Deaf Chick, or?

[allone01]

Hi, also posted in chicken behaviors section...

I have a chick who is around 2 weeks old. occasionally, while resting, it will close it's eyes, stretch its neck out and appear to be trying to peep, but with no sound. And it repeats that motion up to 5-6 times some times... It looks slightly uncomfortable, a little troubling even. Although, it acts normal except for this occasional behavior... what am I seeing here?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Could it be gape worms?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you post a video of it's actions?
What are you feeding - any treats?
Do you provide a source of poultry grit?
When you observe this behavior, is it after eating/drinking?
Any consistent coughing, sneezing, runny nose, discharge from the eyes?
Where is chick being brooded, is chick on ground/soil?

 

[allone01]

Can you post a video of it's actions?
What are you feeding - any treats?
Do you provide a source of poultry grit?
When you observe this behavior, is it after eating/drinking?
Any consistent coughing, sneezing, runny nose, discharge from the eyes?
Where is chick being brooded, is chick on ground/soil?

I was feeding a mixture of oats, wheat, corn, sea salt, that I would pulverize myself in the vita-mix blender, and mix with sesame oil or olive oil, and little water. I have switched to organic chick starter feed for the past 5-6 days. I do feed treats, pretty much whatever ends up in the compost that is not too big (avoiding pop corn seeds or something like that), but the behavior was happening before I began to split the compost with the chicks and other part of the flock.
I don't provide grit, as the chicks are with their mother in the run, with the ground and dirt available there...is that enough grit, I thought it was? I also let them all free range for 30 min to an hour for the past three days.
There is also no signs of cough, sneezing, runny nose or discharge.

 

[allone01]

Sometimes it also opens it's beak when it's neck is completely extended.

 

[allone01]

I put up a video...any ideas?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How often is she doing this? Do you only notice it after she has been eating/drinking.

Does her crop empty overnight?
You may want to provide a source of grit, but usually a mama hen will find a sufficient source.

If it's only occasionally, then it's most likely crop adjusting. Watch to see if she eats faster than the other chicks - some chicks are hoovers and she may be experiencing some stridor.

Having a poop sample tested may be in order to rule out something like gapeworm, but it's usually only seen in tropical climates. The extending of the neck reminds me more of respiratory illness, but you would hear some wheezing, coughing and possibly shaking of the head (you would with gapeworm too).

 

[Karleigh Baran]

In February of this year, we got 5 chicks from Big R (all pullets) and I noticed that one of my Ameraucanas was doing the same thing. Trying to peep without making any noises and almost trying to grab things in mid-air. She always had her eyes closed when this happened. We tried seeing if there was any pine shavings stuck in her throat, but there was nothing. Dolly is now 17 weeks old and is at the top of the pecking order and she completely grew out of it by 10 weeks.