Do Roos Practice Noiseless Crows first???

[weaveagarden]

I have noticed a yawn like movement with many of my chicks from day one. But lately, I notice that some (especially my light colored (white?) chicks are "yawning" in a way that looks very much like a rooster's crow with out the Er-er-er-errrrrrr sound.
They are only 16 Days old. Is this another pre-indication of Roo activity? Some of them are doing the "bumping chests bit" already. My Roos are supposed to outnumber my hens 2:1, so I expect it to get pretty loud and rambunctious around here soon if they are maturing that quickly.

 

[speckledhen]

Actually, he probably had something in his throat that he was trying to get down, like a piece of straw.

 

[basicliving]

That's pretty young for crowing, but not unheard of. I agree with Speckledhen - probably there was something stuck in the throat. BUT - I will tell you that my Silver Gray Dorking crowed at 6 weeks old, but he had little "dry crows" starting around week 4. At least that's the first time we noticed it. He would throw his head back, open his mouth, and then make the motions of a crow with nothing coming out. But 6 weeks old, he was crowing for real. An odd little crow, but a crow, none the less!

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Those of you that have experience with it, could this be gape worm? I've only had one bird that had it and died before I figured out what it is. To me it looked like a soundless crow

 

[weaveagarden]

Gee, a worm is not what I had expected. I sure hope not.

It may have been a dry throat thing, but since 2 of them did it, I am not sure. I guess not unheard of for them to both get something caught, since they eat together.

I am interested in hearing thoughts about the gapeworm thing. I will now go out like a dutiful new mom and research that so I know what to do.

Thanks for the info.

 

[speckledhen]

Gapeworm is not all that common. I often see a bird do that open mouth gag thing and usually, it's just something that got stuck on the way down.

 

[weaveagarden]

Yes that is what I just read - the rarity. I also read that it seems to be increasing in areas that are damp. I do live in a rainy area, but other than a few snips of grass seed from my overgrown yard, the chickens have not had contact with the outside yet, so seems unlikely. Sounds like it isn't something that they can get unless ingested.

Probably because they are foraging and seem to not mind eating bits of the wood shavings that I am using for litter and bedding. Not probably unheard of that 2 of them might pig down more than they can really swallow.... Since I think they are one of the hybrid meat type birds.

 

[weaveagarden]

By the way, thanks all. Much appreciated.