Head shaking and not eating

[chooks4life]

Quote: Fair enough. I brought in one rooster who seemed fine, as in phenotypically he looked great, but the test breedings went awol --- he carried the most amount of defective genes I have ever seen in one animal of any species. Simply amazing. I am still trying to cull his influence out of the flock, but it's hard because some of them have such great looks and temperaments that the family made pets out of them! Ah, well, they can serve as layers and foster mothers, nobody says I have to breed them. LOL!

 

[Chickinlittle1]

Shaking of the head CAN be related to a Yeast infection in the Crop which in turn will also result in Intestinal Yeast . They won't want to eat Grain & They want to eat Grass to increase their Acid Levels which helps kills off Yeast-Fungal spores. I KNOW this because I have seen it in my Flock. I had an Unfortunate Mold expose. I also have a Medical Background & have performed about 100+ hours in research.
For anyone reading this there are a few things to check besides Fecal. We will start with Fecal & if there is yeast you should see some stringy white material & sometimes it will be a slight yellow tint with a mucus appearance. IF They are NOT eating but are Range Feeding it will be intermittent so you may need to look around the yard at various droppings.
SECOND & VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE IT HIDES!!!
Check the Crop by CAREFULLY Running your Fingers GENTLY Palpating (feeling) along the edges. With Mine 90% of them had a lump in the Bottom R. Corner OR IN The Top R. Edge-Corner. In Crop Cases they typically will not want to drink water unless the Heat is too much. the mass absorbs in the water & when mixed with Grain its the ideal situation. BE CAREFUL & MAKE SURE You Also Check AFTER consuming liquids/Food. In the beginning I would think it was gone & then check after an there it was. Also it can be a milder case & you will just feel a thickening in the Crop lining. It CAN be on the Bottom CTR. of the Crop but as they eat it Will Stretch & move up to the R. Side More. THERE IS A MUCUS THAT YOU SHOULD SEE IF YOU EXAMINE THE MOUTH CLOSELY. CHICKENS SHOULDN'T HAVE OVERLY WET MOUTHS & TO THE TOUCH IT WILL FEEL SLIMEY. THIS LIQUID CAN GET INTO THEIR RESPIRATORY & EARS SINCE THE EARS LEAD TO THE ROOF OF THE MOUTH!!! I TYPICALLY NOTICE THE HEN FLICKS HER HEAD MORE WITH HIGH PITCHED NOISES ESPEC. THE ROOSTERS CROW OR TALKING SWEET TO HER.
I USED SMALL & I MEAN SMALL CRUMBLES (NOT POWDERED) OF "SOLGAR'S CAPRYLLIC ACID" IT ALSO HAS CALCIUM/MAG. BUT DOESN'T HAVE A BUNCH OF OTHER CRAP LIKE PLANT BASED SUGARS. HOWEVER YOU WANT TO TAKE A SHARP FLAT EDGE KNIVE & SCRAPE OFF THE THIN LAYER ON THE EXTERIOR. I SUSPECT ITS A PLANT BASED SUGAR. I NOTICED IT WORKED BETTER WHEN I STARTED DOING THIS. THIS HAS TO BE MIXED IN THEIR MEAL & I HIGHLY SUGGEST FEEDING THEM SEPARATELY. THERE ARE 2 REASONS. 1. ONE DOESN'T EAT MORE THAN THE OTHER. 2. YES, THIS DARN CROP FUNGUS IS CONTAGIOUS ESPEC. IN DRINKING WATER SO THEY CAN BOUNCE IT BACK/FORTH.
I CAN ONLY HOPE YOU HAVE A MILD CASE IT HAS TAKEN A GREAT DEAL OF PATIENCE!!!
I Know Why they Didn't want the Mealworms. I TRIED THAT MYSELF & AT FIRST they ate them & then I noticed when I introduced the SUPER WORM they didn't want the Mealworms. I also noticed there still was some swelling in the crop after Mealworms. Mealworms eat WHEAT BRAN! Bran is a Carb which Feeds the Fungus & Mealworms have more liquid. I even tried the DRY ones & I think they also use Preservatives which contains Salts & Salts retain water. Fungus requires a few things "Sugar-Carbs,Water & a moist environment & lack of GOOD Bacteria. The Strain of Fungus can also make it hard which is part of the reason why I Think its been harder for me.
I won't go into All the things I have tried because you would be shocked. I will state what i have seen mine do & what has helped at various stages.
1 I have 1 Hen & a Rooster that are VERY Close to beating this. She seems to love the Black Olives that fall off a Tree I have but DID NOT like the Copper Sulfate. My Rooster was more reluctant & only would eat a couple. I'm NOT saying don't Try Copper Sulfate but you really need to observe them(drinking,not drinking,may see blue in crop which =intestinal distress/lack of oxygen). Even a lack of food or water in their system can cause Blue in the Comb.
2. STRESS IS THE WORST THING. MINE SEEM TO DO BEST IN 80 DEGREE TEMPS.. IT GOT IN THE 100'S & I BROUGHT THEM IN & WASHED THEM OFF. IT ACTUALLY HELPED IN 2 AREAS BECAUSE WHEN THEY PREEN THEMSELVES THEY GET THE YEAST/BAD BACTERIA ALL OVER THEIR FEATHERS. I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT EVEN THE HOT AIR WASN'T KILLING IT OFF FOR GOOD. THEY PREEN & IT IN A SENSE REVIVES THE SPORES. Before this I suspected this & was using a Damp Paper Towel with a 50/50 water Alcohol mix & cleaned them every few days where they typically preen(around the neck/wing feathers). AT FIRST They Both Hated it but after a few times my Rooster didn't fight at all unlike my Hen.

