Please Help,,, Water in cavity

[duluthralphie]

I was sitting watching my chickens and talking to my turkeys ( I have no life). There was one of my smaller, so I assume female Cornish crosses climbing a small bush. ( not climbing well and only about 4 inches off ground). All of a sudden she tipped over and started mini convulsions.

Having seen many people with heart attacks from my work, I assumed it was a heart attack. The comb and head turned bluish but the chicken was still alive.

I plan to butcher them all a week from tomorrow. I had one die last night of an apparent heart attack and I have really pushed the fed gambling they would gain fast and I could butcher them soon. ( they did gain fast I got them as day olds on June 2nd)

I quickly removed the chickens head and skinned it. I noticed when I laid it on the table to remove the innards her abdomen was distended and shook like jello. When I cut into the cavity water rushed out, lots of it!

I know it is hard to determine the volume of water on a hard surface and the ground, but I estimate at least a cup maybe two.

there was an object in her abdomen, it looked almost the size of a yolk and semi transparent, goldish in color.

The water was almost clear if not clear with a slight yellow tinge.


I can find nothing on the internet about this. Any Ideas

Before her attack she was digging, pecking and acting normal. All very strange to me.

Would you eat the meat or not? What do you think it is? Is it contagious? Is it getting what I deserve for letting them eat at will?

 

[duluthralphie]

I think it had ascites.

It makes sense the more I research it. Now I need to know, Can we eat the meat? It was alive when I butchered it.

 

[chickiyo]

It could have been egg yolk peritonitis, thats when the yolk gets caught in the abdominal cavitiy causing fluid to pool in the abdomen.

 

[cafarmgirl]

It could have been egg yolk peritonitis, thats when the yolk gets caught in the abdominal cavitiy causing fluid to pool in the abdomen.

X2. The fluid buildup also makes breathing difficult and can cause the blue or dark colored comb you saw.

 

[duluthralphie]

The bird was a day old on June 2. It is only 6 weeks old. I thought they had to be laying age for that to happen.

 

[Eggcessive]

According to this first link, there can be jelly-like clumps of protein containing fluid in the abdomen floating freely, which may explain your mystery gold semi-transparent object in the abdomen. Here are the links to read:

http://www.millerhatcheries.com/inf...nfo/Ascites (waterbelly)_in_Meat_Chickens.htm
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou...s_of_poultry/ascites_syndrome_in_poultry.html
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/pou3546?opendocument

 

[duluthralphie]

Thanks!

I see it was my fault, in that I was feeding them 24% protein, thinking it would help them gain. Which it did.
The downside being it makes more likely they will get ascites.

I was going to try and keep a pair to breed next year, however, I have decided against it. I am instead going to spend
the day processing chickens. I have to leave town for a short period and the next chance I would have to butcher them
is a week from today. Not worth taking the chance of losing more birds.

I am amazed at the rate these birds grew. I remember when I was a kid it was 4-5 months before we butchered.
The birds were much smaller than these are now. Over 8 lbs. in 45 days amazes me!

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, but unfortunately meat birds just aren't designed to live past about 6-7 weeks. There is someone named Aoxa on BYC who lets her meat birds free range, and limits feeding. She has a thread about this which you may want to read. I think this is the link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-your-cornish-x-meaties-tractors-do-not-count

 

[duluthralphie]

Thanks again!

Interesting thread. I read the first 30 posts or so. I will read the rest tonight.

I just butchered all my crosses this AM. I think next year I will try to really limit the fed and free range them. One of the things I bought chickens for was the "old fashioned" taste remember when I was a kid, ( back in the 50's) Granted my memory might be bad and the taste may never be what I recall.

However, I have this nagging in the back of my head that my chickens will taste like factory chickens. I fed them high protein pellets high protein mash. Even though they have had the ability to free range for a few weeks and access to pasture before that few of the crosses took advantage of it. They all just stayed sitting around the feeders gorging themselves.


The idea of a 10-15 pound chicken fascinates me. I raise giant pumpkins for my grandkids Jack-o-lanterns, so next year it will be giant chickens for their table.

BTW only one of the chickens I butchered today had "water belly".


Thanks again for your help!

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you know that most people say to rest the meat in the refrigerator for 3 days before cooking or freezing? That will cause the meat to be more tender. I have only helped a friend once process meat chickens, so it isn't my thing. But there is a lot of info about the meat being tough if you don't do that.