My chicken keeps scratching his head or rubbing beak on floor of koop

[chickenboy12]

hello i just got my very first chicken a rhode island red rooster and i noticed he scratches his head with his claws or rubbs his head on the floor of the coop. Is this normal or just dry skin or mite or lice, or something worse.

 

[Barnyard]

is he doing it all the time or just went he eats and drinks?

 

[chickenboy12]

theres times were it looks like he's when he doesn't eat or drink, but he starting to do it just when he eats and drinks

 

[ticks]

Do you have just that one chicken or companions? they get lonely because they are flock animals.

 

[apbgv]

My girls do that if they have eaten something that is a little sticky like the banana I threw out there yesterday(they didn't like it much), or the cooked potatoes I shared the other night.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Most of the time it's because there's something stuck on their beaks and they haven't figured out napkins yet.

Your baby should be fine.

 

[KSANDERS1]

My chickies do that when they get a taste of chicken poopy. They try to wipe it off as quickly as possible.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

I'm pretty sure it's a natural behavior. My sister and I used to say that the chickens were "sharpening their beaks" when they did that.

 

[chickenboy12]

I want to get him to the vet for a general check up when should i get one.

 

[sammi]

how old is the roo?

go ahead and treat for mites/lice..poultry dust (such as Ectiban-D by durvet)
or Sevin..(garden and livestock dust)
you can apply around comb using a Q-tip..and a little vaseline..

check the beak nostrils and make sure they are clear.

is he eating and drinking?

for ear mites, you can use ear mite treatment for cats..

also..using a small flashlight, check his mouth and throat for sores or black dots or gape worm..(red in throat)

check eyes for wetness or swelling.