deaths ....Necropsy Photos added... graphic

ladrholman

Songster
9 Years
Jul 12, 2010
287
1
109
Musquodoboit
Ok. Here is the situation. I had 2 deaths in the last 4 days. The odd thing is that they were the 2 chickens that I did crop surgery on about 6 months ago. They both had lost weight and appeared to be impacted/sour again. My americauna died Sunday night during TS Irene.... and my red girl died today. Back 6 months ago they both got impacted and had surgery within a few days of each other. They both seemed to do fairly well. My americauna girl was even broody in the spring and had a great summer up until last week. My red girl had issues with getting sour(did not seem to empty well with the baggy crop) but did great after I got her a crop bra. She always had runny stool since surgery, but had a great summer up until the first of this week. I am glad that I did the surgeries and that they go another 6 months that they would not have gotten if I had not... I am just wondering if anyone has had any experience with chickens post crop surgery. Are there other reasons that they may have gotten impacted that are now just reappearing. I actually tried emergency crop surgery on my americauna as she was almost drowning from the fluid backup. I gave her some relief, but she still succumbed to her ? illness. Also, would they be more prone to illnesses or what not that would cause them to get sick easier. I did have 2 other deaths earlier in August. One was a 7 week old chick ( very sad... my first hatched by my chickens chick and she had been doing awesome until one day she was off and the next she was dead... her poor momma hen was a bit upset) and a columbian about a week after that. I had deaths this time last year so I thought maybe it is related to something that is out this time of year... a plant that is toxic or something... My RIR was a bit off for a while but appears to be fine now.( at least she was enjoying her foraging and worms in the compost pile tonight)... So back to the post-op girls.. does anyone out there have any experiences they can add to help me to understand if this is common or not. Thanks for listening.
 
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Well apparently I am wrong. RIR who was happily eating worms two nights ago was off yesterday and dead today... I just don't understand. Does anyone know of any toxic plant or something that is out in august. I am in eastern canada.......
 
So here are the more detailed histories of my deaths and their symptoms in case anyone has any ideas. I apologize for this being so long.

Chicken Little- my 7 week BO/ Columbian( I think) mixed chick. Growing and eating well up until the day before she died. Had been out foraging and investigating the life of a BY chicken with he "mom". day before she died I noted she was having watery stools, she would get quiet and eyes closed for periods followed by running around and eating and drinking. Was eating and drinking up to the night before dying. Dead the next am. Early August.

Columbian hen- 1 1/2 year old- on and off wetter stools( but normal in color) for a while- attributed it to eating alot of grass and wet conditions. Noted one day to be quietly sitting by self in garden. Isolated her. Noted weight loss. Provided yogurt, probiotics. Within 2 days she was dead. End stage she was having yellowy liquid stool, anorexic, did not seem to drink either, puffed and closed eyes., comb an odd color- sorta ruddy looking (purply maybe) Died mid August. At this point I had isolated RIR for about a week with watery stools, but she had seemed to recover with some tx of neomycin and such. I was wrong apparently!

Americauna- 1 1/2 year old- crop surgery in march for impaction- did well post op. Some bagging of crop but never sour again. Broody in May-june and again in august. Noted week and a half ago that she was going up to perch earlier than usual. Looked quiet. Isolated. Noted crop to be baggy and sour. Weight loss. Pre-fabbed a crop bar to help with emptying. Wet stools with grass and food particles seen. Water with neomycin, probiotic and vitamins. Next day worse. Made better bra but she seemed to be over heating with saddle and bra. Very hot day. Removed saddle. She would eat and drink but was only getting fuller at the crop. Quiet and sleepy at times. By late afternoon she was obviously not tolerating the heat. Felt warm to touch. Took off bra and took outside to help with cooling. This was the night of Irene. By supper she was very full at the crop and breathing sounding wet. Looked like might die at any moment. Decided on emergency surgery-opened her and removed a lot of water and some grass and seeds. She made it through surgery, but continued to pant and have trouble cooling. She died through the night at my side in a basket.

