Limping Buff goose, no apparent cause.

[KathiQuacks]

Hey, y’all.

I noticed yesterday my ~7 month old Buff goose had a slight limp. As of today, her limp is more noticeable, but she’s still getting around alright.

She has no bumblefoot, and her legs feel about the same to me. She eats as much Mazuri waterfowl feed as she’d like, though her grass intake has been lower recently (predator scare, freezing temps, etc.). She’s eating, drinking, preening, vocalizing. No other obvious symptoms.

My African goose is the same age, same conditions, and she has no limp.

Any ideas what’s amiss? If there’s something I can do for her, or if it’ll resolve on its own?

 

[fowltemptress]

Sometimes they do hurt themselves and it resolves on its own. You say there's been freezing weather; has there been ice on the ground? My geese can and have hurt themselves on slippery patches, so I try to keep the icy spots covered with dry straw so they can have surer footing. Does your goose have access to a pool/tub right now? If she's hurt, you can try giving her shallower sources of water until she heals up so she does not exacerbate the issue by having to step up or flop out of a high walled tub. If she doesn't currently have a swimming source, providing a shallow water tub for her to get in and take some pressure off the leg may be good for her.

 

[CoveyOf30]

I had my Brown Chinese female start limping, it got worse, but like yours, no bumblefoot or injurie. She was all better the next day. As though it had never happened. Just keep an eye on her though.

 

[KathiQuacks]

Sometimes they do hurt themselves and it resolves on its own. You say there's been freezing weather; has there been ice on the ground? My geese can and have hurt themselves on slippery patches, so I try to keep the icy spots covered with dry straw so they can have surer footing. Does your goose have access to a pool/tub right now? If she's hurt, you can try giving her shallower sources of water until she heals up so she does not exacerbate the issue by having to step up or flop out of a high walled tub. If she doesn't currently have a swimming source, providing a shallow water tub for her to get in and take some pressure off the leg may be good for her.

There was some ice on Tuesday, but that was all. Everything’s starting to warm up now.

Yes! She’s been in their dog pool a few times today, but she doesn’t stay in very long. I could get her a shallower tub incase she prefers that.

 

[Goosebaby]

If it continues to worsen you might be looking at a nutritional deficiency. For whatever reason it can sometimes affect one bird but not the others. Usually it’s one or more of the Bs that can affect coordination but E and A can also cause issues.

It might also be from an injury as the others mentioned, a sore joint or ligament from over straining on ice. Those can worsen if she doesn’t rest it.

 

[JRies]

Sometimes my girls just have growing pains when there tweaking there egg production organs. Is the limp on the left side thats the side there organs are in. May just need a little more calcium (oyster shell) and some time to work it out if that's the problem. Can last for a while if that's the problem. But there are other reasons and Im not a vet.

 

[KathiQuacks]

Sometimes my girls just have growing pains when there tweaking there egg production organs. Is the limp on the left side thats the side there organs are in. May just need a little more calcium (oyster shell) and some time to work it out if that's the problem. Can last for a while if that's the problem. But there are other reasons and Im not a vet.

Ahh, yeah, it’s her left leg. She hasn’t started laying just yet, but I figure she will soon, as my African just started about a week ago.

Her limp is better this morning. Not entirely gone, but much, much less noticeable.

 

[JRies]

Ahh, yeah, it’s her left leg. She hasn’t started laying just yet, but I figure she will soon, as my African just started about a week ago.

Her limp is better this morning. Not entirely gone, but much, much less noticeable.

The girls have so much more to tweek than the boys, Most have no problem some allot more.

 

[Birdnubie]

I am not sure whether I should start a new post or piggy back on this post for the same problem. If I need to do a new post, I certainly will.

My 3 year old Buff goose is exhibiting the same symptoms. She started limping 3 days ago for no apparent reason. She doesn’t have bumble-foot. It is considerably worse today and she can hardly put weight on her left leg. I read through some posts and thought maybe she may have a vitamin deficiency, so I gave her some fortified nutritional yeast with niacin, put some poultry vitamins in her water, and left crushed oyster shells out for her today. She has eaten/drunk all of the above, but still has not improved. Maybe it will take a day or two? She is also exhibiting two other strange behaviors - she is not holding her wings up and just letting them droop. Also, she has been going to the fire pit and digging around for charcoal. She has been eating the charcoal for the past week. Please let me know if you know what is going on and how I can help her. She laid an egg yesterday and is due to lay again tomorrow, but I don’t know if she will. Thank you!

 

[JRies]

@Goosebaby might have some insight.

My geese sometimes droop there wings when there overheated.