My friend Kris asked me to take this little one and give it a chance. She works full time and her neighbor was taking care of him, but the neighbor was going on vacation.
They named the little Toulouse gosling Little Bit, but we changed it to Forrest. Amanda and I had just watched the movie, so it seemed a likely choice. Our friends at the local market liked it!
It has spraddle leg/splayed leg. "He" hasn't been able to gain weight because of limited movement. We also observed that Gump was eating most of the food and knocking Forrest down repeatedly. So, we put Gump in with our other goslings.
I tried soupy feed to encourage it to eat more. It worked...he soon had a crop full! We added electrolytes and B complex drops. These goslings are the same age (approx a week old), so you can see the noticeable size difference.
Kris' neighbor was taping off the legs, but she felt bad at how hard the gosling struggled so she'd only leave it a little while before removing it. Sadly, that defeats the purpose. The bones, cartilage, and tendons need to grow into the new position to correct the problem. It also helps the gosling's brain reprogram itself for a new way to achieve locomotion.
Forrest is standing, but his buddy Gump was still causing him to fall. So we separated them. We put Gump in with our Toulouse goslings. Althought a week older and bigger, they accepted him right into their gaggle.
Forrest is standing, but his buddy Gump was still causing him to fall. So we separated them. We put Gump in with our Toulouse goslings. Althought a week older and bigger, they accepted him right into their gaggle.
Right after taping his legs in the right position, Forrest could not only stand up, but walked (awkwardly) the entire length of his new space! The shelf liner gives a better grip than traditional brooder bedding. Grip is very important with this condition. Having never been alone, Forrest was lonely. Sweet-hearted Bethany volunteered to sleep downstairs where he could see her beside him all night.
Hebrews 12:12-17
Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
