A few unusual things I have found while processing birds

[Eggiweg]

Hello, a couple of the hens that we have butchered have had some abnormal looking things in their viscera. Wondering if anyone can tell me what the heck I'm seeing here. Mostly just curious. Thanks!
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*warning for the squeamish, processing photos...*
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Exhibit 1. From three year old Marans hen. She had stopped laying recently but seemed healthy at the time of harvest. She had a big section of enlarged intestine. It was soft and squishy.

Exhibit 2. Two year old Rhode Island Red hen. She was still laying at the time of harvest. Her abdomen contained a HUGE sac filled with water-like liquid, I would estimate 10oz. Like a water balloon. I couldn't tell what the sac was attached to, possibly the lower intestine or near her cloaca? The rest of her guts appeared normal.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

 

[Eggcessive]

I don’t know about the first one, possibly a large tumor? The second one, the clear fluid filled sac could be a cystic persistent right oviduct. The right oviduct usually atrophies (shrinks away) early in life, while the left oviduct is the only working oviduct. If it doesn’t shrink away, the right oviduct can collect clear color-less fluid.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a picture of a cystic right oviduct:
https://www.researchgate.net/figure...viduct-of-a-commercial-chicken_fig3_332398034

 

[BigBlueHen53]

@Eggcessive, could these organs be refrigerated and sent off for analysis like one would send a whole bird for a necropsy?

 

[Eggcessive]

@Eggcessive, could these organs be refrigerated and sent off for analysis like one would send a whole bird for a necropsy?

I suppose. I am going to tag @azygous and @Wyorp Rock to see if they have seen anything like this.
If the body is still there, I would open the intestines in bird 1, to see what the mass looks like.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello, a couple of the hens that we have butchered have had some abnormal looking things in their viscera. Wondering if anyone can tell me what the heck I'm seeing here. Mostly just curious. Thanks!
.
.
*warning for the squeamish, processing photos...*
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Exhibit 1. From three year old Marans hen. She had stopped laying recently but seemed healthy at the time of harvest. She had a big section of enlarged intestine. It was soft and squishy.

View attachment 3992784


Exhibit 2. Two year old Rhode Island Red hen. She was still laying at the time of harvest. Her abdomen contained a HUGE sac filled with water-like liquid, I would estimate 10oz. Like a water balloon. I couldn't tell what the sac was attached to, possibly the lower intestine or near her cloaca? The rest of her guts appeared normal.

View attachment 3992793

Exhibit#1 is the Oviduct, not the intestines. Did you happen to look inside to see if there was Ovum (Yolk) and/or Lash Material/infection?


Exhibit#2 I agree, looks like Cystic Right Ovary/Oviduct.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks Melody. I haven’t done that many necropsies where the oviduct was obvious. I know that cancer and lash egg material could be in there.

 

[Eggiweg]

Hi all, thanks for the replies! Super interesting stuff. I unfortunately do not have the organs at this point.
I will try to do a little more poking around next time I find stuff like this. Gotta work on hen anatomy a bit too, obviously

Thanks again!