When can goslings swim?

[lilolilman]

Hi guys! My goslings are 5 days old today . I don’t see a thread on this yet… when can I let them in the water? I’m want to do at least a very low fill in the tub just so we can give them a little bath (they’re very dirty - my boyfriend tried to clean their little butts with just some paper towels and warm water, but it wasn’t really working).

can they full on swim at this point?

I read some stuff about how ducks are different than goslings in terms of oil glands and the necessity of getting wet all the time. I also read that it can be bad for goslings to get wet if they haven’t developed their oil glands yet (I think). Either way my brooder is set up to catch water that spills over because I read that will prevent issues with them being too wet when they’re babies.

one site said you can try to let them swim at just a couple days old, but then another site said you should wait at least a week. What do I do?!

thanks!

Kimberly

 

[Iain Utah]

My geese take their goslings to swim in our pond and meandering river by day 3. While we have a lost a few muscovy ducklings over the years getting swept downstream at day 2, the goslings are fine.

 

[lilolilman]

My geese take their goslings to swim in our pond and meandering river by day 3. While we have a lost a few muscovy ducklings over the years getting swept downstream at day 2, the goslings are fine.

Gonna start with the bathtub lol

 

[3xhhheather]

I normally wait until they're a week old and then it's only about five minutes in the bath before they're totally soaked. Quick dry off with a towel and then finish with the blow dryer til damp. After that, I hang with them until they preen themselves back to normalish. I feel that it helps them activate their oil gland earlier.

Do not leave them alone in any kind of deep water until they're older, without Mom & Dad adding their own oils they won't be waterproof & will drown.

 

[lilolilman]

I normally wait until they're a week old and then it's only about five minutes in the bath before they're totally soaked. Quick dry off with a towel and then finish with the blow dryer til damp. After that, I hang with them until they preen themselves back to normalish. I feel that it helps them activate their oil gland earlier.

Do not leave them alone in any kind of deep water until they're older, without Mom & Dad adding their own oils they won't be waterproof & will drown.

Perfect. Thank you for the advice. Will keep it short and have the blow dryer handy! So glad I asked.

 

[lilolilman]

Baby’s first swim!