head tick, what is wrong?

[sheeshshe]

I wrote the other day about how I think my chick is sick... but sorta lays around, she eats and drinks etc, but she doens't look happy.

She ticks her head a LOT. like a sort of shake tick thing... what is wrong with her?

I put probiotics in their water this morning. I gave them hard boiled eggs... she wouldn't eat it but everyone else did.

now one of the buff orpingtons is starting to develop a head tick too. what is going on here??? what is wrong with them?



their poop looks good most of the time with an occasional runny one here and there.


ETA: she just ate some of the egg white but she won't touch the egg yolk...

 

[LynneP]

Do you mean it looks like a twitch or a 'hiccough'?

If so, this might help-
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7693-sick-hen

 

[quiltnchik]

Just a thought here, but could they be trying to clear a gape worm? Have you tried worming them yet? I'm new to this, so it's just a guess...

 

[sheeshshe]

Quote:
yes, its like she's twitching her head all the time... do you think she ate something that she should not have? or ate too much sand outside?


what about deworming? how do I do that? I didn't know I was supposed to.... enlighten me!!


like I said, she eats and drinks... but when she's not doing that she's either standing puffed weird with her tail hanging down like as though she's feeling ill. does that make sense? and she's not as lively as she was.

 

[sheeshshe]

anyone else like to input?

 

[NotTheMomma]

If she's never been wormed, then yes I would do that.

Wazine will help with the round worms, and Ivermectin will help with all worms. Wazine can be given in the water. Ivermectin either in the beak, or on the skin, depending on which you buy.

 

[Renee]

Are these baby chicks?

Don't worm baby chicks.

Wormers are too hard on their bodies and may kill them, and if they have not been free-ranging they have not been exposed to worms.

How old is your chick, and what are you feeding them?

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Maybe nothing at all. Could it just be a normal variation in how active or noisy they are? Maybe they are shaking their head because it is fun.

You said she eats and drinks but does not look happy. Tell us what makes you say she does not look happy.

There are a lot of normal variations in chick poo, especially when they are young. Look here:

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

Chickens can develop some serious neurological disorders, but they are not that common. I would just watch and see what develops.

 

[sheeshshe]

OK, no worming... she is probably 2 weeks old today. she twitches her head repeatedly almost like she has something in her ear or something...

She's eating the chick starter stuff. I give them a treat maybe once per day and I put some sand in their brooder if they need it. I've been taking them outside in a baby gated playyard thing LOL. So she's getting some outside time to eat some ants etc.

The way she doesn't look happy is that when she's not eating and drinking she stands there puffed up like with her tail down low. She just doens't appear happy when she's doing this.

 

[sheeshshe]

OK, so it seems like Rhubarb is getting better and feeling better. But, now Big Bird is acting sick and ticking her head like... sigh........ is this some sort of head cold or some virus or something???

I just hope that Rhubarb really IS getting better like I think because then that will mean that Big Bird will recover as well.