he does, what a tough cookie!
@KaleIAm @Miss Lydia @Isaac 0

Thanks for the tag, @Weeg. I agree that food in water or mash might be easier for this special bird to eat.

I haven't seen anything like this - it's so sad! But that little baby is lucky to have an owner not giving up on them!

My duck had a minor bill injury, just an indented scrape on top, and that took months to heal. I took her to the vet and they thought her healing progress was excellent. So bills must heal very slowly.

You know how they debeak chickens at factory farms? Do those grow back? I don't know, and I'm too sensitive to look into the details. It's a different situation, but it might give some clues about this little one.

 

[Miss Lydia]

A for feeding deep bowl for scooping comes to mind. I remember a story from Carolina Waterfowl sanctuary about a goose getting a prosthetic bill I believe, might want to contact them about it. Might be a good idea to weigh the gosling at least weekly to make sure it's gaining weight.