Is this behavior indicative of a parasite?

[bokbokbokBOKBOKBOKBKAAA]

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

They don't seem to be eating the hay if that is your concern? I started using hay bales inspired from Lisa Steele's Winter Boredom Busters (https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2013/02/10-boredom-busters-for-chickens.html -- #3) with my other chickens, I put scratch in it and they love scratching through it. It's a great activity for them. It turned into a new layer and type of run bedding from them scratching it around so thoroughly (it's a covered run). It's been a couple months of that and they haven't had any issues with it. So I thought it would be OK bedding for our back porch for 30 days during quarantine (should have used straw, not hay). I put scratch grains in it and it keeps them occupied. I will think about changing to pine shavings, it would have to be a lot because they have free reign of the back porch. That's why we chose this over other types of coop bedding.

 

[Eggcessive]

I am not a vet or very knowledgeable of X-rays. I do see some grit in the bottom of the crop which seems full and possibly has som air in it. The vent area or oviduct has something solid there. Unfortunately I have never had good luck knowing what was going on with hens who had weird symptoms. After I lost one I could sometimes tell what was going on with a neceopsy after I lost one.

 

[bokbokbokBOKBOKBOKBKAAA]

Hi guys, today she is doing the violent crop adjustment motion during and after eating. I verified with the breeder and previously these birds ate only crumbles. (They will only eat the feed I provide if it is wet.)

Could this be caused by a change in feed size? And the bread pieces (though small) -- not being used to eating anything larger than a crumble?

I found this thread about chickens choking and dying from larger feed than they're used to: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-trachea-windpipe-obstruction.1050091/

The fecal sample is still being processed, no answer yet. One vet thought this was an infectious disease and is suggesting culling (!!!!) if it's not worms.

I am going to change out the bedding to pine shavings today and will purchase coconut oil and try to massage them. They do NOT want to be held at all. Any tips for how to calm them are much appreciated. (They do not appear to have been handled much.)

The birds are still gaping and shaking their heads frequently, the more violent motion I now believe to be associated with eating. They have been sleeping a LOT, low activity levels. They are eating a little more now, for one day they didn't eat much at all.

 

[Eggcessive]

How did the crops feel this morning before they were eating and roaming? Are they emptying at all with the coconut oil and massage 3 times a day. What are the droppings looking like? Make sure they are not eating anything but chicken feed, and no scratch that is in the bedding. I would wet their feed in a small bowl to liquify the feed.

 

[bokbokbokBOKBOKBOKBKAAA]

How did the crops feel this morning before they were eating and roaming? Are they emptying at all with the coconut oil and massage 3 times a day. What are the droppings looking like? Make sure they are not eating anything but chicken feed, and no scratch that is in the bedding. I would wet their feed in a small bowl to liquify the feed.

Her crop in the morning is soft and squishy, I don't feel anything in it, hard or otherwise. It appears to be emptying normally. Her droppings are not normal. It's been like this since Tuesday. Mushy, large, a little colorful, an undigested scratch grain here and there, there is white in there too. Like thick cat vomit, and it smells horrible, not like other chicken poop (cecal or otherwise). For feed it has been wet pellets and a little raw egg yolk. As I have noted, and I think this is pertinent, they ONLY eat wet food, which I found out immediately as I accidentally spilled water at their first feeding and they only ate the wet feed. Before this I verified they only ate crumbles. The other bird has way more activity and normal droppings.

The parasite sample came back negative -- no worms.

I have another vet appointment but they are leaning in to something being picked up from the show, respiratory disease/mareks/culling for necropsy(!!!!!) so I need other opinions.

Soft crop, violent shuddering/gagging(?) motion during day that starts after eating (some days worse than others). Low activity, sleeping a LOT.

 

[Eggcessive]

The crop should be empty and flat first thing in the morning, and as they eat throughout the day, it should be firm and full at roost time. If it is soft and squishy in the morning, she may have a slow crop or sour crop. Here is a good article about crop disorders:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[bokbokbokBOKBOKBOKBKAAA]

The crop still feels empty in the morning, there is nothing to massage. I don't think it's sour crop because there is no smell? She continues to be quite lethargic and doing the shuddering/gagging motions every so often. Sometimes it seems to reduce in severity only to return violently. Perhaps she is working something through the system, I found some threads on here that described similar situations that resolve themselves (this and this).

