Geese going off their Feet

[PheasantMan]

Anyone had this problem? I have no idea why they do it.

 

We rear around 8000 turkeys and just under 1000 geese for xmas.

 

Last year somebody else was rearing them and they had trouble with alot of them going off their feet. This year im rearing them ive reared the first 300 without any problems 1 or 2 went off but thats nothing compared to last year.

Im on my next 300 now and ive noticed a few more than the last lot unable to walk i just wonder why they do it? Theyve reared so well ive only lost 2 or 3 but i dont want to loose anymore!

[hushpower]

do you meen jus crouching and not moving? how old would they be about

[PheasantMan]

Yeah they physically cannot walk. Around 3 weeks onwards

[hushpower]

was going to sugest that some modern breeds of geese/fowl that are bred for the table put flesh on that fast before the bones and cartledge/ligaments etc have developed, and therfore are top heavy with breast meat before the supports legs have developed as well has high protein diets. Gamebird/fowl vets would advise.

[Paul T]

I have problems with the occasional chickens going lame. They usually limp around for a while and eventually they stop eating and I have to put them down.

 

I haven't found a cure for my problem, but in the course of searching (on t'internet) I can remember there is a link between lame waterfowl and worms. Stick 'geese lame worms' into google, but I don't know if worming a large flock would be financially viable.

[BRYAN3]

I have problems with the occasional chickens going lame. They usually limp around for a while and eventually they stop eating and I have to put them down.

 

I haven't found a cure for my problem, but in the course of searching (on t'internet) I can remember there is a link between lame waterfowl and worms. Stick 'geese lame worms' into google, but I don't know if worming a large flock would be financially viable.

 

If you are feeding them on turkey grub, then thats your problem. If not then, I don't know.

 

Bryan.

[JustJon]

Either the bone isn't developing correctly (nutrition?) or an infection in the 'hip' ?

 

Call a game vet, where in the country are you?

[BRYAN3]

SORRY. It was not my intention to quote on my previous post.

 

I am rearing 11 ducklings that hatched after only 3 days and caught me unprepared.

I have never done any hatching or rearing before and had to do a lot of reading and browsing.

Somewhere I read that ducks and geese should not get turkey grub.

 

ATB-Bryan.

[mossy835]

this could be stress its been known,to happen

[PheasantMan]

I think hushpower is correct i think its just that they are bred for the table and just grow so fast there legs cannot cope. I Start them on duck crumb then duck grower then after a few weeks i just give them anything as they are so greedy!! Although they dont have turkey food they are currently eating pheasant breeder lol but will be going onto just wheat this week. We are in the midlands we do use a very good game vet but as its not a big problem at the moment its not worht calling the vet.

[ack-ack]

It could just be a case of them being dominated by the other birds and not being able to get as much feed down them. Have they got 24 hr access to food? Do the feeders ever run empty? If they are going hungry the weaker birds will suffer the most. It could be disease. Are they lighter than the others? Is there anything different about their droppings? Do they appear distant when you are in the pen? Do they try and get away from you when you approach them?

 

I'd be inclined to remove all the birds that are showing symptoms to a smaller quarantine pen where they have access to a decent sized water bath and put them on a higher plain of nutrition with lots of fresh bedding and observe.

[creakindoor]

Sometimes happens to my reared pheasants, vet told me it was a Staphylococcus

Infection in their joints.

Lame birds never seem to get better although they can be treated with antibiotics.

Stress is often a factor, overcrowding not enough feeders & drinkers causing competition

amongst the birds.

[PheasantMan]

There not really that dominant until they start getting there white featehrs which the younger lot have not. They have 24h access to food and water my boss thinks this may be the problem they are just eating to much and growing too fast with my older lot they are only having food at night and grazing in the field in the day which seems to be working well so far.

There is only a few off there feet at the moment im putting it down to the genes and the fact they are bred to be fat and are just growing too fast it seems once they get their feathers its not a problem.