Balding around eyes (Embden Geese) - HELP!!

[Bago]

Hello all,

My name is Ian and i've just recused some geese and got them out of danger. I've decided to join the forum as I want the best for them and don't know very much at all!

Recently, they have developed feather loss around their eyes. Can anyone tell me what causes this?

I don't seem to be able to find any info online about it, however, some pictures of geese online do have the same feather loss around the eyes.

Apart from this, they all seem happy and fine and are eating well.

I'll upload a before feather loss and after feather loss picture of the same Goose for you to see.

BEFORE

AFTER

I hope someone can put my mind at rest!

Kind regards
Ian
(Westbury, Wilts)

 

[Miss Lydia]

and great to hear you rescued these geese. Thank you!

You maybe looking at a nutritional deficiency have you looked closely for mites around the eyes or else where they are very tiny and black and move fast. But hopefully giving them a good quality feed will get them looking great pretty quick, you could also offer some poultry vitamins in their water to help boost their immune systems. The one in the crate looks underweight and the others feathers look pretty ragged so it maybe just getting them started on a good quality feed and vitamins will do the job.

If in a few weeks you still don't see much change you might want a vet to take a look at them.

Please keep us updated. I have Embden.

 

[Bago]

Hello Miss Lydia and thank you for your kind reply and information.

To give you a bit of background, my geese are kept on a lake about a mile from my home and are semi-tame! The lake is 4 acres. Next to the lake, they have a two acre field. They have built nests in the surrounding woodland and share the lake with Canadian Geese and ducks. They all seem very happy. The whole area is perimeter fenced and padlocked. The general public are not allowed in. Only the fishermen that pay a subscription, the gardeners, the owner, the RSPCA and myself have the gate codes. There is a fantastic story attached to one goose in particular that made the newspapers!! He was a celebrity before that however, but was in extreme danger and so I took it upon myself with help from the RSPCA, to rescue him. I then found myself responsible for seven geese! I've unfortunately lost two, so down to five now. I can give you the full story if you are interested?

The one pictured in both photos above is 'Gary' our famous Goose!

Now, the geese that were already on the lake have been there 15 years and the owner said they have always been healthy. Nobody ever fed them apart from folks chucking in bread and they have the grass in the field. Gary, on the other lake has always been healthy also. Again, same scenario but a lone ranger! Then I get involved and we've had two cases of bumble foot and now this!
I was worried about a vitamin deficiency over the cold winter, so I supplemented them over the winter with layers pellets and fat balls (is this ok?)

Their drinking water is the lake, and always has been with no issues.

I can get fairly close to some of them and stroke them so I checked around their eyes today, but couldn't see any black mites. I have a close picture posted below. Nothing looks irritated or infected. 2 Geese have it, 3 are fine.

Interestingly, up until recently, all 5 geese stayed together. Now one won't leave the field and refuses to go in the water. One stays on the island in the middle and the 3 with 'normal' eyes all stay together. Strange??

As I am, like I said, a complete beginner, could you possibly tell me what nutrients they need (I thought grass was sufficient in spring and summer?) and what vitamins you would supplement them with please?

I look forward to your helpful reply,

Kind regards
Ian
Westbury, Wiltshire
U.K.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for the back ground Please give the story about Gary your famous goose.

Sounds like a prefect place for water fowl there. Do you have any idea how old they are? do you see them scratching around their eyes? The eye sure doesn't look infected or dripping anything out of ordinary So I am not sure what maybe going on. My Embden is 11 yrs old and so far his feathers around his eyes are still there. I was thinking maybe this is an age thing. Do you know sex of these geese. Sounds like maybe you have 3 ganders and the rest are females. [Just guessing ]since 3 are together possibly 1 gander 2 females and the other 2 grounded are ganders and not allowed in the gaggle? But sometimes geese will chase off and excommunicate some of the other females too. Do you ever see any breeding? Yes very strange that the 2 with this happening around their eyes are the estranged ones . Can you get some eye ointment? here we can get Terramycin eye ointment since you can get close to them maybe you can put some around the eye and see if it helps at all. These 2 aren't showing any other symptoms like they are not well?

Oh and it's breeding season here in the US probably there too.

 

[Bago]

Hi Miss Lydia, sorry for the late reply, it's been hectic here!!

