Australorp, exactly 20 weeks old, lives in 4x8 + coup with 7 others (1 other Australorp, 2 RIR, 2BR, 2 Americaunas), started shaking head about 48hrs ago. I wasn't sure if it was a problem when I first noticed it... but now it seems pretty prevalent. I thought I saw nasal drainage, but I think she just took a drink since I saw her a few minutes later high and dry. Eating, drinking, seems active still. We noticed more than a month ago that she has a weird sorta growth (for lack of a better desciption) at about 3-4 o'clock beside left nasal passage. Preliminary pics posted. I have the next 2 days off, so I'll have a little more to say about any other odd behavior and will be able to have DH hold her while I take a decent pic of the nasal passage thing. I'm attempting to link a youtube video of the head shake, but I got home late, so she was already roosting and the twitch is definitely toned down for the night...but its there in the video. not a good pic, but it's what I could get tonight.
What happened with your head shaking pullet? I have one doing the same thing and it started after a nasal discharge which we treated with antibiotics. The discharge/sneeze (or whatever the noise was) went away. A frequent head shaking or twitch lingers on.
"Gallid herpesvirus 1 Also known as Infectious Laryngotracheitis or LT: Gallid herpesvirus 1 (GaHV-1) (also known as Avian herpesvirus 1)is a virus of the family Herpesviridae that causes avian infectious laryngotracheitis. It was originally recognized as a disease of chickens in the United States in 1926. The disease also occurs in pheasants.[2] GaHV-1 is shed in respiratory secretions and transmitted by droplet inhalation. A previously unexposed flock will develop cases for two to eight weeks following introduction. The incubation period is two to eight days.[1] Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, head shaking, lethargy, discharge from the eyes and nostrils (sometimes bloody), and difficulty breathing. The name comes from the severe inflammation of the larynx and trachea. A diphtheritic membrane may form in the trachea, causing obstruction. Mortality is typically less than 15 percent. A vaccine is available, but it does not prevent latent infections. The disease is usually refered to as Infectious laryngotracheitis or simply LT in the poultry industry. It is widely viewed as one of the most contagious viruses that affect the poultry industry. A confirmed case will usually result in the establishment of a quarantine zone around the farm. Inside this quarantine zone, poultry workers will avoid poultry farms to prevent the spread of the virus." http://www.avianweb.com/chickendiseases.html Not saying this is what it is, but I'm just looking on google and first thing that popped up, still looking
Interesting. Two of my roos have taken to shaking their heads in a peculiar way. It started about a year ago in the one, but I saw no other problems till theis week when he lost his voice. Related? Maybe... but so far none of the girls seem affeced.
