Chicken autopsy :(

[TheChickInn]

I had to put down one of my beloved show BCM hens, today after a month long battle of her failure to thrive. I purchased her from a reputable breeder last spring as a 5 month old pullet, she had been vaccinated for Marek's. I had her in isolation for a month and vaccinated her for LT and N/B ( I vaccinate all of my chickens for these diseases, as I am paranoid about picking up something at a show). This hen never did lay an egg for me- but I knew this was a possibility, as when chickens are given the N/B vaccine after 4 months of age- it can inhibit or decrease laying. About a month ago, she started eating and drinking less, her comb became pale, and she would sit huddled in the corner of the coop with her feathers ruffled. I separated her from the others, she continued to lose weight and was lethargic. I am religious about deworming my chickens, so I knew it wasn't parasites. The past week, she only took a sip or two of water a day( with vitamins/electrolytes/probiotics), and would only eat a few mealworms ( she didn't eat her Nutrena feather fixer pellets mixed with scratch). I treated her with a course of broad spectrum antibiotics just in case it was something bacterial. She had no resp. symptom, no diarrhea- nothing except the weight loss, pale comb and lethargy. Anyway, after I put her out of her misery- I decided to see if I could find out what had happened. I was expecting to find tumors or something- but everything looked COMPLETELY normal with the exception of her having a ton of internal body fat! I have looked online and through my Merck manual, and can find nothing that would describe what she had. I'm guessing it was just some random inability it process/absorb her food? Sorry for the super-long post, but if anyone else has any ideas about what may have caused her demise, I would really appreciate it!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

My best guess is visceral gout. The feather fixer contains 3.25 - 3.75% calcium, IMHO, way too much for a bird not actively laying eggs. Even if it didn't get to the point of gout, kidney stones would kill her too.
But gout from excess calcium will cause weight loss, and depression.
In your necropsy, look for the kidneys. Both will either be shriveled or one shriveled and one swollen and pale.
There may also be chalky white chrystals in the kidneys and on the liver and the abdominal fat.

Basically, she's been on an excessive calcium diet for a year.

 

[TheChickInn]

Thanks for your input ChickenCanoe! The kidney stone is a possibility, as I did not actually open the kidneys. The kidneys were of normal color and size though. There were no white crystals on any of the organs or internal fat. This is actually my first chicken death in a few years, and I have always fed a high-calcium enriched layer pellet feed to all of my chickens- including the roosters. I have never had this problem before. I have heard that too much calcium can be hard on the roos, but on the Nutrena website- it states that the "Feather Fixer" pellets can be fed year round to show birds for conditioning. I have never had any problems with this before, or ever had any fertility problems from the roos receiving too much calcium. I'm hoping this was just a random case due to the fact that she never laid an egg. Still curious about the internal fat she had though......

 

[ChickenCanoe]

For your curiosity, it could have been too much scratch or the gout thing.


A lot of people claim they have no problem feeding excessive calcium and some strains can be resistant but the research speaks for itself. When roosters or non-laying birds receive more than 2% calcium for any length of time, their health will suffer.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12530920
http://www.agbiosecurity.ca/healthy...m and Vitamin D3 problems in laying birds.pdf
http://www.reproduction-online.org/content/early/2011/06/13/REP-11-0131.full.pdf
http://www.researchgate.net/publica...he_formation_of_epididymal_stones_in_roosters
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10780656
http://www.2ndchance.info/goutpollocAvianrenaldis.pdf
http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2013/02/calcium-mixed-flocks-vs-mixed-feeds.html

 

[TheChickInn]

Thanks so much for that information! It makes me mad that the feed companies would market their "all flock" feeds for flocks with roosters in them. They are supposed to be the so called "experts" in making a feed formula to keep our flocks healthy- not give them potential problems! Do you mind if I ask you what you feed your roosters? I keep my roosters separate from the hens, so feeding them a separate feed would be no problem at all. They are show chickens, so they would need something with enough protein to sustain healthy feathers.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I don't show birds so my purposes are slightly different. I do however breed a very rare chicken so optimal condition/nutrition is important to me as well.
Years ago, I used to feed much higher protein than I do now. I used to carry a 17% breeder ration, a 20% layer, 18, 20, 24, and 27% starter/grower feeds and a 15% finisher.
After a lot of research, I've discovered that adult roosters can maintain on between 12 and 14% protein. I think higher complete proteins is important during and after molt but less so after the feathers are in.
Now I have one base feed (16% organic grower). I ferment that and supplement 60% fishmeal mixed in to achieve higher protein for chicks and molting birds. If I mix a ratio of 10:1 (grower:fishmeal) I get 20% protein.
Something else to consider is that animal protein is superior to the grain/legume mix that is in most feed as the blend of amino acids is more complete.

"~~Better hatchability is obtained if breeders are fed a breeder ration. A breeder ration differs from most layer rations in that it contains more animal protein, such as fishmeal, meat and bone meal, and extra amounts of vitamins." Ref. H. Nutrition. Feeding Chickens – "K.S.U. 17% protein layer-breeder ration"

Surprisingly, high protein negatively affects sperm motility and volume.
http://www.agritech.tnau.ac.in/expert_system/poultry/Breeder Management.html

Check articles 175 on page 261,
http://www.poultryscience.org/psa11/abstracts/11PSA258.pdf

Most all flock feeds are in the neighborhood of 1% calcium
http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2013/02/calcium-mixed-flocks-vs-mixed-feeds.html

This article shows that broiler breeder males die at nearly 4 times the rate of females.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/2337/urolithiasis-in-male-broiler-breeders



As I read it, the feather fixer is intended for molt season (which still makes one ponder the calcium level). However, keep in mind that insufficient calcium for birds laying eggs is much more damaging than excess calcium is for non-layers. Or, at least the damage from the former is more immediate.
http://www.nutrenaworld.com/products/poultry/naturewise-poultry/feather-fixer/
The calcium is about 1/2 % lower than regular layer feed. Perhaps they thought that was enough. Keep in mind, the research on the damage that can be done with excessive calcium is very recent and not widely accepted by breeders yet but commercial growers are aware.



I read a factsheet from the University of Illinois that said the average male chicken lives 3-5 years. If that's true, then it's probably because they're running with a flock fed layer feed.

For showing, check this out.
http://www.poultryshowcentral.com/chicken_gout.html

This study had 3 groups of roosters that were fed 0%, 2% and 4% calcium. The 2% group did the best.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20434855

 

[TheChickInn]

Thanks again ChickenCanoe! I will for sure be revising my rooster feeding program!