3. IN EVE TRY USING SMALL AMTS OF KIEFER. I HAVE A BRAND I RECOMMEND 'GREEN VALLEY LACTOSE FREE PLAIN KIEFER" IF YOU CAN'T GET IT THEN LOOK AT THE ING. LACTOSE FREE VERY IMPORTANT & LOW SUGAR(7-9 GRAMS PER CUP). THIS IS BETTER THAN ANY YOGURT & ONE OF THE TOP BACTERIA'S SHOULD BE" L. BACILLUS" THERE ARE CERTAIN STRAINS THAT ARE MORE BENEFICIAL TO FIGHTING YEAST SO YOU CAN RESEARCH THIS & LOOK AT THE LIST ON THE BOTTLE TO COMPARE. LOW SODIUM IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I WOULD START WITH 1/4 TSP-1/2 MIXED IN A GOOD ORGANIC GRAIN. ON THAT NOTE I TRIED MANY GRAINS WHICH INC. ONES THAT HAD COPPER & SUPPOSED GOOD BACTERIA(PURINA HAS ONE). IT FLARED MINE UP. ONCE I INTRODUCED THIS DARN OMEGA ORGANIC WITH NO ADDITIVES THEY WOULD NOT TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE!! I PAID $28 FOR A 40LB. BAG OF THE DARN STUFF BUT AT LEAST THEY EAT SOME OF IT. THEY SHOULD DRINK SOME WATER WITH THE KIEFER OTHERWISE ITS TOO RICH. THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WILL HAVE TO PLAY WITH DEPENDING ON SIZE/WEIGHT.
THE REASON WHY I SAY EVE IS THIS IS WHEN THEY ARE SLEEPING & LESS STRESSFUL. IT SEEMED LIKE "FOR ME" IT WAS TOO MUCH MORN & EVE ESPEC. WHEN IT GOT HOT OUTSIDE.
I'M GOING TO STOP THERE BUT IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE CROP FUNGUS YOU MAY CONTACT ME & I WILL TRY TO ADVISE TO "YOUR" SPECIFIC SITUATION!
GOOD LUCK & GOD BLESS!!!