shaking chicken

[spokie]

I have been raising chickens for almost 3 months now. I keep them in ventelated rooms in an old building on the farm- a home made broiler if you like. Well they stay in the one room up until two weeks, then I move them to another room where they stay for another two weeks and then I move them to the last room where they stay up until they are ready. Two days ago my husband and I moved the 4 week old chicks into their new room. Strange thing happend today when I went in to clean, two of my chickens was shaking. I have never seen this before. My husband is scared that it might be newcastle but my chicks have been vaccinated and I am very disciplined on my hygeine. On the internet they say that the chickens head is suposed to shake when its newcastle. . .very confused. Can someone shed some light?

 

[Yay Chicks!]

First, let me welcome you to BYC! Glad you joined us.

I'm probably not going to have the answers you need, but let me ask a few questions that might help the next person who reads this.

Are the shaking chicks eating and drinking? Is their poop normal? Are they fully feathered now - or could they be cold? Are the ones that were just moved from that area exhibiting any symptoms?

 

[OregonChickenGal]

They're probably cold. At 4 weeks they don't have enough feathers to keep them warm. You didn't mention where you live. That would be my guess.

 

[dawg53]

I doubt it's Newcastle's, there would be other symptoms as well. It could possibly be Avian Enceptalomyelitis (AE.) Here's a link, just scroll down:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
Then again, it could be only a vitamin deficiency. One or two drops of poultry nutri drench orally twice a day for about 4-5 days should give them a boost and perhaps relieve the symptoms you're seeing.