Dead Hen and what I did and found out

[darrel99]

Hello My flock had 12 hens and one rooster. I got them all from the same place just before they started to lay. It took about 2 months to get them laying and now I get average of 10 eggs a day and that started a month ago. So I figure the birds were hatch this last winter. a couple of days ago I found one hen dead. I took that bird to my vet and paid $170 and we sent it off to Texas A&M for a necropsy. the results came back today. She had cancer nodules in her intestinal track one of which burst the bowel and peritonitis set in. This type of situation is caused by one of 2 different viruses but I did not find out which one as that would have been an additional $250. the net result my birds will die. over the course the next year. If I bring in replacement birds they will get infected. The only choice I have is to cull all my birds or wait for them to die in the next years. even the eggs are good to eat but not to hatch which was my plan. They virus is not harmfull to humans and one of the two they got a vaccine that could administer when they are chicks I don't reminder exactly but I think one of the vaccine is call markus or something like that. So when I reload my coop I will make sure my birds are vaccinated .

 

[Cinnamon11]

That sucks I’m so sorry!

 

[Hidrainja4]

Marek's vaccine. It is not expensive to add to your chick order. I am sorry you had to learn this one the hard way. Some people never run into this.

 

[Egg Snatcher]

I'm so sorry. You probably love those birds sooooo much.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen dying of cancer. Both Mareks disease and Lymphoid Leukosis viruses can cause chickens to have cancer. There are many who have Mareks or Leukosis in their flocks. Mareks is better known, because chickens may have nerve tumors which cause lameness or paralysis of legs or wings, or a twisted neck. There is a $20 blood serum test at this lab which can be done on any chicken by you or your vet and sent in:
http://www.vetdna.com/application/forms/aviansubmittalform.pdf

Here is a link to read about Mareks disease:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is some reading about lymphoid leukosis:
https://thepoultrysite.com/disease-guide/avian-leukosis-lymphoid-leukosis-leukosis-sarkoma-group

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/neoplasms/lymphoid-leukosis-in-poultry

 

[Couchflock]

So sorry for the loss of your hen. My condolences.

 

[darrel99]

I appreciate you alls comment thanks