2 baby geese died--1 not well-help

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This is Mama Goose--that bought the baby Chinese geese & African geese & 2 fawn runners. (I've had my Mother in hospital for a week with heart surgery)--so this morning I finally had time to go pull them greens-- grass & weeds--I was busy & looked in their wadeing pool/home & my baby Chinese I've been packing around in my sweat shirt pocket & sitting on my lap while I'm on the computer was dead as well as the small African & the small chinese isn't well!!!!! The large African & 2 fawn runners seem fine! What weeds will kill baby geese? As I'm sure it was the weeds I put in with them that did it! I'm just sick!!!!!! I am so attached to them--as they have been in our living room/ & with us since we bought them. What information can you give me so it will never happen again & can save someone else this terrible experience!!!!! Is there anything I can do for my Chinese that isn't doning well???? I called the vet's office & he is out in the pasture working cattle. The Chinese is not able to get up on it's legs--I have given it water. The other dead ones when I picked then up---had fluid running out of their bills. If I can prevent this from happening to anyone else--I'm sure it was some thing in the greens that killed them. I've cried until I feel like I can't cry anymore--doesn't help--bring them back. Can someone help with some answers! Thanks so much Sonda

-- Sonda Bruce (sgbruce@birch.net), April 27, 2000

Answers

Sondra, I don't know what, but it sounds like some kind of poisoning. Has there been any spraying around you? Or what about yard plants like rhododenrons, azaleas, etc. They are toxic to livestock, plus others maybe more specific to your area. I am sorry. I love my geese. Maybe someone else has some good ideas.

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), April 27, 2000.

Hi--it is Sonda again--my vet just called & I had pulled up weeds in the empty lot next to us --as I had mowed our yard & there wasn't much to pull for them to eat. I described the plants to him--& he said, I had gotten ahold of some poison hem lock. It looks like a big fern. My vet said, it would kill horses, cows, hogs, anything that eats it! He said, Well you should be thankful you didn't loose a cow or horse to it.--I told him, I just lost two of our family members, & they happened to be geese. My smallier Chinese is up now & she is going to make it!!!! Praise God! So we have 1 African (I believe a gander) 1 Chinese (I believe a hen) 2 fawn runner ducks left out of our babies now. We lost my spoiled baby,(I called Abby-but was Abe I think) that sat on my lap while I was on the computer(a Chinese gander) and an African hen. My baby had gotten big enough he took up most of my lap & was starting to feather out. I really learned a lesson today--& feel like an idot for being the one to give them a weed to kill them. We live in Kansas & this weed grows every where. But I will always know what it is from now on--I hope one person who didn't know like I didn't will not loose any livestock because of my mistake!! Sonda

-- Sonda Bruce (sgbruce@birch.net), April 27, 2000.

Just a reminder to those of you who forage wild things for people food -- poison hemlock and water hemlock will also kill people, and it only takes a very small amount. So be VERY careful what you are gathering!! (Don't stop doing it, just know your plants!)

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), April 27, 2000.

I'm so sorry Mama Goose, I feel very bad for you. We lost a lamb this year that we thought we didn't have to bottle feed as it seemed to be nursing well. We were devastated, too. Sigh... such hard lessons for us all to learn. How is your Mom doing?

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), April 27, 2000.

I am sooo sorry!!!It`s so hard when ones animals die. :( Could be buttercups, Tansy, Bracken( fern like plants),Foxglove,hundreds of plants can make animals very sick... if anyone uses what I call plastic man made fertilizers on the grass, or weed killer, can kill baby animals fast. Baby waterfowl are very sensitive to man made posions... like a canary in the coal mine. YOu might want to call you county`s AGI office, and they can give you a list of what plants to watch out for or are a problem in your area.

-- Bergere (autumnhaus@aol.com), April 27, 2000.


Jean, thanks for asking about my Mother--she is 86 years old & praise God-the problems were found before she had a heart attack. The surgeries went well--we were in two different hospitals this last week. She had good care & good doctors, & I brought her home last night. I had spent the whole week with her. So, it was really good to be home in my own bed last night. My sister is staying with Mother at night now, & I get day shift.ha- I was really tired & had been under a lot of stress for over a week--so when I gave my babies poision weeds today--that killed two of them --it was like the last straw that broke the camel's back! If ya know what I mean. Thanks for asking!! I have found this board to be so helpful & careing. I appreciate each answer to me & the e-mails!!!! Thank you, Sonda

-- Sonda Bruce (sgbruce@birch.net), April 27, 2000.

This is Mama Goose again--I have a question--& I'm sure you folks can answer it for me. I now have a Chinese Hen & an African Gander when they get old enough to think about it---will the two of different breeds mate????? Or will I need to replace of the same breed for them? They will be family pets--not show birds or anything that it would mean I needed pure breed! Do they mate for life, if they do mate? Does a gander take on more than one hen, & of different breeds-- like a duck or drake??? I have been off the farm for tooooo many years & as I get oldier I seem to have more problems remembering things. Thanks again for your help!!!! Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda Bruce (sgbruce@birch.net), April 28, 2000.

Sonda, geese will mate with other breeds, usually in pairs, but some of the smaller breeds (Pilgrims and Africans) will mate in trios or sometimes even three geese to one gander. They will raise offspring - - crossbred geese are sold as "weeder geese" in Murray McMurray. Hope this helps, and I'm glad your mother is doing better.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), April 28, 2000.

Sonda, Sorry to hear about your gosling loss. But you have saved some of the rest of us newbies from making the same mistake by sharing your experience. Thanks much and glad to hear your mother is doing well.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), April 28, 2000.

Sonda, how terrible about your little goslings. I hope the survivors are doing well. I also hope your mother is doing well. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), May 03, 2000.


Gerbil, thanks for asking! The babies are doing GREAT! The little Chinese baby hen that was sick is doing fine! I held it. & stroked it & gave it drinks of water & it lived! They are to the stage that they are getting pen feathers & starting to get wings. Soooooo cute! I'm enjoying each stage! Today I put them in the yard in their pen & gave them a dish pan of water, & they all four got in it at the same time & it wasn't that big of a dish pan! ha We truely are enjoying them. My old bantam rooster, goes by their pen & just watches them-- like "what in the world is this?" He crows & they squak at him! ---We got my Mother home from the hospital her heart surgery went well. She is healing now! Thank you for careing!!! Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), May 03, 2000.

Sonda,

so sorry to haer about the loss of your baby geese, I remember you telling us about the one who sat in your lap (Abe or Abigail). It hurts so bad to lose one of our much loved little friends. I am vry happy to hear your mother is home and recuperating so well from her illness. We just have to learn from our mistakes and try not to blame yourself, life is what happens while we are busy making other plans, I have wept over more than one of my "critters". karen

-- Karen Mauk (dairygoatmama@hotmail.com), May 04, 2000.


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