Is this behavior indicative of a parasite?

[bokbokbokBOKBOKBOKBKAAA]

I am waiting to hear back poop results from vet, but I wanted to ask around here if this behavior is typical for parasites.

About two weeks ago I purchased two 7-month old Orpingtons from a poultry show. I have them quarantined in my back porch.

Yesterday one began exhibiting strange behaviors that I video taped. It began with her being startled while looking at her wings, she kept doing it over and over. Two clips:

https://vimeo.com/1051597913/7aa574486a?share=copy

https://vimeo.com/1051603188/1f2b29131a?share=copy

This behavior stopped and was replaced with a choking, gagging motion, which she did frequently:

https://vimeo.com/1051538289/5b781bf69e?share=copy

I had fed them small pieces of bread (pea-sized), the only treat I found they like so far (will not continue that). They only eat pellets if they are wet, and they drank water normally. My chicken teacher thought some bread was lodged in throat, and if not better in the morning to take to vet. It did seem to reduce in frequency throughout the day, but she became somewhat lethargic.

Well, she was still doing the gagging motion this morning, and was lethargic (though not when I tried to put her in the pet carrier). The vet did an xray and there are no obstructions in her. Nothing unusual showed up in the scan. She has had a couple of really stinky, gloppy poops, which they will analyze and I will receive results tomorrow.

The other bird this morning is now also slowed down, I wouldn't say lethargic, but she didn't eat much, and only scratched around a little bit before settling down for napping (unusual).

 

[Eggcessive]

I don’t see anything that usual with the hopping around. The third video shows that she is adjusting her crop, so maybe something is stuck. Are you providing the chickens with granite poultry grit? They need that to digest any foods or grasses beside chicken feed. I would take about 2 tsp of coconut oil and chill it, then cut it into small pieces for her to peck. Once she has eaten, massage her crop several times a day. Make sure that she is drinking plenty of water. Check the crop early tomorrow before eating or drinking, to feel if the crop has emptied.

 

[bokbokbokBOKBOKBOKBKAAA]

I don’t see anything that usual with the hopping around. The third video shows that she is adjusting her crop, so maybe something is stuck. Are you providing the chickens with granite poultry grit? They need that to digest any foods or grasses beside chicken feed. I would take about 2 tsp of coconut oil and chill it, then cut it into small pieces for her to peck. Once she has eaten, massage her crop several times a day. Make sure that she is drinking plenty of water. Check the crop early tomorrow before eating or drinking, to feel if the crop has emptied.

Yes I provide them with grit. There is nothing stuck and only some oyster shells in the crop from the xray and she was still doing this. I looked up videos of crop adjustment and none of them looked like this to me, but there weren't many videos out there.

As far as the hopping around, though I only provided two clips she kept doing it over and over and over, it was really strange.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Have you examined them closely for mites or lice? When mine have a mite infestation I get mites crawling all over me when I handle the chickens.

Is the bedding hay or straw? If it's hay, I would change that out for pine shavings. Hay can very easily get impacted in their crops as the strands are long and thin. Straw does too, but not as easily in my experience. Both hay and straw can harbor mites and mold.

Stinky, gloppy poops sound like normal cecal poops.

 

[bokbokbokBOKBOKBOKBKAAA]

Have you examined them closely for mites or lice? When mine have a mite infestation I get mites crawling all over me when I handle the chickens.

Is the bedding hay or straw? If it's hay, I would change that out for pine shavings. Hay can very easily get impacted in their crops as the strands are long and thin. Straw does too, but not as easily in my experience. Both hay and straw can harbor mites and mold.

Stinky, gloppy poops sound like normal cecal poops.

There doesn't appear to be lice or mites around the vent (the vet checked too). It is hay, but I haven't seen them eat it at all. It's my back porch and not a coop, and because of the large area we went with hay (should have done straw). The xray didn't show anything in the crop other than some oyster shell so I don't think it's an impacted crop.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Well, hopefully the fecal test will show what is wrong.

 

[bokbokbokBOKBOKBOKBKAAA]

New development: the other bird of the two has started gaping. Not gagging like the other one, but gaping and becoming more lethargic. Video:

https://vimeo.com/1051675564/4d5465ca10?share=copy

The gagging of the first bird has not gone away but it's shorter duration and she shakes her head during it.

I am thinking gapeworm but will know definitively tomorrow. I appreciate any feedback.

 

[StinkyAcres]

That is concerning. I would still remove the hay and replace with shavings as soon as possible if you can.

 

[Eggcessive]

It still looks to me like they have something stuck in their crops. The constant adjusting of the crop is not normal. Oyster shell is not grit, but they need granite grit for foods other than regular chicken feed, but not scratch, whole grains, or other foods and grass. If they have oyster shell or grit in their crops on xray, it could be that they have been taking too much. Do their crops feel firm now at bedtime? Check them first thing in the morning to see if they have emptied any, or are empty and flat as they should be. I would try the coconut oil or you could also use mineral oil in some egg. 5 ml or a tsp is a good dose.

 

[bokbokbokBOKBOKBOKBKAAA]

It still looks to me like they have something stuck in their crops. The constant adjusting of the crop is not normal. Oyster shell is not grit, but they need granite grit for foods other than regular chicken feed, but not scratch, whole grains, or other foods and grass. If they have oyster shell or grit in their crops on xray, it could be that they have been taking too much. Do their crops feel firm now at bedtime? Check them first thing in the morning to see if they have emptied any, or are empty and flat as they should be. I would try the coconut oil or you could also use mineral oil in some egg. 5 ml or a tsp is a good dose.

To clarify, I provide both grit and oyster shell. I just checked and both crops are soft. Neither of them are eating much.

When I first got them, the one that was laying (this one) had an extremely thin eggshell. So I give them oyster shell and their own eggshells crushed up with their eggs scrambled (which they hardly touch, which is why I turned to a little bread as a treat).

Here is the xray:

I'm not sure how to read a radiograph, so if it looks like there's impaction -- or if impaction can't be seen on a radiograph -- then please let me know.

Thanks!