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Raising chickens can be both enjoyable and rewarding, providing you with fresh meat and eggs for your family or to sell locally. However, it can also be challenging, especially when your chickens show signs of illness or unusual behavior, like shaking their heads.
Head shaking in chickens can indicate that something is amiss. Understanding the reasons behind this behavior and how to address it can help you care for your flock more effectively.
In this article, we’ll explore why chickens shake their heads, what it could mean, and how to respond to ensure your chickens stay healthy. There are several possible causes for head shaking in chickens, and we’ll cover the most common reasons and how to address them.
1. They Use Their Heads To See Clearly
When chickens shake their head, they are using their head to see things clearly. Chickens can see more colors than humans, thanks to their specialized capabilities to see more hues than humans and other animals. They can also see the ultraviolet spectrum just like the other birds.
Due to their independent vision, chickens have to move their heads to focus their eyes on the objects they want to see. This is different from humans, who just move their eyes to see things clearly.
2. Wryneck or Nutritional Neck Jerking
When chickens shake their head more than usual, it’s a clear sign that something is bothering them. It can be caused by an apparent lack of vitamin E or selenium in their bodies.
This is because some chicken breeds, such as silkies, need more vitamin E than others. However, this is rare, and the veterinarian can easily administer vitamins or supplements to address this problem effectively.
3. Your Chicken Has Possible Head Injury
Chickens also shake or jerk their heads when they suffer from a possible head injury.
4. Diseases
Shaking heads can also indicate that your chickens suffer from an illness or disease, such as exotic Newcastle disease, EEE, Mareks, Pasteurella, or fowl cholera. This medical condition, called torticollis, can also affect your chickens’ necks.
5. Throat and ear infections
Throat and ear infections can also cause your chickens to shake their heads as they want to relieve themselves of the pain and discomfort they are currently experiencing.
6. Parasites or Worms on Your Chickens
Ear mites can also cause chickens to shake their heads like humans scratch their heads when they have lice on their hair strands.
Gapeworms, a common parasite attacking chickens, can also cause this strange behaviour. The chicken shakes its head to rid itself of the irritation the parasites cause on its body.
7. Crop Impaction
Chickens also shake their head when a foreign object enters their crop, or they exhibit crop impaction. Chickens shake their heads, gasp, or extend their necks to get rid of foreign objects and expel them from their crops.
How To Treat Shaking Heads
Consult a Veterinarian: Most treatments for head shaking should be handled by a veterinarian. They have the expertise to treat your chickens without harming them or causing unintended consequences.
- Treating Ear Mites: A veterinarian should be able to Administer Ivermectin drops—one drop orally and one drop on each side of the ear. Ivermectin is safe for chickens and does not affect the safety of their eggs.
- Addressing Vitamin Deficiency: If a vitamin deficiency is the cause, a veterinarian may prescribe supplements rich in vitamin E or selenium. After an observation period, you’ll be asked to monitor your chickens for improvements and follow up with further advice.
- Removing Foreign Objects: If a chicken shakes its head due to a foreign object in its crop or throat, the veterinarian can manually remove it. This also applies to throat infections, where the vet will check for parasites or blockages causing discomfort.
- Gapeworm Removal: Gapeworms in the nose or throat can be safely removed by a veterinarian. Deworming medication may also expel parasites from the chicken’s body.
- Avoid DIY Treatments: Attempting to remove parasites or foreign objects yourself can injure the chicken or even break its neck.
Always seek professional help from a veterinarian, as they have the necessary skills and experience to handle such situations safely.
Other Ideas You Might Like
- 14 Best Chicken Breeds That Consistently Lay Great Eggs
- How to Raise Meat Chickens
- How to Choose a Heritage Chicken Breed for the Homestead
Our Takeaway
A chicken’s shaking head can be caused by many reasons, from normal visual functions to more serious diseases or parasitic infections. In those cases, always consult your veterinarian to help you address the situation more effectively. They can prescribe medication or vitamins to your chicken, depending on the causes.
They can also manually remove any foreign objects or parasites inside your chicken’s body without hurting your chickens. Veterinarians are trained to handle chickens and other animals, so there is nothing to worry about.
