Injured Canada Goose. What should I do?

[HeatherKellyB]

Yesterday late morning I noticed about 20 to 25 Canada Geese on our pond. We came out and fed them some floating water fowl feed and left scratch on the bank of the pond. About an hour and a half later, my daughter came in and told me that one of the geese was at the fence that contains an area right outside our back door. ~We keep our 4 ducks in this fenced area because we've been treating one for bumblefoot and another has a chronic limp due to a foot deformity from hatch. The other 2 hang out at the fence the entire day, so we just keep all 4 in the fenced in area. ~ And it was "jumping" at the fence. I found the goose sitting outside the fence. Upon further investigation, the goose is suffering from an injury to its foot or leg. The other geese eventually flew off last night but I don't believe the injured one went with them. I found the injured goose outside the fence again early this afternoon, still unable to use it's left leg/foot. It's able to fly but has to hop around on one foot. It's in the pond right now and we're making sure it's fed (it eats really well) and hydrated anytime it's not in the pond. It does allow me to get kinda close, but not close enough to put my hands on it. I know this goose needs medical attention asap but I worry that if I call the wrong person, this goose will be euthanized without consideration on the injury and the possibility of a positive outcome. On the other side of the road where I live is a gated community that has been working on eliminating the Canada Goose population with lots of effort and backing from the entire community. I am willing to try to help this goose and have an extra set of adult hands to help as well, but I don't want to break the law or harm this goose in any way, nor do I want to cause any problems for my ducks or chickens. I know it's illegal to keep a Canada Goose and I wholeheartedly respect that law, but I can't stand the fact that this goose is suffering. I've lined up help in the event that capturing the goose is ok to do. I needed some of the smartest folks I know to help me figure out how to proceed. If I need some sense talked into me, I will gladly accept that as well. I am just so torn but desperately want to help, if I can in any way.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I took this picture yesterday afternoon. Haven't taken any pictures today. Will probably have to wait to take any other pictures until tomorrow as it's in the pond now and I'm not sure if it will come back up until tomorrow. I did get some other pictures yesterday but I'm not sure if any of them show the injury well.

 

[HappyClucker7]

Have you tried looking for a wildlife rehabilitator near you?

 

[HeatherKellyB]

What does the injury on the foot look like? Are your ducks allowed to go on your pond? I ask these questions because I think you have a bigger problem and I need to know these things . If you could get a picture I may be able to help

I haven't been able to get a picture of the foot because I haven't been that close to it. It looks like the pad on the bottom of the foot looks swollen but I may be wrong. I'm going through the pictures I was able to get yesterday to see if they were any more clear but I don't see any. It's in the pond right now so I could get a picture of the goose's body, but not the leg/foot.

My ducks do not go on the pond right now and haven't for about a week, maybe a little more.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Have you tried looking for a wildlife rehabilitator near you?

No, but I will. The last time I tried locating one for a day old flying squirrel, they weren't able to pick it up. We had to take the squirrel to them in the next county over. I'll go back through an updated list and check on them.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

@chickenfinder does this goose possibly need to be euthanized? It sounds like you have an idea of what's going on. I do not, under any circumstances, want my ducks and chickens to be at risk (although I know there is always a risk for one thing or another) because of this goose. I have compassion for the goose, but my pets come first

 

[Folly's place]

If you can catch/ confine her, it would then be possible to take her to a wildlife center. Call ahead to see if any place will take her first, and good luck!
Mary

 

[HeatherKellyB]

If you can catch/ confine her, it would then be possible to take her to a wildlife center. Call ahead to see if any place will take her first, and good luck!
Mary

Thanks Mary! I'm worried about the health risk this goose may pose to my ducks and chickens now. The geese were all over my yard yesterday. My chickens are on the other side of the property, but I'm worried about everyone. I have a pair of Canada Geese that hatched out 13 goslings here a few months back and they stop here every year. They've visited twice since the goslings hatched and I'm confident that they were here yesterday. They came to the call they learned during their stay here and seemed to feel comfortable around us. I thought this was one of the goslings, but I honestly don't know. I am so worried now, but there's nothing I can do except for moving forward with more knowledge

 

[FloorCandy]

What I can see from the picture is that it looks like the injury is in the foot itself you see I had this same problem and you would never believe in a million years how my ducks and geese were getting hurt . We came home from the grocery store and looked out at the pond to see one of our pekins thrashing all over the bank I ran as fast as I could and grabbed the duck and tried to pull him up only to find that something was pulling the duck away from me back into a muskrat hole I finally got the duck out it's foot was tornal l to hell so I ran and grabbed a shovel and started digging franticly until I hit something hard I recognized that hollow thud it was a giant snapping turtle I killed him before you could say bobs your uncle so now I had a goose and three ducks with ruined feet . The neighbor lady that was old sent down some sutures and I did repair surgery to all the webbing in a month you could barley see any scars . My point here is I think you may have a big snapper in your pond . they will grab a ducks foot or a goose and pull them under the water if they can after the drown it they let it rot in a muskrat hole and feed when it's convenient . The turtle I killed was full of tric worms in the muscles

I was literally typing asking if there were predators in the water. My first thought was snapper as well.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

No but you should what caused the injury .

That's scary! Thank you for sharing. I'll certainly be on the lookout. With this goose being a wild Canada Goose, I feel like it was injured before arriving here. Once it arrived with its flock, it felt comfortable enough to stay, knowing that it will be fed.

I was so worried that you were going to mention some disease or something else lethal (similar to mareks)