Chicken necropsy (graphic images) - liver failure / internal bleeding - what is the cause?

[newbiechickenmamma11]

Hi there, my 10 month old French marans hen died two days ago. I found her dead when I went to check on my flock in the afternoon. I got her as a day old chick and she had a bit of a case of failure to thrive - she didn't grow much at all in the first month but later had a growth spurt and caught up to her peers. I remember being super concerned about her at the start and had posted about her here.

A few weeks ago, my araucana passed away from unrelated causes, and since then my French marans had been acting a bit off. My French marans (and araucana) were on the bottom of the pecking order.

The French marans would often just hang out at the back, and she also started getting a bit broody of late (I'm in Australia, we're going into summer). So she'd sit on the nest for hours, and start to pant a bit. She was laying eggs regularly until just before her death, where she didn't lay an egg for 5 days. Other than that she was fine, so I thought she was just grieving her flock mate and also getting broody.

I got the avian vet to do a necropsy and they said she died from liver failure and there was lots of internal bleeding, but they weren't able to tell me the cause (without further expensive lab testing). That was the only information they were able to provide me.

I just picked her up and before burying her, I opened her up to take some photos of her organs which I've attached (warning: graphic), in the hopes of seeing if anyone here might be have any further clues?

I guess I'm wondering if there's any chance she had Fatty Liver Hemorrhagic Syndrome, because then there would be something I could do and prevent for the rest of my flock. OR whether she had some sort of genetic issue she was born with (hence her struggles as a chick).

I tried to take pictures from all angles but couldn't find the liver, and got confused as to what I was looking at.

I so appreciate any insights, if at all <3

 

[coach723]

So this was the bird you had necropsied, and the pictures are when you got her back from them? It appears that some organs were removed and not replaced in her cavity, so the liver is gone. There is some lighter brown matter, which I suspect might be crop contents, not sure. The one thing that stands out is the abdominal fat, that is all the yellow stuff. There is a lot. That could have a dietary cause, or for some birds it can have a genetic component, they may be more prone to store abdominal fat. But it is a good reminder to really watch their diet. It's really easy to over do treats and extras, as they are so small. Corn and scratch are often common causes of fat like this. I also see some large clots, that could very well have been from a liver hemorrhage. It's too bad the liver isn't there to see the color and texture, that would have been helpful, but I think your assumption is probably correct.

 

[newbiechickenmamma11]

So this was the bird you had necropsied, and the pictures are when you got her back from them? It appears that some organs were removed and not replaced in her cavity, so the liver is gone. There is some lighter brown matter, which I suspect might be crop contents, not sure. The one thing that stands out is the abdominal fat, that is all the yellow stuff. There is a lot. That could have a dietary cause, or for some birds it can have a genetic component, they may be more prone to store abdominal fat. But it is a good reminder to really watch their diet. It's really easy to over do treats and extras, as they are so small. Corn and scratch are often common causes of fat like this. I also see some large clots, that could very well have been from a liver hemorrhage. It's too bad the liver isn't there to see the color and texture, that would have been helpful, but I think your assumption is probably correct.

Hello, thank you for your reply. Confirming that is correct - I got the vet to do the necropsy, and because they only told me not much information, when I got her back, I went to have a look and take some photos to see if I could find out anything further.

Yes it seems like the liver is gone, I couldn't see it anywhere. And yes, it seems like there is a lot of fat - especially on the intestines too?

So I think my chickens don't actually get many treats at all (but please correct me if I'm wrong!)

They have never had corn before. They are fed a premium Australian brand chicken feed, Red Hen 17, free choice style (as much as they want to eat): https://www.lauckemills.com.au/products/1133320
They also get shell grit and their own egg shells crushed up back to them.

Maybe 4 days a week they get weeds and/or greens from our veggie patch (sometimes I forget). Now and then I give them another brand of poultry feed as 'a treat' which is a blend organic whole grains.

Sometimes I give them meal worms (maybe like once a month or two months). About a week ago I also gave them a lot of snails (after which I didn't give them again as I read it could be a vector for worms).

Two concerns potentially I have researched:
- I was reading on another thread that sometimes chickens eat too much feed and get fat? Could this be the case, because they ate too much? Maybe I did not give them enough greens so they ate too much feed?
- Or, maybe she is not getting enough exercise? I keep my flock of 7 in approx 10 sqm run, with perches and levels and enrichment. But they don't free range the garden due to predators.
- She is a french marans. Could she be predisposed to getting abdominal fat?
- Lastly, she was on the bottom of the pecking order and I was actually worried she wasn't eating enough because anytime I brought them anything special (eg crushed egg shells) she would always get a minimal share.

Does the above help provide any clues? Thank you

 

[newbiechickenmamma11]

Also I'm not sure if relevant, but just to clarify, the necropsy was done on Friday evening by the vet. And the photos were taken Sunday morning. She had been in cold storage between Friday evening and Sunday morning. Not sure if that affects any of the organs pictured, thanks!

 

[Altairsky]

The vet had already removed many key organs to send them to the lab for analysis. There isn't much we can tell from the photos.
The debris were probably proventriculus content. I guess the vet sent a sample of proventriculus to the lab. They could also be liver debris.

 

[newbiechickenmamma11]

The vet had already removed many key organs to send them to the lab for analysis. There isn't much we can tell from the photos.
The debris were probably proventriculus content. I guess the vet sent a sample of proventriculus to the lab. They could also be liver debris.

