Head shaker.

[WindyCityCoop]

My 5 month old Cochin rooster has started shaking his head from side to side, as if he had a fly on his head and tries to shake it off. He does this about every 30 seconds when he's perched or resting. Almost looks like a nervous tick.
I heard it could be ear mites or itchy woddles. If it's ear mites, how do I check for this and how do I treat it. Same questions for the woddles.
thanks in advance.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What is "itchy woddles"?
Does he only do it when perching?
Look inside his ears for any debris or pus. While your at it, inspect his whole body for any signs of lice/mites.
Treatment for body lice/mites is to use a permethrin based poultry spray or dust - you can find that at your feed store.
If there are mites in the ear, the permethrin will probably take care of those too, but it wouldn't hurt to put 1small drop of oil in each ear. No more than that.

To look in the ear - locate the tuft of feathers above the earlobe, gently pull those feathers back, you will be able to look inside the ear.

Photo Ref

 

[WindyCityCoop]

Thank you, I looked in his ears the best I could with a flashlight and 2x reading glasses, but I didn't see anything foreign, although I couldn't see very far in, his ear tubes are quite long. Is there a picture of what an ear mite looks like you could post?
Thanks again.

 

[WindyCityCoop]

I just held him on my lap and checked everywhere for lice or mites; as I pulled his feathers back and searched everywhere, he fell asleep, I think he enjoyed it...LOL
But no lice or mites to be found.

 

[Little Jerry Seinfeld]

He is tame? I have one aggressive roo who waddles his head back and forth when hes thinking about charging me! As soon as i show him my "pinchers" i use to collect eggs he backs down ans stops doing it.
Could your bird have whacked his head running or something?

 

[WindyCityCoop]

He is as tame and docile as can be. He thinks he is a lap chicken! I also don't think it's an injury. He seems to do it in response to a loud noise or when the tv is too loud. He spends most of his day outside free range, but he sleeps indoors in a cage in the family room because he doesn't get along with the other roosters. He prefers being around people than other chickens.

 

[Little Jerry Seinfeld]

He is as tame and docile as can be. He thinks he is a lap chicken! I also don't think it's an injury. He seems to do it in response to a loud noise or when the tv is too loud. He spends most of his day outside free range, but he sleeps indoors in a cage in the family room because he doesn't get along with the other roosters. He prefers being around people than other chickens.

Hmm, do chickens get ear infections or burst ear drums? Maybe a roo pecked him on his ear and made it hurt? I'm going to have to go peer at one of my chickens ears tomorrow haha

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you, I looked in his ears the best I could with a flashlight and 2x reading glasses, but I didn't see anything foreign, although I couldn't see very far in, his ear tubes are quite long. Is there a picture of what an ear mite looks like you could post?
Thanks again.

I just held him on my lap and checked everywhere for lice or mites; as I pulled his feathers back and searched everywhere, he fell asleep, I think he enjoyed it...LOL
But no lice or mites to be found.

He is as tame and docile as can be. He thinks he is a lap chicken! I also don't think it's an injury. He seems to do it in response to a loud noise or when the tv is too loud. He spends most of his day outside free range, but he sleeps indoors in a cage in the family room because he doesn't get along with the other roosters. He prefers being around people than other chickens.

Now we're getting somewhere He shakes his head when there is a loud noise or if the TV is too loud?
There's your head shaking. Cut the noise level and see if his actions clear up.

Just a note - you won't be able to see very far into the ear, but it should be clean looking with no redness or irritation. If he had ear mites there would be debris. Since the ears looked clear, then I think your problem is the noise.

 

[WindyCityCoop]

thank you. His ears are clear with no redness or irritation. He shakes his head even when we speak to him in a normal voice, but it's mostly in response to a sound or someone talking, but sometimes he does it when it's totally quiet. He's been doing so for a couple of weeks now. We'll keep an eye on it, and maybe get an ear scope so we can see better into his ears.

 

[WindyCityCoop]

Hmm, do chickens get ear infections or burst ear drums? Maybe a roo pecked him on his ear and made it hurt? I'm going to have to go peer at one of my chickens ears tomorrow haha

I don't think he got pecked, he's the aggressor whenever we let him roam with the others; as soon as he's let outside, he starts chasing the other 2 roos away; they don't try to stand their ground and fight back, they just run away. But I don't want to risk one of them not backing down if cornered and have it turn into an ugly (possibly lethal) confrontation; The other 2 roosters would not be able to run away once they're locked in their coop overnight, so we keep Chuck separated during the night, until the weather warms up and we can build another coop. Funny that the other roosters are bigger than him.