Warning - Graphic pics of Internal Egg Layer Necropsy

@Rebel

I had a hen die from the exact same thing as yours! But nobody knows what it is either.

Our little Dominique died two days ago with exactly the same type of cysts in her abdomen. She was almost 4 years old and was a good layer for the first year and a half, then started to lay shelless eggs and abnormal eggs with odd shells. I also suspected internal laying of yolks especially when she developed the pendulous abdomen, but I was able to drain her abdomen with needle and syringe periodically which seemed to really help for close to 2 years. I suspect that the original swelling was one cyst and over time, she developed more and more and they were smaller because I could actually palpate the multiple lumps. I attempted to drain them as well, but as you can see from the posted photo, there is no way to get them all. I really don't know what could be done as it wasn't clear to me where they originated from.

I have tried to post the photo that I took of my girl, but it doesn't seem to work. Suffice it to say that it looks identical to the photo already posted, except the feathers are a different color.

Pretty sure it's called "cystadenocarcinomas", not internal laying.

above pictures are from here
:http://www.cvm.ncsu.edu/dphp/phm/documents/AVMA2005.pdf


-Kathy

Here is another hen with what looks to be the same thing:

igotchickens said:

Can anyone tell me what this is? I'm guessing cancer, but the pictures I've come across in research don't quite look like THIS. Symptoms were: floppy comb, purple at the tips, poopy butt, lethargy, no interest in scratch, I didn't see her eat pellets, though she was interested in drinking water. Hadn't laid eggs in a very long time (she had distinctly colored eggs), but she was 3+ years old, so that was not a concern to me. Day two of extreme lethargy I cleaned her butt off to see if it was blocked by too much poop. It was not, and she even pooped while the warm water ran on her, but died seconds later in my arms.




It was all attached to her organs as well as the tissue walls, so I actually had to pull quite harder on the insides than one normally does when only processing a chicken to get it out. It was everywhere, including her lungs, which could explain the purple tipped comb. But what is it and what caused it?

Click to expand...

-Kathy

I'm SO sorry for your loss.
Because of your thoughtful posting Hope will give 'hope' and comfort to everyone who suspects this is happening and trying everything in their power, like you, to help their bird.
You were clearly a wonderful 'mum' to this bird.
Thank you again

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