Ah I see. The vet didn't send anything to the lab (I didn't ask for them to as it was very expensive). I guess they just took it out then disposed of it. Thank you

 

[CabritaChicks]

Hello, thank you for your reply. Confirming that is correct - I got the vet to do the necropsy, and because they only told me not much information, when I got her back, I went to have a look and take some photos to see if I could find out anything further.

Yes it seems like the liver is gone, I couldn't see it anywhere. And yes, it seems like there is a lot of fat - especially on the intestines too?

So I think my chickens don't actually get many treats at all (but please correct me if I'm wrong!)

They have never had corn before. They are fed a premium Australian brand chicken feed, Red Hen 17, free choice style (as much as they want to eat): https://www.lauckemills.com.au/products/1133320
They also get shell grit and their own egg shells crushed up back to them.

Maybe 4 days a week they get weeds and/or greens from our veggie patch (sometimes I forget). Now and then I give them another brand of poultry feed as 'a treat' which is a blend organic whole grains.

Sometimes I give them meal worms (maybe like once a month or two months). About a week ago I also gave them a lot of snails (after which I didn't give them again as I read it could be a vector for worms).

Two concerns potentially I have researched:
- I was reading on another thread that sometimes chickens eat too much feed and get fat? Could this be the case, because they ate too much? Maybe I did not give them enough greens so they ate too much feed?
- Or, maybe she is not getting enough exercise? I keep my flock of 7 in approx 10 sqm run, with perches and levels and enrichment. But they don't free range the garden due to predators.
- She is a french marans. Could she be predisposed to getting abdominal fat?
- Lastly, she was on the bottom of the pecking order and I was actually worried she wasn't eating enough because anytime I brought them anything special (eg crushed egg shells) she would always get a minimal share.

Does the above help provide any clues? Thank you

Visceral fat in chickens is the fat that accumulates around internal organs such as the liver, intestines, and gizzard. It’s often deep yellow to orange in well-fed birds, since chickens store carotenoids (plant pigments) from their diet. A small amount is normal — it cushions and protects organs — but excessive visceral fat can interfere with organ function, especially the liver, leading to conditions like fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome.

Adipose (subcutaneous) fat, on the other hand, is stored under the skin and in the muscle layers, most visible along the breast, thighs, and abdomen. It’s usually pale yellow or cream-colored and reflects overall caloric intake rather than internal stress. While some subcutaneous fat is healthy for insulation and energy storage, overfeeding or high-processed-carb diets can cause both visceral and adipose fat to build up, reducing egg production, mobility, and heat tolerance.

What color were the egg yolks?

In short: color reflects diet, and location reflects health. Bright yellow fat isn’t necessarily bad — it shows carotenoid-rich feed — but too much internal (visceral) fat is a sign your chicken’s energy intake exceeds its activity level or protein balance.

Your chicken however- this is excessive and your other chickens are at risk (if they are all eating the same diet) it is not balanced. The feed you have is not necessarily bad, but I would like ot see the fat content around 2.5 percent- as when attempting to calculate the nutritional balance- something seems off (numbers dont add up it seems). So I would definitely take action by altering the diet (and making sure it is fresh) and giving more opportunities for exercise.

 

[coach723]

I agree that changing feed would be a good idea, see if it makes a difference. I too was wondering about the fat content. I also found this as an AI generated answer to if French Marans are prone to adipose fat:
Yes,
"French Marans are a chicken breed that is prone to becoming overweight and accumulating excess abdominal fat, especially if overfed or kept in confined spaces. They are considered "lazy birds" that will easily get fat if allowed to, making management of their diet and exercise crucial for their health"

 

[NatJ]

I have seen similar levels of fat in laying hens that I butchered, that did not show any obvious signs of ill health.

@U_Stormcrow what do you think of the amount of fat in the photos in the first post? I know you regularly pay attention to the amount of fat when you butcher chickens.

Regarding the liver, I think it is present. I circled it on one of the photos.
Some chicken livers are a dark red color and some are much lighter in color. The lighter ones will sometimes come apart in my hand when I try to grab them at butchering time, while the darker ones typically do not. I don't know whether that indicates a problem (likely yes), but I have definitely seen it when butchering chickens that looked & acted healthy on the day I killed them.

This article has pictures of two chicken livers in very different colors. The lighter one is similar to what I think is the liver in the necropsy photo:
https://layinghens.hendrix-genetics.com/en/articles/fatty-liver-hemorrhagic-syndrome/
Reading the text on that page, I see this: "at post-mortem excessive abdominal fat is found, the liver appears enlarged and with soft and friable texture, showing changes in color, turning to yellowish due to excess fat storage."
I'm guessing the "soft and friable texture" they mention is what I describe as the liver "coming apart in my hand" and what we see in the photo.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I have seen similar levels of fat in laying hens that I butchered, that did not show any obvious signs of ill health.

@U_Stormcrow what do you think of the amount of fat in the photos in the first post? I know you regularly pay attention to the amount of fat when you butcher chickens.

I'm guessing the "soft and friable texture" they mention is what I describe as the liver "coming apart in my hand" and what we see in the photo.

You can stop "guessing", your answer is YES. That is definitely soft and friable, with a very high fat content.

I don't know how, exactly, FLHS is defined, but I'd say that bird is clearly on the spectrum. and would probably look healthy (except perhaps a bit of poor circulation at the comb) right up until the moment the liver ruptured internally.