Yawning and shaking head

[kcallis]

I have a 1-2 yr old bared cochin bantam (we're not sure of her age). She was a rescue from a lab. The lab assured us she was never used for any testing (which is why they gave her to us, since she was so cute, they didn't have the heart to test on her - so they used all the other meat chickens for testing, but not her). We've had her for about 2 months now. She has always had this habit of yawning, stretching her neck then shaking her head.
Someone suggested gapeworm to us, but we have been monitoring her throat and poop and haven't detected any worms. We have 5 other backyard chickens and none of them have these symptoms.
So my question is, what else could it be? or should we be doing something else to detect gapeworm (my husband and I both have access to all kinds of medical and laboratory equipment but have a strict no vet policy for chickens).

Oh... I forgot, other than the yawning and shaking her head, everything seems fine. She eats normally, poops normally, acts normally, lays normally...

 

[NotTheMomma]

Wow, that's interesting.

Have you googled those symptoms and searched this site to see if anything comes up?

I'm hoping someone else might know what could be going on,.

 

[kcallis]

I have and the only thing I find is gapeworms. But without seeing any worms, and with no decrease in energy, appetite or difficulty breathing, I can't imagine that is what she has.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

she could have a condition of canker either in the throat or ear
will be a off white to yellow gowth in the birds throat or ear
er in chickens or can be in pigeons
It is a off white growth in the cracks of the beak or in the throat and goes on down in the lining of the stomach
and to help her you would need to get flagyl

Do this
Call Smith Poultry Supplies in Bucyrus Ks call and see if they had Flagyl or what poeple are using to fight canker

Smith Poultry & Game Bird Supply

14000 W. 215th St., Bucyrus, KS 66013-9519

Ph. 913-879-2587 Fax. 913-533-2497

et can help you out

if she doenot have canker
then it is a heart problem and she will keep do this to get added air

put her on Vit E and B complex so her nervous system is helped
email me for the recipe with probiotic wet mash PM me and tell me what problem to remind me