Chicken died - what are these things inside of her

[SophiaArga]

Graphic pictures!
Hi. I would love some support. My chicken was acting weird for a week-ish. She was still eating and roaming around like crazy. It seemed like she was egg-bound because her belly was super swollen. I gave her an epson soak and calcium - but the swelling was still there. I thought it would go down. Yesterday it was so much worse. A vet friend said it was water belly so we drained her and SO MUCH water came out but there was still a lot in there. The water started coming out of her mouth and we put her out of her misery. In the autopsy there are so many weird findings. I insisted my husband wear gloves but he would not listen so please be kind there.
Should I be worried if this is a contagious disease? What are all of those fluid filled sacs? What are the bumps? What happened to her? Thank you for any insight. I have only had chickens for 5 years and I have never experienced anything like this.

 

[Anon112]

Are the "fluid filled sacs" maybe backed up follicles?

 

[SophiaArga]

Are the "fluid filled sacs" maybe backed up follicles?

I am not sure - they very well could be.

 

[SJsChickies]

Oh my. I don’t have any insight but I’m very curious. Hopefully someone knows! Poor girl was probably in pain.

 

[SophiaArga]

Oh my. I don’t have any insight but I’m very curious. Hopefully someone knows! Poor girl was probably in pain.

She was acting perfectly normal until a week ago but looking at this it tells me she was hurting for a long time and I had no idea. She didn't show it!

 

[FarrFreshEggs]

I wonder if this is a form of water belly aka ascites. I wish I knew for sure. I’ve seen it be one big sac but not smaller sacs like these.
I’m so sorry this happened to your girl.

 

[SJsChickies]

I wonder if this is a form of water belly aka ascites. I wish I knew for sure. I’ve seen it be one big sac but not smaller sacs like these.
I’m so sorry this happened to your girl.

Yes I’m so sorry too. You did the right thing putting her out of her misery

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Graphic pictures!
Hi. I would love some support. My chicken was acting weird for a week-ish. She was still eating and roaming around like crazy. It seemed like she was egg-bound because her belly was super swollen. I gave her an epson soak and calcium - but the swelling was still there. I thought it would go down. Yesterday it was so much worse. A vet friend said it was water belly so we drained her and SO MUCH water came out but there was still a lot in there. The water started coming out of her mouth and we put her out of her misery. In the autopsy there are so many weird findings. I insisted my husband wear gloves but he would not listen so please be kind there.
Should I be worried if this is a contagious disease? What are all of those fluid filled sacs? What are the bumps? What happened to her? Thank you for any insight. I have only had chickens for 5 years and I have never experienced anything like this.


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I'm sorry about your hen.

It looks like she may have had cancer (perhaps Cystadenocarcinomas) along with cystic ovary.

As to the cause, it would be hard to know without testing. Sometimes hens are prone to reproductive cancers. Sometimes cancers can be caused by disease like Avian Lymphoid Leukosis.