Updated! - Test Your Diagnostic Skills - Warning, Contains Graphic Necropsy Photos

[casportpony]

I'll take a guess....was it blackhead disease?

You are correct, textbook blackhead with liver lesions and nasty looking cecal pouches. They both probably also had sepsis since there was fecal matter in the abdominal cavity from the rotted ends of the cecal pouches.

-Kathy

 

[mg15]

Then a blockage ? But both of them having a blockage would not seem possible.
Maybe no gravel to digest food. All in the crop still ?
Water is going through but not food. Two birds having the same malfunction ummm no.
Necrotic enteritis, http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/184/necrotic-enteritis

 

[casportpony]

Then a blockage ? But both of them having a blockage would not seem possible.
Maybe no gravel to digest food. All in the crop still ?
Water is going through but not food. Two birds having the same malfunction ummm no.
Necrotic enteritis, http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/184/necrotic-enteritis

Funny you should mention the crop, 'cause both had some very interesting items in their crops... I'll post pictures of those, too.

Necrotic enteritis is also something they could have had, but that would have been secondary to blackhead. I really do need to learn how to use my scope, grow bacteria and do sensitivity testing, lol, then I'd know for sure.

-kathy

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I had to look up blackhead
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou...tis/overview_of_histomoniasis_in_poultry.html

It's a good thing chickens are fairly resistant. I'm glad he does not have turkeys.

 

[Suzie]

Interesting findings ...

I read a book some time ago about keeping chickens with turkeys and it stated there was a risk of chickens contracting blackhead disease if kept with turkeys.... i freaked as I had a turkey and it was housed with the chickens....was I being naive ? I despatched the turkey and vowed never to keep another.... ( it was very tasty ) I was afraid for my flock of chickens. Here there are many turkeys that free range with chickens....where does blackhead disease originate from?

As an aside.... WHEN are you going to perform the necropsy on the "fridge" girl ? This is a gruesome and fascinating thread.... fortunately for me I hate liver ( to eat ) but it did look extremely healthy!

 

[casportpony]

Interesting findings ...

I read a book some time ago about keeping chickens with turkeys and it stated there was a risk of chickens contracting blackhead disease if kept with turkeys.... i freaked as I had a turkey and it was housed with the chickens....was I being naive ? I despatched the turkey and vowed never to keep another.... ( it was very tasty ) I was afraid for my flock of chickens. Here there are many turkeys that free range with chickens....where does blackhead disease originate from?

As an aside.... WHEN are you going to perform the necropsy on the "fridge" girl ? This is a gruesome and fascinating thread.... fortunately for me I hate liver ( to eat ) but it did look extremely healthy!

I've lost a few tukerys and peafowl to blackhead, only one chicken and I've treated and saved *many* turkeys and peafowl with metronidazole and fenbendazole, but I've never had to treat a chicken, so it's the other way around and the reason vets will tell you not to raise gamebirds on ground that's everhad chickens on it. This link has some good info: http://www.nwtf.org/conservation/bulletins/bulletin_25.pdf

And this is a good thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/804570/coping-with-blackhead

Lol, that hen is still in the fridge! I'll try to do her in the next couple of days since I need to did a hole for the peacocks (lazy, don't want to did any more than I have too!).

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Here are the necropsy pictures from one of the peacocks.



Liver and cecal pouches


Contents of cecal pouch


Inside of cecal pouch




Liver with the blackhead spots and I think the black edges are necrotic

 

[seminolewind]

Nothing looked good in that one!

 

[Suzie]

I've lost a few tukerys and peafowl to blackhead, only one chicken and I've treated and saved *many* turkeys and peafowl with metronidazole and fenbendazole, but I've never had to treat a chicken, so it's the other way around and the reason vets will tell you not to raise gamebirds on ground that's everhad chickens on it. This link has some good info: http://www.nwtf.org/conservation/bulletins/bulletin_25.pdf

And this is a good thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/804570/coping-with-blackhead

Lol, that hen is still in the fridge! I'll try to do her in the next couple of days since I need to did a hole for the peacocks (lazy, don't want to did any more than I have too!).

-Kathy

Thank you so very much for the links... fascinating reading and they explain in great detail!

 

[MelissaTXRn]

Oh My Gosh!
That was one sick bird!!