6 week old chick head shaking

[Crickard21]

Hi everybody! I need some help with one of my new chicks.

I have googled away at this point and it seems most people suggest the same illnesses in response to my situation: respiratory infection, gapeworms (which seem rare in the US), mites, or impacted crop. Which has felt defeating to read because it makes it feel impossible to actually understand what's going on.

I recently moved four 6 week old Chicks to their coop. One of them started shaking her head a few days ago. At first I didn't think anything of it. She wasn't doing it constantly. I read online that it's common for chicks to adjust their crop as they learn their limits to eating maybe?

Yesterday, I noticed she was shaking her head constantly. She would keep stretching her neck upward and opening her mouth. I noticed this in the evening moreso. I felt her crop and it did feel enlarged and hard. I tried olive oil but couldn't get her to cooperate. I'm all fairness though, I also felt nervous and was trying to be gentle (first time chicken owner!)

I felt her crop immediately after letting her out this morning and it did feel more enlarged than the others, but not insanely so. I felt like she wasn't shaking her head as much as yesterday, but she's still doing it regularly. I'd still consider it to be pretty constant, but maybe not frantically like yesterday evening seemed. They have grit available at all times.

I have checked for mites/lice and noticed nothing. No mucus on her or any of the chickens. They do occasionally sneeze after digging around the ground, but it's not constant and none of them are acting sick. She doesn't seem lethargic or ill. She just won't stop shaking her head. I have not been able to open her beak on my own and so I'm waiting until my husband gets home so he can help hold her. I felt her crop just 30 mins ago and it didnt seem nearly as enlarged as yesterday. I saw a post where someone said their hen had stuff stuck in their ear, but I don't know how I can check that. Her ear flaps are so tiny and she won't let me anywhere near them.

I am unsure how to go about "treating" her? Is there a catch all medicine I can give her for an ear infection and respiratory infection? I can try more olive oil and see if that helps? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance everyone!!

 

[Crickard21]

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to bump my own post. But I'm hoping for some advice if anyone has any!!

 

[Liberty-Chicken]

I'm so sorry you have not gotten a response! Nobody is responding to my post either

 

[Crickard21]

Hi everybody! I need some help with one of my new chicks.

I have googled away at this point and it seems most people suggest the same illnesses in response to my situation: respiratory infection, gapeworms (which seem rare in the US), mites, or impacted crop. Which has felt defeating to read because it makes it feel impossible to actually understand what's going on.

I recently moved four 6 week old Chicks to their coop. One of them started shaking her head a few days ago. At first I didn't think anything of it. She wasn't doing it constantly. I read online that it's common for chicks to adjust their crop as they learn their limits to eating maybe?

Yesterday, I noticed she was shaking her head constantly. She would keep stretching her neck upward and opening her mouth. I noticed this in the evening moreso. I felt her crop and it did feel enlarged and hard. I tried olive oil but couldn't get her to cooperate. I'm all fairness though, I also felt nervous and was trying to be gentle (first time chicken owner!)

I felt her crop immediately after letting her out this morning and it did feel more enlarged than the others, but not insanely so. I felt like she wasn't shaking her head as much as yesterday, but she's still doing it regularly. I'd still consider it to be pretty constant, but maybe not frantically like yesterday evening seemed. They have grit available at all times.

I have checked for mites/lice and noticed nothing. No mucus on her or any of the chickens. They do occasionally sneeze after digging around the ground, but it's not constant and none of them are acting sick. She doesn't seem lethargic or ill. She just won't stop shaking her head. I have not been able to open her beak on my own and so I'm waiting until my husband gets home so he can help hold her. I felt her crop just 30 mins ago and it didnt seem nearly as enlarged as yesterday. I saw a post where someone said their hen had stuff stuck in their ear, but I don't know how I can check that. Her ear flaps are so tiny and she won't let me anywhere near them.

I am unsure how to go about "treating" her? Is there a catch all medicine I can give her for an ear infection and respiratory infection? I can try more olive oil and see if that helps? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance everyone!!

UPDATE:

it was definitely impacted crop. I checked her first thing in the morning and it was swollen like a large golf ball on one side. She also wasn't gaining weight like the others. To this day, she's still slowly catching up.

I have her olive oil using a syringe and I think it genuinely saved her. I did it twice a day for two days and it did wonders!! The second day her head twice was so much better and I wasn't seeing her open her mouth as much or stretch out her neck! I would massage her crop top a few times a day.

Anyways, the olive oil helped and we figured it out. I'm not sure if she gorged herself or found something in the dirt that she shouldn't have, but I certainly think it was an impacted crop. Glad everything worked out- my son is completely infatuated with Lucy!!