Rooster Shaking Head

[GtToe]

My rooster has been drinking, eating, pooping and been behaving fine aside from shaking his head strangely. I noticed that he does it on the beam when I check on him at night a few nights ago and it has continued. Any idea what this could be? I cannot attach a video but it doesn’t look like he is in destress but I have never seen him act like this. Thanks!

 

[JustBabyMargo]

My chickens do this all the time so I assume its normal?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

My rooster did it for a while but I believe he has stoped. Wonder if something was bothering his ears? @Eggcessive, have you heard of anything like this before?

 

[Ebony Rose]

Is this a cockerel, young rooster or a mature rooster? I've had cockerels and young roosters do this regularly, particularly close to the time that they crow, as if it's a hormonal overload thing. My older roosters tend to fall out of the habit.
An ear or respiratory infection can also cause a shaking of the head; typically can rule out disease with a careful wellness check.

 

[Eggcessive]

I think most chickens shake or twitch occasionally. Something irritating, such as mucus in the airways from a respiratory infection, mites or lice, or new feathers coming in, might cause head shaking.

 

[LaFleche]

It might even be the mosquitoes or flies in the coop that begin to attack when the chickens come in to roost at night.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I think most chickens shake or twitch occasionally. Something irritating, such as mucus in the airways from a respiratory infection, mites or lice, or new feathers coming in, might cause head shaking.

It might even be the mosquitoes or flies in the coop that begin to attack when the chickens come in to roost at night.

Thanks. George was a cockerel-turning-rooster at the time and it went on for a couple of months. I didn't see sneezing, coughing or anything respiratory going on. He'd snap his neck and head vigorously from left to right like a snake. He was the only bird in the flock that did this so I don't suspect mosquitoes. He didn't scratch so I didn't think mites. He did it any time of day. He's a BJG. It didn't appear to be communicative. I actually wondered if it was neurological, perhaps from a blow to the head from the alpha rooster, which we no longer have. But it has since resolved.

 

[LaFleche]

Thanks. George was a cockerel-turning-rooster at the time and it went on for a couple of months. I didn't see sneezing, coughing or anything respiratory going on. He'd snap his neck and head vigorously from left to right like a snake. He was the only bird in the flock that did this so I don't suspect mosquitoes. He didn't scratch so I didn't think mites. He did it any time of day. He's a BJG. It didn't appear to be communicative. I actually wondered if it was neurological, perhaps from a blow to the head from the alpha rooster, which we no longer have. But it has since resolved.

He might have had some problems adjusting his crop which can lead to the headshaking and snakelike movements of the neck and head.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

He might have had some problems adjusting his crop which can lead to the headshaking and snakelike movements of the neck and head.

Ah, thanks!

 

[Ebony Rose]

I've only witnessed this with cockerels as they come into adulthood or soon after becoming adults, so assumed it was a 'testosterone overload' thing.