Goose flapping wings in laying-down state - why?

[AGeese]

I was thinking is there such a thing as restless wing syndrome? But as he requested to come inside maybe not. Would think he's getting enough Niacin with what you're feeding.

 

[GEESES Peanut Butter Cup]

I was thinking is there such a thing as restless wing syndrome? But as he requested to come inside maybe not. Would think he's getting enough Niacin with what you're feeding.

Not sure if he's getting enough niacin from grass and grass seeds
Since he recovered from a molt infection a few months ago, he hasn't eaten more than merely a few bites of Mazuri or Purina feed. We still provide feed every few days, but he seems to prefer eating grass seeds. The other bird (the Pomeranian goose beside him in the video) would eat the feed, but not as much as she eats the grass seeds).

The gander is outdoors now. When the wind is big, he would request to come inside. When he's satisfied, he would request to go outside.

 

[ColtHandorf]

The gander is outdoors now. When the wind is big, he would request to come inside. When he's satisfied, he would request to go outside.

That's cute.

 

[Goosebaby]

Not sure if he's getting enough niacin from grass and grass seeds
Since he recovered from a molt infection a few months ago, he hasn't eaten more than merely a few bites of Mazuri or Purina feed. We still provide feed every few days, but he seems to prefer eating grass seeds. The other bird (the Pomeranian goose beside him in the video) would eat the feed, but not as much as she eats the grass seeds).

The gander is outdoors now. When the wind is big, he would request to come inside. When he's satisfied, he would request to go outside.

Sometimes when my geese don’t want to eat something new or when I’m having trouble getting them to eat because of illness I mix their feed with enough water to make a soupy mash, it encourages them to play with it which gets them used to the taste again.
I’m not sure what’s going on with the wings but grass seeds and lettuce isn’t covering his nutritional needs and he needs to be getting something more, especially if he’s molting.

There could also be something else going on that’s causing his lack of appetite, could you give us some more detail about what this molt infection was?

 

[JRies]

Sometimes when my geese don’t want to eat something new or when I’m having trouble getting them to eat because of illness I mix their feed with enough water to make a soupy mash, it encourages them to play with it which gets them used to the taste again.
I’m not sure what’s going on with the wings but grass seeds and lettuce isn’t covering his nutritional needs and he needs to be getting something more, especially if he’s molting.

There could also be something else going on that’s causing his lack of appetite, could you give us some more detail about what this molt infection was?

Thought this might help it was the original post when he got sick

Help needed: gander seems sick, with severe gaping​

 

[GEESES Peanut Butter Cup]

Sometimes when my geese don’t want to eat something new or when I’m having trouble getting them to eat because of illness I mix their feed with enough water to make a soupy mash, it encourages them to play with it which gets them used to the taste again.
I’m not sure what’s going on with the wings but grass seeds and lettuce isn’t covering his nutritional needs and he needs to be getting something more, especially if he’s molting.

There could also be something else going on that’s causing his lack of appetite, could you give us some more detail about what this molt infection was?

The molt infection was treated and gone, but his eating habit has changed since then. @JRies 's mentioning the right post: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/help-needed-gander-seems-sick-with-severe-gaping.1542210/

I tried soupy mash, but he doesn't touch it. I'll try to come up with other methods...

Thanks for all your help.

 

[JRies]

The molt infection was treated and gone, but his eating habit has changed since then. @JRies 's mentioning the right post: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/help-needed-gander-seems-sick-with-severe-gaping.1542210/

I tried soupy mash, but he doesn't touch it. I'll try to come up with other methods...

Thanks for all your help.

