Saxony sitting like a penguin and looking weak

[Floof]

I have a saxony that has always kind of sat weird, like he's sitting back on his haunches but upright like a penguin. I added more niacin to their diet and he seemed to be doing better for a while but lately it looks like he's going downhill. He doesn't preen, his feathers are not water proof, he is covered in mud and won't wash off, and he sits like the ugliest little penguin. Is this leg related? Should I separate him out and bring him inside? The poor thing looks miserable.

 

[Ratchnick]

Yeah i had this, i will find the thread. Its a vitamin defficency, E i think.

 

[Ratchnick]

You can read through the thread, ultimately she recovered. She was a holderread bird as i think yours are too?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wry-neck.1372032/

 

[Ratchnick]

If he is not eating well or being trampled i would bring him in and start daily weights.

 

[Isaac 0]

Sorry to hear about your duck.

He does not look well at all. Since most sick birds tend to be hypothermic, you should first bring him inside into a warm area (80F-ish), dimly lit, safe, stressful free area. Once he has had time to stabilize, get a quick weight down using a food scale, if he loses around 5% of that weight over the next few days, you should probably start tube feeding him. "Puffed-up" bird is a pretty nonspecific sign to any disease, so a vet would really be your best bet, but If not we can try to help.

 

[Floof]

You can read through the thread, ultimately she recovered. She was a holderread bird as i think yours are too?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wry-neck.1372032/

Yes, also a Holderreads bird. Thank you for the link! I read through all of it. I don't know that I could handle tube feeding him so if he doesn't respond without that I may have to cull him
Is there any way to help him with his feather situation? I wish there was something I could spray on him to make him more waterproof too bad I can't just scotch gaurd the duck

 

[Ratchnick]

Scotch guard, you might be on to something! He has wet feather because he can't preen due to his neck problem. Until that get fixed about all you can do is wash him then keep him from getting dirty. If He is still eating ok i would get some E gel caps. Pills are super easy to give just slide down the side of the throat. Greens in water arealso good as natural source of selenium which is required to absorb the E. On the other hand if its a drake you will have to many of those as it is.

 

[Isaac 0]

Yes, also a Holderreads bird. Thank you for the link! I read through all of it. I don't know that I could handle tube feeding him so if he doesn't respond without that I may have to cull him
Is there any way to help him with his feather situation? I wish there was something I could spray on him to make him more waterproof too bad I can't just scotch gaurd the duck

Don't worry about the feathers right now, just keep him in a warm area and he'll be fine. In addition to vitamin E, I would give him Cattle B Complex, since a deficiency in thiamine (B1) can cause the paralysis of the anterior neck muscles, thus causing a retraction of the head. Offer supportive care, along with vitamin supplementation for a few days/weeks and see if there is any improvement. Its a process of elimination.