Hen shaking head. Mites, ear infection, something else? UPDATE

[MissChick@dee]

Could be neurological

 

[Wyorp Rock]

she is however still finishing up on a molt and has pin feathers on her neck.

I too wonder if it's the feathers coming in. Maybe they feel odd to her? Any of them coming in impacted?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I too wonder if it's the feathers coming in. Maybe they feel odd to her? Any of them coming in impacted?

I knew the smart people would be along.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I knew the smart people would be along.

I saw that you were already here, so thought I would join

 

[dawg53]

You might want to check her nares for debris or blockages if you havnt already done so.
No see um gnats can cause them to shake their heads. Also pin feather regrowth causes irritation.
Any eye blinking with the head shaking? If so, a piece of fluff or feather might be tickling the eyeball or stuck in the eye.

 

[TwoCrows]

Thank you everyone for all the excellent comments!

Maybe it is just from itching and growing in new feathers. Mineral oil is also good to use in the ears to kill ear mites. I hope you figure it out Two Crows. Does it look at all like it could be seizure activity? We have seen a few have odd head shaking and movements that can be repetitious and similar looking that turned out to be neurological in nature.

I can't rule out neurological activity, she is so old, seems to have outlived all her sisters, anything could be going on in her brain. It doesn't appear to be seizures but could be some sort of imagined motions, stuck in some head shake loop?

Could be neurological

Yes, I am definitely considering neurological issues.

I too wonder if it's the feathers coming in. Maybe they feel odd to her? Any of them coming in impacted?

Here's something odd, she started molting July 4th, was completely bald from the head down to the shoulders, molted every darn feather on her body and was completely done with all of it in mid October. Then early November she started molting AGAIN starting at the head! (I got her on daily Poly Vi Sol vitamins and I believe this arrested a second molt) I did a physical search on her head yesterday for ingrown feathers or funky growth or skin and saw nothing. Her head has no more pin feathers, only her neck and nothing there either. They are fairly grown in by now as well.

You might want to check her nares for debris or blockages if you havnt already done so.
No see um gnats can cause them to shake their heads. Also pin feather regrowth causes irritation.
Any eye blinking with the head shaking? If so, a piece of fluff or feather might be tickling the eyeball or stuck in the eye.

Its been snowing, overnight lows in the low 20,s, daytime highs in the 30s. I haven't seen even a fly in weeks. I have not checked her nares yet and will maybe attempt a nasal rinse? She isn't breathing weird or heavily, no whistling and such but she eats her food as wet mash, maybe some got up there?

If its not something in her nares, I will have to lean toward neurological. I just don't see anything else that would be causing this. I have noticed this much, when she's thoroughly engrossed in something like eating, intense searching while free ranging, dust bathing or staring for predators, she never shakes her head. Only when her thoughts are not concentrated on doing something does she shake.

Thanks all, I'll keep you posted as time goes by!

 

[TwoCrows]

I thought I would update this thread.

About 4 days after posting this thread, she just stopped shaking her head. I stopped using oil in her ears the day after I posted this as it didn't seem to make much difference and had it been ear mites, I would imagine they would be dead after so much oil in the ear canals.

I don't know if it was a growing feather, maybe she poked her ear on something, I have no idea, but she quit, thankfully! She is doing fabulous these days, still going strong at nearly 9 years of age!

Thank you everyone!

 

[MissChick@dee]

Thanks so much for the update. It’s always nice to know how it turns out. I’m happy your “old girl” is doing well.

 

[oakhavenmama]

Just saw this thread that you started a few years ago, and it all worked out well for you and your girl! Yay! I will bring Curly Girly inside tonight and check all of the things you mentioned in this thread. She's very skittish and afraid of me. Screams something terrible when I pick her up. Cute as a bug, I will get a photo and post.