Some other things you can try to get his protein up if he will try them shelled sunflower seeds from the feed store will also help with vitamin e just not to much there 33 percent protein. For Niacin take over the counter Niacin tablets and grind them I use a coffee grinder to pulverize them but you can just soak them in a little vinegar water overnight and much them in a blender (I do this with fish oil tablets to). Add them to there drinking water. Great inexpensive way to add it for waterfowl. Mezer's has a blog on it. I definitely understand you can lead a goose to food but you cant make them eat it. I also keep a bottle of poultry cell around and 1 cc syringes. Anytime I have a goose go down 1 squirt ounce in there beak. Its so hard when you dont know what to do I get it. Everyone is here to help It was so cool to see them all jump on so quickly. PS one of the best ways Iv gotten a sick or stubberen goose to eat is by adding whole wheat in the bottom of a water bucket with about 4 inches of water over it.

 

[Goosebaby]

The molt infection was treated and gone, but his eating habit has changed since then. @JRies 's mentioning the right post: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/help-needed-gander-seems-sick-with-severe-gaping.1542210/

I tried soupy mash, but he doesn't touch it. I'll try to come up with other methods...

Thanks for all your help.

I remember your posts now, thank you for reminding me!

Adding in his previous medical history makes me suspect that his illness is probably resurfacing unfortunatly. Sadly this is really common with aspergillosis mold infection and his current lack of appetite is one of the symptoms.

My own gander Thor lost his appetite after he caught it, and even after he appeared to have been cured his appetite never really recovered, I didn’t know it at the time, but that was a sign that he was actually still fighting the illness even if he didn’t appear to be.
It’s because the toxins released into the body by the mold causes an ever present feeling of nausea and so the only thing they’re willing to eat is their favorite treats.
Thor began to refuse to eat his all flock, then he stopped wanting to eat cucumbers, lettuce, grass, and anything else besides scratch grains, grapes, and lettuce. Eventually one by one he even stopped wanting those once more obvious symptoms began to reappear.

Aspergillosis is one of the most difficult illnesses to treat and is often fatal in birds not only because of how deadly the toxins produced by the mold are but also because of the medications used to treat it. Typically it takes months of medication to finally cure the disease.

sporonox is itraconazole, one of the most effective drugs used to treat aspergillosis. Itraconazole is very hard on the heart though, my own gander Thor died of heart failure do to complications of itraconazole.
Turbinafine is known to be a safer alternative, not safe, but safer, so if you’re willing to try to treat your gander again I suggest talking to your vet about Turbinafine. It’s cheaper generally also.

Amphotericine B is the most powerful antifungal but it’s one of the most dangerous antifungals, however it’s known to be safer to birds when nebulized and inhaled than it is for humans according to some studies, and the most effective way to treat an aspergillosis infection is to treat it simultaneously by nebulization and oral medications.



I’m really sorry for you and your gander, but being honest asper is a really difficult thing for a bird to go through and often it’s all for nothing. It’s your choice going ahead wether you want to fight this illness again or not, whatever your choice I suggest that if you only have just the two geese that you introduce a third goose to bond with them should the worse happen so that your other goose isn’t alone.


On the bright side, there may be hope, I’ve been following the development of a new antifungal called Olorofim, the first effective drug to safely treat aspergillosis. It’s going to be launched here in the USA later on this year after June.
Olorofim has been developed for human use so there are no studies that have been done with birds or other animals to determine if it’s effective or even safe for them, but that’s pretty common with most drugs given to animals anyway, and a drug that’s shown to be as safe as it is for humans as Olorofim is has a high likelihood of being safe and effective for birds also.
Because Olorofim is so new and untested in veterinary medicine you’re going to need to a vet that’s willing to be open minded and try unconventional things.

Also it isn’t illegal to prescribe animals medications not indicated for them it just means that the prescription will be used Off Label like many medications already are.

So if you’re willing to try to beat this illness again I suggest trying Turbinafine as well as nebulization for now to beat back the infection, it probably won’t cure him of it, just make it look like it disappeared like before, if it does resurface again Olorofim is only six months away from approval now so if his illness does resurface he might have a real cure for it by then.
I have no idea how much Olorofim will cost, and this being America it might cost a lot unfortunatly. Just something to consider.

I’m keeping you and your goose in my prayers and I hope the best for you.

 

[Goosebaby]

Most importantly, only correct diagnostic testing can determine if he has asper again or not.

