Head Shaking

[EBertram]

Hi all, I just moved my 7 week old cochin bantam pair and 3 (around 6 week old) polish chicks outside to our chicken tractor. I just noticed this evening they are all shaking their heads repeatedly. Is this just stress from the move? I have never noticed them doing this until today. Thanks!

 

[Chad Oftedal]

Welcome to BYC!

From my own experience, and from searching around, this might be a couple of things.

I saw this in my chicks, probably around the same age as yours. It happened when I would go in to the room with their brooder box and check on them. I'd chat with them a bit, and they'd start doing a head shake. I found this post and felt pretty confident that it was what I was experiencing. Also, I had my camera in their pen, and I could see that they didn't do it when I wasn't around, only when I actually came in the room.

Now, the other possibility could be an infection or symptom of some other ailment. If you search for head shaking, you should find a fair number of posts about when it is a possible symptom of an illness.

Since this just started today, and you didn't mention them being or looking ill, I'm hoping for you that it's the first case where it is in response to your talking. If you're able to see them do it (viewing them remotely, or when you aren't engaging them) then maybe try and see if you notice any other abnormal behaviors that might indicate an illness of some sort.

Hope this gives you a few ideas to follow up on!