Here is a video from today:

https://vimeo.com/1052756582/652331a059?share=copy

She is not eating much. I thought I saw her eating some of the new pine shavings. She is not pooping much. Here is a pic of her poop from last night:

Watery, hairy, dark green, is that indicative of eating hay? I did not see any abnormal poop from roost this morning, but I haven't seen her defecate today either.

Here's the concern, the incubation time for picking up something from the show is now. The substitute vet thinks this is the case, and that it is not crop or blockage related. I have an appointment with the regular vet tomorrow and will get her opinion on it being hay in the crop. I haven't been able to speak with her since the initial appointment and the substitute and techs have been scaring me saying necropsy.

If you think it's hay, but there is nothing to massage in the crop, how can I best help her work it through the system and feel better?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would have the vet do a fecal float on her fresh droppings for worms and parasites, brought in with her tomorrow in a ziploc bag. Did they do that already? If they are helpful, they could also do a gram stain on them to look for bacteria. She definitely seems to have something stuck. I am not doubting your saying the crop is empty and flat in the morning, but her chest looks enlarged in the video. There could also be a gizzard blockage, and worms could be another problem. Capillary worms are especially harmful. Safeguard liquid goat wormer, shaken well and given 1.25 ml orally for 5 straight days would be good for any worms besides tapeworms. Does it feel like any air under the skin? Can you feel some others’ crops to compare that you are feeling her crop in the right spot?

 

[bokbokbokBOKBOKBOKBKAAA]

The results were negative for parasites. Her chest may have looked larger because she had eaten prior to that video, but mainly because she had her head sitting quite far back in her discomfort.

I am happy to report she has been pooping normally and has improved significantly! She is full of life and doing chicken-y things starting yesterday.

What was the culprit? Well it began right after feeding them a piece of bread. Certainly hay contributed. There wasn't a feelable mass in the crop. They were previously only fed crumbles, and they would barely touch scrambled eggs, cut up grapes, and blueberries. They only eat pellets if wet. (I might also note they are messy, immature eaters; more like chicks than pullets). When I first fed them little pieces of bread they were elated--so was I as I finally found something they went bonkers for. But in retrospect they weren't ready for anything more than a couple bites. I will be very careful and accomodate their needs in food size and unchokable run bedding, and be sure to inspect their crops frequently. Raw egg yolk seems to be a great treat for them, and I believe it was critical in helping her get through this.

If anybody has a recommendation for good run bedding in winter, or an activity similar to tearing down a hay bale, I would love to hear it! We do chopped leaves and yard waste through the chipper for run bedding, but being winter it's not an option at this time to add more of that if we remove the hay. There is hay bedding in the run because the birds tear through scratch-filled hay bales as a winter boredom buster (it is a covered run and doesn't get wet). They don't have any issues with consuming hay, but for these two new birds coming out of quarantine I would like to remove it from the run, and will need a substitute bedding and boredom-buster activity that is safe for the new birds. What about a compost pile? Our run has .5" hardware cloth, would a mouse fit through that?

I appeciate all the feedback and help! Thanks.

 

[bokbokbokBOKBOKBOKBKAAA]

I wanted to update this with another follow-up in case it is helpful to anybody. The REAL source of the issue was that she wasn't eating enough food and turned to eating the bedding.

They wouldn't eat regular feed, only if it was wet. I was providing a lot of feed the way they liked it, but they were picky and messy eaters and spilled it while eating (and they wouldn't eat what they spilled). As noted we changed out the bedding, fed egg yolk, paid more attention to their eating, and concurrently the issue stopped but we were having to refill several times a day. I went through a massive amount of feed. I tried a few different containers and feeders before I found one that could distribute a day's worth of food the way they liked without spilling everywhere, and they could relax in confidence regarding food security. It made an enormous difference in the birds that cannot be understated.

It seems so obvious in retrospect and I feel horrible about it. But I want to share in case it helps somebody.