Well first, let me tell you about Gary. He's our famous goose. He was dumped a few years ago on a fishing lake along with two other geese. They were fine for a while but eventually the fence around the lake got so dilapidated that they were able to get out onto the road. The incentive for them was the sweet grass verge on the other side!
The only saving grace here was that the traffic was forced to slow in the location the geese crossed, as it was on a roundabout (a round junction in the road to split roads off in different directions, you don't have them in the states, which is good, because they are bad for accidents!!) However, eventually, two of the geese did get hit by a car, leaving just Gary, who, from that day, made it his duty to sit in the middle of the roundabout and 'shout' at the passing cars for killing (or so we thought) his friends!!

Gary became famous as he was always wandering up and down the road chasing people walking there dogs, waiting for his regulars to feed him, standing at the bus stop waiting for people to get off the bus, and, when he was on the lake, bursting into the fishermans tents at 5am and stealing their fishing bait!! He is quite the character!!

This went on again for some years until new apartments were built opposite the lake, this road was busier than the other and the locals used to throw bread out the windows for him, encouraging him to cross!!

I used to drive by and he was always in the road, holding up traffic. I used to stop my truck and usher him back to the lake, but no sooner had I driven off, he was out again.

I repaired the fences at my own expense, but alas, teenagers destroyed them again.

As time went on, Gary got braver, and the road got busier with all the developments going on. I decided it was time to relocate him after I witnessed a very near miss! Someone was pushing him out the way with their car.

So, with the help of our local RSPCA inspector, we took him to Wiltshire wildlife hospital for temporary rehoming, where, amazingly, he met up with the two geese that got run over! The were injured and taken there, but never rehomed!

After three weeks of searching, I found the place that they are in now, which is beautiful. They have a 4 acre lake and a 3 acre field, all perimeter fenced. There were 7 of them in total, we have 5 left now after an otter killed one and one died of, we think, old age. The ones on the lake are at least 20. Gary, I think, is around 10. The only thing I feel bad about is that he doesn't have all the people contact he used to know and love. He seems much calmer now and is caring for the young of the Canada geese that share the lake with them. I'm not sure if this is good, or if he was better off before??

The feathers around the eyes are growing back!! I think it was a vitamin deficiency. You were right. We've had a harsh winter. But now the grass is growing back and they are feasting on that! I'm also giving them wheat and layers pellets. All 5 are back together again!!

However, one weird thing. When Gary was on the lake, he was all pristine and white (first picture in the crate). However, now, after being in a better environment, with me looking after him, he looks really rough, dirty and bedraggled! As do the others, who, again, all looked great when I first met them!! I feel like its my fault!! Could it be they are still getting over the winter?

I look forward to your advice!

Have a great weekend,

Kind regards

Ian

 

[Miss Lydia]

Aww You did everything right. You stepped in and saved Gary's life literally.. Love how it all worked out that he got back with his friends too. As for the was they are looking I am not sure what could be causing this unless they are getting ready to start molt. My geese are finishing up breeding season and next is they will molt. You haven't noticed any of the geese fighting? that can make them look disheveled too. Sounds like they are on a good diet although ganders[or any male birds] don't need to eat laying pellets. Just a plain all flock would be best. Other than that their diet sounds really good and wholesome. Hopefully it's time to molt and when that is done they will look great again.. Keep me updated on it all. They do may great parents aunts and uncles too.

 

[Bago]

Hi Miss Lydia, hope alls good with you and your birds?
In answer to your question, yes, they are fighting! Gary looks like he's been run over at the moment!!
He's guarding the little ones and fights the others that come near, plus Gary and one other are molting I think, as there are feathers everywhere! The other three look perfect. Gary and the other one look so disheveled and rough! I wouldn't be so concerned, its just that Gary used to look so perfect on his old lake!
Someone has dumped another Embden on Garys old lake recently. The new Gander on Garys old lake seems fine and looks super healthy and not molting. He doesn't go in the road either! It almost makes me want to move Gary back to his old lake! I know he'd be out in the road again is the only problem!
I'll keep you posted!

 

[Lil Drake40]

Hi I hope you don’t take Gary back there knowing he’d probably end up in the road and probably teach the new one to do it too.I know your concerned about Gary and one other but if the lake is big enough they could get away from the rest right?hopefully once breeding season is over nd they are through molt things will settle down in goosedom

 

[Bago]

Yup, I hope so!! I wouldn't take him back there! Don't worry!!! Just seemed like he was always white and pristine there! He looks like he's done 10 rounds against Mike Tyson at the moment!!

I'll keep u updated, and thank you for your info, much appreciated!!

 

[Bago]

Miss Lydia, just to let you know, all geese are now in superb condition!!
We now seem to have gained some ducks! I have a buff orpington, a few mallards and my favourites, 2 x indian runners!!