Weird head twitching/bobbing, what's wrong?! - Video Included

[cottoncandyx]

It started today, and then I kind of stopped worrying about it because I didn't see my baby chick do it. Now they are taking a nap on my leg and I see it happening again. Don't know the breed, their about 4-5ish weeks old.

She like twitches her head all weird, it happens every now and then, I don't know what to make of it! Other then that she is happy, sleeping, eating, drinking, and everything else.

Thank you!

Another update: She's doing it a lot more now, while she's trying to sleep. It doesn't seem to be bothering her though, but the jerking is on and off non stop.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am sorry I watched the video and can't tell much by it, as long as she is eating, drinking sleeping and doesn't seem to be in distress, I would just watch her. Maybe give her some poultry vitamins. does she breathe normal? not gaping or opening her mouth?

 

[Yardfarm Family]

3 of my 6day old chicks are twitching also. They seem healthy otherwise but I am very worried. Has you chicks stopped twitching yet? What could it be from?

 

[tinydancer87]

I have seen my grown chickens do something similar when they have eaten alot and the crop is full, they will do their neck like they are trying to force the food down.

WHen they do this it is usually because they are gorging themselves oncake, or watermelon, or some kind of treat, and their crops will be noticeably enlarged.

Usually stops after a few hours when the food moves on down to the stomach. Again, this is just what I have witnessed in my flock.

 

[harttills]

Hi, I'm a new chicken mom and found your thread from last may as I am now trying to figure out why one of my chicks seems to have a nervous twitch. Did you ever figure out what it was? I'd appreciate any tips!
Thanks

 

[JodiLynn]

My polish eat lots of watermelon and do the same thing. After about 15 min they stop and it is only with watermelon as it is their ultimate summer time treat! Someone on here with more knowledge on the matter may have a more definitive answer.

 

[Yardfarm Family]

Sorry to chime in late, When my chicks arrived I started their water with an electrolyte packet (this was my first time with chicks). They seemed to be drinking so I thought all was good. A few days later 1 then 2 then all started to have what seemed like a nervous twitch. I started panicking adding baby vitamins and searching possible diseases. I called MyPetChicken where I had ordered them from and they were so wonderful. They assured me that my girls were fine and I needed to dump the vitamin water and give them fresh plain water. They drank, and drank and drank. They were not drinking enough because they didn't like the taste of the water which caused there electrolyte imbalance and brought on twitches. They all stopped except one who we call Twitch and she is 17 weeks and healthy as can be otherwise. I hope this helps. Here is a link to the article MPC directed me to. http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyar...-give-my-shipped-chicks-vitamins-and-H70.aspx?

 

[Yardfarm Family]

 

[Lufalcoa]

I have one 5 months old chicken with the same strange movement... maybe two.

-She eats and drinks normally.
-Faeces seems normal (only thing strange it's I noticed some "red filament" inside the faeces)...Maybe is it Gapeworms? But she isn't yawning...
-It has been happening at least a several weeks, but at one chicken in particular, the movements are getting more frequent.
-I had beem giving them vitamins during 4 days this last week.

Any sugestion?

Here is the video:

(sorry for the low quality)

Thank you!!