Pale Comb and waddle, also, shakes beak!

[Wilmer Gehman]

I have a Rhode Island Red that has been acting strange lately. She is two years old,(This is her second winter), and has already molted. Her comb and waddle are abnormally pale and small. She shakes her beak and looks like she has something in her mouth that she wants to spit out. When I let out the chickens to free range, she usually doesn't come out unless i make her. As far I as I know, she is eating and drinking normally. Also, she is the only one in our flock (we have 22 hens), to have these symptoms. (as far as I can tell). Please respond soon!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Most hens comb will shrink back and shrivel up when they aren't laying. Most of my older hens currently look like that as they molt and recover. Combs are a sign of health and reproduction.

As far as the head shaking, have you looked in her mouth, and around her head to see if there's a reason for the shaking. Generally they do a lot of shaking when they are trying to dislodge something. Some birds seem to shake their heads more than other just in general too.

 

[azygous]

In addition to what oldhen has advised, inspect the insides of her ears and also her tongue and throat. Things can get stuck inside these places, and sometimes even a hair or string can get wrapped around the tongue.

I've noticed when something foreign is stuck where it shouldn't be, the chicken will claw at it with their foot or peck at it with their beak. This is a signal to me that there's something they need human hands to assist them with.

Wattles and combs shrink and dry out during and following molt. They will resume their healthy redness and moist texture once the hormones start to flow again after the winter equinox passes.

 

[Wilmer Gehman]

Thank for the advice! She seemed to be better today. I didn't see her shake her head even once! She is also more active.