hens shaking their heads

[k9chickenlady]

i have two hens that are shaking their heads. i don’t see anything in their heads. they seem fine otherwise. any idea why they might be doing this?

 

[azygous]

When a chicken shakes their head, it can indicate an ear issue. Look into the ears for signs of gunk buildup or swelling. If you seen anything, use mineral oil to soften the gunk, then drag it out with a Q-tip with most of the cotton removed, or a toothpick that has been blunted with sandpaper so it's rounded and not sharp.

If you don't see anything in the ears, it can be dry-ear, and itchy. Use a drop of mineral oil in the ears for a few days.

If you see swelling and/or gunk, it may be from an ear infection. In that case, after cleaning, pack the ear canal with an antibiotic ointment for around five days. If symptoms get worse, and the chicken is developing runny eyes and discharge from the nares, you need to order this. https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30E07BC1-7B6A-11D5-A192-00B0D0204AE5 It will treat respiratory disease symptoms.

 

[kcan2]

When a chicken shakes their head, it can indicate an ear issue. Look into the ears for signs of gunk buildup or swelling. If you seen anything, use mineral oil to soften the gunk, then drag it out with a Q-tip with most of the cotton removed, or a toothpick that has been blunted with sandpaper so it's rounded and not sharp.

If you don't see anything in the ears, it can be dry-ear, and itchy. Use a drop of mineral oil in the ears for a few days.

If you see swelling and/or gunk, it may be from an ear infection. In that case, after cleaning, pack the ear canal with an antibiotic ointment for around five days. If symptoms get worse, and the chicken is developing runny eyes and discharge from the nares, you need to order this. https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30E07BC1-7B6A-11D5-A192-00B0D0204AE5 It will treat respiratory disease symptoms.

@azygous I apologize for referencing a somewhat older thread here, but was wondering exactly which item to order on the link you supplied. The page loads with several options for different medications, and I'm interested in what you would suggest to treat respiratory symptoms as described above for itchy ear chickens

 

[azygous]

No med is necessary for itchy ear. A drop of mineral oil does wonders to give the chicken relief.

If the ear is swollen with signs of infection or the face is swollen, or the eyes are swollen and leaky, Tylan 50 or Tylosin powder are the best antibiotics to treat secondary infections from respiratory disease.