Chickens Shaking Their Head

[ChickNanny13]

My first thought is mites/lice. Gapeworm is actually more rare than we anxious chook parents think. It's good that you treated for worms anyway though and doubly great that you used the right wormer for gapeworm! If possible I would recommend doing a follow up fecal exam at a vet's just to be sure. Some cat/dog vets will let you bring a sample in since it's the same procedure with chickens but just ask them ahead of time.

As far as mites/ lice go... Look at them during the daytime and also take a flashlight out to the coop after dark and check them AND the roosts. Sometimes the little bloodsuckers creep out after dark for a feast and scurry back to the crevices before daylight, leaving your chickens itchy and drained.
As far as DE goes, I know that some people swear by it but I personally would never use it to treat my chickens. It creates more problems than it actually solves. It can REALLY damage a chicken's respiratory system. I use it to prevent ants from getting into the cat & dog dishes, use it as quick roach death but never around the chooks and never where it would get airborne. For lice/ mite infestations I'd use Elector PSP which can be applied directly to laying hens and has no withdrawl period. The active ingredient is spinosad. I RARELY if ever use harsh chemicals, so I make these recommendations as an organic nut, lol! I do prevention naturally and intervention as gently but effectively as possible.

I'd figure out what's going on first though.

The other possibility is wet fowlpox. When you looked in their mouths, was there any sort of cheese-like substance or pimple-like bumps? Tis the season for mosquitoes galore, which can transmit fowlpox (amongst other nasties).

I forgot all about Wet Fowl Pox There are alot of mosquitos here and with all the rain we've been getting a very good possibility.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I had fowl pox here a few years ago and birds would have more symptoms in a week than what are being described here. DE will not rid them of parasites, there are testimonials abound to say that it works as a preventative, but it is also known to irritate the respiratory system of birds. Rising ammonia from under the perch can also cause respiratory issues.

 

[kazhays]

My first thought is mites/lice. Gapeworm is actually more rare than we anxious chook parents think. It's good that you treated for worms anyway though and doubly great that you used the right wormer for gapeworm! If possible I would recommend doing a follow up fecal exam at a vet's just to be sure. Some cat/dog vets will let you bring a sample in since it's the same procedure with chickens but just ask them ahead of time.

As far as mites/ lice go... Look at them during the daytime and also take a flashlight out to the coop after dark and check them AND the roosts. Sometimes the little bloodsuckers creep out after dark for a feast and scurry back to the crevices before daylight, leaving your chickens itchy and drained.
As far as DE goes, I know that some people swear by it but I personally would never use it to treat my chickens. It creates more problems than it actually solves. It can REALLY damage a chicken's respiratory system. I use it to prevent ants from getting into the cat & dog dishes, use it as quick roach death but never around the chooks and never where it would get airborne. For lice/ mite infestations I'd use Elector PSP which can be applied directly to laying hens and has no withdrawl period. The active ingredient is spinosad. I RARELY if ever use harsh chemicals, so I make these recommendations as an organic nut, lol! I do prevention naturally and intervention as gently but effectively as possible.

I'd figure out what's going on first though.

The other possibility is wet fowlpox. When you looked in their mouths, was there any sort of cheese-like substance or pimple-like bumps? Tis the season for mosquitoes galore, which can transmit fowlpox (amongst other nasties).

A few days ago we searched their coop and bodies for mice/lice and didn't find any. Nevertheless we went to our local farm supply store and received a medicine for our chickens. Although meant for removing flies from horses, the guy said it works great for chickens and mites/lice. We sprayed each chicken thoroughly with a spray mixture of the product. However, a few days later, I still notice our adult Rhode Island Red shaking her head, scratching her head, and looking confused. Any advice?

 

[Leihamarie]

A few days ago we searched their coop and bodies for mice/lice and didn't find any. Nevertheless we went to our local farm supply store and received a medicine for our chickens. Although meant for removing flies from horses, the guy said it works great for chickens and mites/lice. We sprayed each chicken thoroughly with a spray mixture of the product. However, a few days later, I still notice our adult Rhode Island Red shaking her head, scratching her head, and looking confused. Any advice?

What did they give you to spray on them? Did you treat the coop? Also, any lesions in their mouths?

Also: can you upload a video of them scratching their heads? I'd like to see it in action. I may be able to glean more of what's going on.

 

[ChickNanny13]

If it's mites/lice = Permethrin, Poultry Dust, Sevin and you must treat coop/run/nest boxes.

 

[dawg53]

It's not gapeworm since they are eating and drinking normally.
Are there tiny gnats flying around their heads that you cant see? I've seen my hens shake their heads and scratch, and upon closer inspection saw tiny gnats flying around their heads irritating them. I set up a couple box fans in the pen and it was bye bye gnats.
Check their eyes closely for eyeworm.
Head shaking and/or scratching head or neck could also be mucus build up in the trachea. Birds shake their head to try and loosen mucus, scratching also. The cause would be an onset of a respiratory problem of some sort.

 

[Leihamarie]

If it's mites/lice = Permethrin, Poultry Dust, Sevin and you must treat coop/run/nest boxes.

yeah, that's what I was getting at. Spraying the chickens will do nothing for the issue if it's mites/lice and you leave the coop/run/nesting boxes un-treated.