Wing tips not held in place

[CindyinSD]

Hi everyone,

I have 4 American Buff geese/goslings, about 7 weeks old there are supposed to be 3 geese and a gander... anyway, that’s what I paid for and I assume it’s right. I noticed today that one of them seems to be having trouble keeping its wing tips properly folded. The tips drop down; goose pulls them back up, repeated over and over, pretty much constantly. I don’t know how long this has been going on. They’re terrified of me for some incomprehensible reason, so I haven’t had the irresistible urge to hang out. I have them in a tractor I built for my hens, so I was watching them through the wire. Anyone have any guesses as to what’s going on with the wings? The other three aren’t having the same issue, btw.

Tomorrow I’ll try to get some photos. Too dark atm.

TIA!
Cindy

 

[The goose girl]

All the goslings I've had have had that issue to some degree when their flight feathers grow in, just for a week or two. The feathers are filled with blood and thus heavy, and the goslings' muscles are not yet strong enough to carry that weight.

It seems to me that it got less pronounced once I found out goslings need niacin.

 

[jvls1942]

It sounds like "angel wing" . all it is , is a deformed wing tip. it will stick out and look bad, but I don't know of any repair for it.
maybe somebody will know..

 

[CindyinSD]

The feed I’m giving them is supplemented with niacin. I added some brewers yeast this morning. It looks to me like the problem may have already improved. Maybe it was about two, anyway. I took some pictures of them this morning. They would not turn around. I looked at the live shots, though, and didn’t see any wing drooping. I am not sure the Brewers yeast would have acted that fast, but they have gone through half of the feed I gave them.

Thanks for your advice, guys. I really appreciate that. The one whose wings were drooping is the largest one, probably the gander I suppose. Maybe he felt the heavy wing feathers more than the others. Again, thanks so much!

As you can see from the picture, they’re a little bit cramped. I’m thinking of moving them in with the chickens, but the chickens yard is 2/3 flooded and I’m afraid they might get too excited about the water and get too wet and muddy. What do you think?

 

[CindyinSD]

Oops! Forgot to add the pictures. Here they are.

Messy chicken yard... I’m in the process of adding spoiled pine shavings and hay to dry it up a bit.

Geese, so you can see their size/maturity level. This shelter was meant for my layers, to move around the pasture and clean up after the cows. Unfortunately the pasture is flooded and mushy, so I can’t get it out there just yet.

 

[jvls1942]

you don't have to worry about the geese getting water logged.. they look old enough that the water will not even get to their skin..
geese can wash in muddy water and come out clean as a whistle.. they do not absorb the mud
just try it and see for yourself ..

 

[The goose girl]

The one whose wings were drooping is the largest one, probably the gander I suppose. Maybe he felt the heavy wing feathers more than the others.

That's most likely it. He could be a little bit ahead of the others.

Regarding the mud: I've seen my white goose get muddy and dirty, but as long as she has a bucket of clean water, she'll clean herself up when she's done playing and turn white as snow again.

 

[CindyinSD]

Good to know. I think I’ll give it a try. Thanks!