Well came home today to find one of my barred rocks dead ... laying on her back feet in the air.... never had a chicken die this way before. She was still warm so had not been long. I had not noticed any signs from her. No weight loss, change of eating, etc. Since I have had 5 other deaths in the last 6 weeks I was very frustrated. I decided to necropsy her. recently posted my RIR necropsy. Well I have done about 4-5 necropsies in the last year. This was the most abnormal. To start I had to cut through a thick 1" layer of dense fat that covered her entire bottom and organs. There was the layer of this "fat" but there was also this layering that seemed to surround the organs. I first noted the enlarged spleen. Then as I am trying to look at the different organs I realize that everything is connected by tissues. More tissues then are usually in the abdominal cavity. My pics once I post them will help show this. I mean I had to cut the heart away from the liver. They were adherer to each other. Looking at the intestine I noted that the lower parts of the ceca were narrowed and pale. When I opened them up there was barely any opening remaining into the lower intestine. The lungs were adhered to the ribs. The oviduct was enclosed in this layer of membrance. I decided while I was in there I would look at the organs. The gizzard was full but I was amazed at how thick the layer of muscle was around the inside. The hole from the .... I know it has a better name but its late.....tube leaving the crop was barely large enough that you could fit a pencil led through it... I don't know how she has survived this long. The heart walls were thickened. I also found what appeared to be old egg and large yolks. I don't think she was able to pass any eggs anymore because of the way the oviduct was and that the tissues around the cloaca were so dense. I could not physically stretch them to make a hole big enough for even some thing the size of a dime through.... let alone an egg.....
I have more findings but I am tired. I feel for my hen. The changes in her body could not have made life easy. I think she either died of a peritonitis... or possibly a heart attack based on how I found her.... not the usual pose that a dead hen is found in..... I will add more findings later and pics too. I know this is likely more detail then some people would want. But as I have said before I try to learn from my losses. If anyone has ever heard of any connective tissues disorders or cell overdevelopment I would love to know. I have not had time yet to search much. Thanks for reading. Night.
I have more findings but I am tired. I feel for my hen. The changes in her body could not have made life easy. I think she either died of a peritonitis... or possibly a heart attack based on how I found her.... not the usual pose that a dead hen is found in..... I will add more findings later and pics too. I know this is likely more detail then some people would want. But as I have said before I try to learn from my losses. If anyone has ever heard of any connective tissues disorders or cell overdevelopment I would love to know. I have not had time yet to search much. Thanks for reading. Night.
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