I've noticed that when my hen that is in quarantine eats she seems to rub her beak in a diagonal/sideways motion when eating and she makes a clicking noise at the same time. I've never listed to a chicken eat before until I've had her in quarantine so I am wondering if this is normal? I've read that a clicking noise could be an upper respitory infection but I see no discharge coming from her and I only notice it when she eats, is this normal?
I'm going say that it is normal. I have noticed the clicking with my chickens too...while eating. The sideways motion rubbing beak is also normal. I'm not sure if they are cleaning beak or sharpening it but it is normal.
I'm going to say the clicking is normal as well. I haven't heard it in any of the chickens outside when they're all together, but I have a house chicken (rooster) named Annie-Belle and around 4-5 pm she comes to roost on top of the couch behind me. She preens my hair for about 10-15 minutes before settling down and I can hear the clicking when she's preening me. Sometimes she will pluck a hair or 2. Ow!
