Hi, I'm new to this forum and I need some advice. I have a friend with a farm and I just inherited a goose with a broken leg. She's a young one, poor thing. I don't know what I can do for her or if the leg can be saved, it's not in great shape. They splinted it when it first happened, but it's swelled and she has quite a bit of edema. The flys were laying eggs in her bandage and splint so we took that off today and I brought her home. I hate to see her have to be destroyed...didn't know if you all had any suggestions. Thanks.

-- Kelly Beers (beercat@nycap.rr.com), July 24, 2000

Answers

That's a tough one, Kelly. In spite of the cost, I'd take her to a vet because if you want to save her it sounds like the only way. She could suffer terribly for a long time if the leg isn't properly set. A goose can live for 60 years I have read so she could be around for a long time if she can heal. I wish you the best of luck with her.

-- Peg (NW WI) (wildwoodfarms@hushmail.com), July 24, 2000.

Meanwhile, before you get to the vet, you can try soaking it in warm water with epsom salts if that is possible to do with a goose. We soak our dogs' feet in it when they have swelling and we want it to go down. Good luck.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), July 24, 2000.

Hi kelly, We once inherited a goose whose foot had been amputated somehow. there was only a stump where the webbed foot should have been. He walked a little funny, never was allowed to breed the female geese, and was picked on quite a bit by the other ganders, but otherwise he seemed happy. We named him Gimpy and had him for quite a while until I gave our whole flock away after tiring of stepping in goose droppings. We now have some Muscovy ducks, (bought in a moment of weakness), and they had 8 ducklings a month ago. Just yesterday we saw that one of the baby ducklings had somehow broken his leg. I am not one to spend good money on a vet for a duck, so we decided to just watch him and be sure he has easy access to food and water. So far so good. I think sometimes nature's way is best. Good luck to you.

-- kim (barkinbarnyard@rrv.net), July 24, 2000.

I wouldn't waste the money and time on a vet. My experience has been that animals usually heal fine by themselves. We had the vet fix one of our sheeps broken legs and she was never again the same ..her front leg was L shaped ...poor thing got baptized as head banger because every step she took she would almost bang her head on the ground .... another sheep got the same broken leg (the door was to small and they all wanted to get in at the same time ...we fixed that) we didn't do anything and a month later the sheep was like new.

-- kelly (kellytree@hotmail.com), July 25, 2000.

One of my drakes came up lame one day. Caught it and kept it in a cage for about ten days until he would walk OK. His name is now William Jefferson, after another lume duck.

-- Ken Scharabok (scharabo@aol.com), July 25, 2000.

One of my Muscovy ducks broke her leg last week. It wasn't through the skin or anything so I put a splint on it and wrapped it tight with duct (duck?) tape. I'm keeping her in the duck lodge until she heals. Yesterday she was stading on it but not walking on it. She is definately improving. I don't know what the final outcome will be but at least she seems to be getting better. I suggest you just keep a tight splint on your goose and, from what people tell me, she should be fine if you can keep infection out.

-- Joe Cole (jcole@apha.com), July 25, 2000.

Kelly, I loved hearing about your head-banger sheep. I read it out loud to my husband as he was eating lunch, and he almost choked on his sandwich from laughing!! thanks, Kim

-- kim (barkinbarnyard@rrv.net), July 25, 2000.

As cold as it may sound when we have an accident on the farm (broken leg) they usally wind up in stew pot or freezer.

-- Mark (deadgoatman@webtv.net), July 25, 2000.

Kelley is the skin broken where the bone is? I you have an open fracture and have already had maggots I am afaid the outlook may be grim. Whatever you might try to clean the area with peroxide then if there is an opening in the skin use an antibiotic cream then anytime you use a spint you have to use padding first. I would suggest felt strips wrapped around the leg then something to splint it wrapped with duct tape. You should also try to limit the mobility of your goose and see what happens. I also think maybe the first might be a prayer for help He asways does me anyway. I also ask for strength to accept His will if it isn't the way I want it. gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef123@hotmail.com), July 26, 2000.