Red girl- 1 1/2 year old-crop surgery in march for impaction- required crop bar post op for repeated episodes of sour crop- has had runny stool and poopy butt since surgery. had good summer of foraging and laying eggs. Noted the day americauna died that she was looking off- crop feeling fuller and firmer then usual. Noted crop bra starting to lose support so gave her the one that I made Americauna. having watery stools and not wanting to eat much. Noted she was not real heavy but never has been. Provided water with probiotics, neomycin and vitamins. Yogurt with spirulena. For next two days she got more and more sleepy.She would shake her head and open her eyes. almost like she was trying to make whatever was making her eyes close go away. One Wednesday last week I took her out for some fresh air. I noted her comb to be ruddy colored too. She was very thirsty. Drinking puddle water and all. I expected her to die any moment. She was alive the next morning but very weak. I brought her inside to a box and covered her with a towel as she appeared to be shivering. She died that day.

RIR- 1.5 year old- previously very large and healthy bird. She had seemed off a month or so ago. I isolated and treated and she seemed to be recovered. Was back to foraging and running around and all. 2 nights ago she was chowing down on worms in the compost pile. She had changed her perching spot but they do that at times. Yesterday when I opened up the door she was just standing there looking sad. I lifted her and was shocked at how much weight she had dropped. I isolated her and gave her water with treatment. She would drink, but had no interest in eating aside from all the choices I gave her. She would stand looking sleepy and quiet with closed eyes. She was having soft runny stools with grass and such in them. She seemed bright at times and last night perched in the isolation cage and all. Looking bright eyed. This morning she was dead.......

So that is the long story. I am sorry for it being so long. I am more narrative then point form. I have tried to figure out what it might be...toxin, virus, bacteria.... I just don't know. I really would appreciate some help or suggestions. Please.
 
Has it been hot there?
Worms?
With a lot of deaths together a necropsy is in order.
vet schools do them for a reasonable price.
you can search online there are instructions for doing one yourself - not simple though.
 
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it has been hot on and off. There are no close vet school. I have done necropsies in the past and have thought about that. The last ones never gave me any answers, but once rigor comes out of the RIR I may attempt again. See if I see anything. The weird thing is that I had deaths this time last year. Almost seems seasonal so that is why we were thinking a toxin or something. A plant that is in seed or up... who knows. If I find anything in the necropsy I will post it. Thanks.
 
They have a poultry expert at NS Ag College. Have you considered asking them to do a necropsy? You could send your note above to them and see if they can diagnose. sorry for your losses.
 
I have tried contacting the poultry expert at the college last year and he was less than helpful. He told me I likely just had a bad bunch of chickens and sent me a link to a chicken recipe site...... not helpful... They see backyard chicken raisers as a nuisance..... I could try again, but he left me with a bad taste!!!
 
This is what he sent me..... I may call the vet section. Should I put my hen in the freezer till then I wonder??

"Hi Loralee;



When you say you have a collection of different breeds I’m assuming you got birds from a number of small poultry breeders.

If that’s the case you have probably got more than you bargained for in that one or more sources of birds are disease carriers. There are a number of contagious poultry diseases prevalent in our region.



When you get mortality like you have (~20%) you need to have a veterinarian do a post mortem on dead birds to determine the cause. Cornwallis Veterinary Lab in Kentville (Tel: 902-678-2731) or the NS Dept Agriculture Veterinary Services Lab in Truro (Tel: 902-893-6540) have veterinarians that deal with poultry and should be able to help.



There are a number of good publications on poultry raising and management. The website www.poultry.com has a variety of topics that you can review. This site also has links to other poultry sites.



Hope this is of help.



Alex

Poultry Specialist, AgraPoint"


When you go to www.poultry.com it is not what I expected!!!
 
I was a little taken aback when I got that email. I have heard from local BY chicken folks that when they have involved the Ag dept they have often destroyed their flocks even without knowing what was the cause. When they have deaths the ag dept figures it is better to just cull the flock incase it might be something. These are my pets really. But most work around her on chickens is on industrial birds. I don't even have a vet that I can talk to. None around here deal with chickens and the only one I have heard about that does, I have not been able to get him to return calls. I may do a necropsy my self and see if I see anything abnormal. It may be an enteritis.... I know in humans this can run rampant.... I just wish they would come to me when they were feeling off... that would make things so much easier. THanks True Grit.
 

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