 

[GEESES Peanut Butter Cup]

I remember your posts now, thank you for reminding me!

Adding in his previous medical history makes me suspect that his illness is probably resurfacing unfortunatly. Sadly this is really common with aspergillosis mold infection and his current lack of appetite is one of the symptoms.

My own gander Thor lost his appetite after he caught it, and even after he appeared to have been cured his appetite never really recovered, I didn’t know it at the time, but that was a sign that he was actually still fighting the illness even if he didn’t appear to be.
It’s because the toxins released into the body by the mold causes an ever present feeling of nausea and so the only thing they’re willing to eat is their favorite treats.
Thor began to refuse to eat his all flock, then he stopped wanting to eat cucumbers, lettuce, grass, and anything else besides scratch grains, grapes, and lettuce. Eventually one by one he even stopped wanting those once more obvious symptoms began to reappear.

Aspergillosis is one of the most difficult illnesses to treat and is often fatal in birds not only because of how deadly the toxins produced by the mold are but also because of the medications used to treat it. Typically it takes months of medication to finally cure the disease.

sporonox is itraconazole, one of the most effective drugs used to treat aspergillosis. Itraconazole is very hard on the heart though, my own gander Thor died of heart failure do to complications of itraconazole.
Turbinafine is known to be a safer alternative, not safe, but safer, so if you’re willing to try to treat your gander again I suggest talking to your vet about Turbinafine. It’s cheaper generally also.

Amphotericine B is the most powerful antifungal but it’s one of the most dangerous antifungals, however it’s known to be safer to birds when nebulized and inhaled than it is for humans according to some studies, and the most effective way to treat an aspergillosis infection is to treat it simultaneously by nebulization and oral medications.



I’m really sorry for you and your gander, but being honest asper is a really difficult thing for a bird to go through and often it’s all for nothing. It’s your choice going ahead wether you want to fight this illness again or not, whatever your choice I suggest that if you only have just the two geese that you introduce a third goose to bond with them should the worse happen so that your other goose isn’t alone.


On the bright side, there may be hope, I’ve been following the development of a new antifungal called Olorofim, the first effective drug to safely treat aspergillosis. It’s going to be launched here in the USA later on this year after June.
Olorofim has been developed for human use so there are no studies that have been done with birds or other animals to determine if it’s effective or even safe for them, but that’s pretty common with most drugs given to animals anyway, and a drug that’s shown to be as safe as it is for humans as Olorofim is has a high likelihood of being safe and effective for birds also.
Because Olorofim is so new and untested in veterinary medicine you’re going to need to a vet that’s willing to be open minded and try unconventional things.

Also it isn’t illegal to prescribe animals medications not indicated for them it just means that the prescription will be used Off Label like many medications already are.

So if you’re willing to try to beat this illness again I suggest trying Turbinafine as well as nebulization for now to beat back the infection, it probably won’t cure him of it, just make it look like it disappeared like before, if it does resurface again Olorofim is only six months away from approval now so if his illness does resurface he might have a real cure for it by then.
I have no idea how much Olorofim will cost, and this being America it might cost a lot unfortunatly. Just something to consider.

I’m keeping you and your goose in my prayers and I hope the best for you.

Thanks for the info of medicine choices. It'll be helpful during a vet visit. I'll keep observing him for a while. (Sorry for losing Thor.)

My gander has been on the grass seeds and grass diet (with lettuce and watermelon) since the molt infection treatment (around mid to end of August, 2022). As of December 6, 2022, we took him to the vet again just in case the infection gets back again, and the vet saw no more problem, and his weight had grown a little bit since August. Still, I'll keep watching if he has some unusual behavior as there's no guarantee the illness won't come back. For now, although he doesn't eat the feed, he eats a lot of grass seeds and would request more if the grass seed bowl is empty, so his appetite seems OK, but given that he didn't lose appetite but still had trouble eating the feed the last time he got infection, I'll pay attention to his eating behavior.