I have 3 African goslings that have not feathered out yet. Two are fine, but one has developed a problem walking over the past few days. He (or she) will not walk at all now, and even her wings hang loose at her sides instead of tucked up like the other two. It's almost like she can't bear up the weight of her body. I've never had geese before, just chickens, and don't know what is wrong. I have a call into the vet but he hasn't called back. Could it be a vitamin deficiency? Thankyou

-- Sue Kittle (suekittle@hotmail.com), April 09, 2001

Answers

Hi Sue, I do not know if goslings are different, but I have had "lame" chickens. Someone said to cull it, but I just couldn't at that stage, so I crushed up a kids vitamin and put it in the water. The bird seemed to get better. I think it had a broken talon from during the shipping process. It was always crooked(her claw), but she laid eggs just fine as an adult. I have also seen little chicks get a claw stuck in a feeder and have some problems. ~ Brenda

-- Brenda (brenclark@alltel.net), April 10, 2001.

It could be one of two other things, also. Could be a lack of niacin in her diet, which causes lameness. Or could be that she spraddled, or slipped on wet newspaper, if thats what you are using. Make sure they have some kind of beddding other than newspaper, gets slippery. Treatment? I dont know if she's spraddle-legged. I'm new to this stuff too, Ive just been studying about geese. Good Luck.

-- Michele Rae Padgett (michelesmelodyfarm@Yahoo.com), April 12, 2001.