Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

ValerieJ said:

Since this has happened now to two leghorns in just a few weeks, and I got them together from TSC, I'm quite certain it is genetic in this particular group. I've been reading up on it, and it is a hereditary disease, generally indicating heart disease. I don't think it's necessarily common to leghorns in general, but I will be watching the other two now for signs of this. Really nothing can be done about it at this point. They are only 3 years old, so it's very sad.

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Don't commercial egg farms cull out their birds at the time of their 2nd or 3rd molt? That could be what your leghorns were "designed" for, maximum egg production at the expense of a short life.

Did they lay consistently until the end, or did they start having reproductive issues beforehand? I think you mentioned once that if more than one chicken had the same problem you might try to find out the cause of death. When I necropsied my sudden-death hen I found yolks and a soft eggshell where they shouldn't have been, inside the body cavity.

Smokerbill said:

Don't commercial egg farms cull out their birds at the time of their 2nd or 3rd molt? That could be what your leghorns were "designed" for, maximum egg production at the expense of a short life.

Did they lay consistently until the end, or did they start having reproductive issues beforehand? I think you mentioned once that if more than one chicken had the same problem you might try to find out the cause of death. When I necropsied my sudden-death hen I found yolks and a soft eggshell where they shouldn't have been, inside the body cavity.

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The leghorns are daily layers, except for a month or two in the winter. So, yes they laid eggs until they got sick. I don't need to do a necropsy to know she has ascites. If you are ever dealing with it, you'll know what I mean by that. It is very obvious in her. And now that I think back at what I was looking at in the lost bird a couple months ago, it was the same thing. I examined this one very well, when I was giving her the Epsom bath. There is no egg stuck in there. It is all water. And there is a lot of water.

Yes, commercial farms cull their birds when they slow down laying eggs. I don't do that. I don't think these were bred to do that. I think there is a genetic/hereditary disposition to this disease. Like I said, I'll watch the other two, but I read extensively about this yesterday and there is simply nothing to be done about it, but drain it and make them more comfortable. But that won't save them. I have chosen not to go that route, as I don't believe in prolonging an animal or bird's life when they are so sick. That's a personal choice.

Of course, if I can save them, I will, and have done that. It's a rewarding experience to bring a chicken back to health.

There are other possible causes for ascites, having to do with environment and extreme weather for example, but none of those causes would apply to my chickens. And I am not having any problems with any other breeds here.

Hey the rain is back slept till 9 let the big girls out.
Birds slow down as the days shorten, I add birds most yearly
to have layers then.
I have 1 leghorn bought a few birds at auction.

The rain is a good thing to have. I remember one dry April noticing my rhody leaves looking folded, and then realized it had not rained in quite awhile and had to actually water plants then.
It is also wonderful for the seeds and taters I'd just planted.