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[AGCB]

My hens are 4 years old and I've lost most of them.

On all that were sick or died from unknown causes I've done a simple necroscopy to see if I could determine the cause. I pretty much know what it's supposed to look like in the abdomen now.

This morning I had to cull a dying hen and found in her what I found in another or 2.

There were 4 small fist size lumps (size of flattened tennis ball) that looked like bread dough. Does anyone with some experience know what this is or likely cause?

Thanks for your help!

Aaron

 

[coach723]

Did you take pictures by any chance?
My initial guess with nothing else to go on would be either salpingitis or internal laying. You can do a search and find images that may help to identify if that's the case. A search for "lash egg" will also bring up some images for comparison. The masses often look like layers of cooked egg when cut open. Salpingitis is an inflammation/infection of the reproductive tract that causes the lash egg or masses that build up inside and eventually cause death. Sometimes they will pass a mass, which is what is called the lash egg. The masses may look like egg matter, and may contain egg matter, but are mostly an accumulation of pus. Internal laying is a snafu in the reproductive tract which causes the egg matter to be deposited into the abdomen rather than traveling down the oviduct to be laid. The matter will continue to build up until the death of the bird, sometimes they will develop egg yolk peritonitis also. Often birds with these conditions will walk with a wide legged waddle due to the build up of matter in their abdomens and may also develop ascites, which is fluid in the abdomen. Both are fairly common in laying hens, especially those bred for prolific laying, and treatments are limited and not always successful. The EYP may be treatable with antibiotics, but the underlying condition will remain. Some say that treating salpingitis very early with antibiotics may help, but they are very good at hiding the illness until it has progressed too far to treat successfully. I've never had one recover yet from it. Internal laying can only be treated sometimes with a hormonal implant to stop them laying, and it needs to be replaced every 3 to 6 months or so. Hope that helps. Sorry for your losses.

 

[AGCB]

Thanks coach
It looks exactly like the pictures of salpingitis on several sites I looked at. I had another die from same several years ago.
Aaron

 

[coach723]

You're welcome, and good for you for doing the necropsy to see what was up.
I've lost several to it, frustrating as there is really nothing that can be done the majority of the time. I've come to reluctantly accept it as an unfortunate part of chicken keeping. But my heritage breeds haven't had an issue with it, only my hatchery birds bred for heavy laying, so something to consider when choosing birds in the future.

 

[MINDANAO DAVE]

My hens are 4 years old and I've lost most of them.

On all that were sick or died from unknown causes I've done a simple necroscopy to see if I could determine the cause. I pretty much know what it's supposed to look like in the abdomen now.

This morning I had to cull a dying hen and found in her what I found in another or 2.

There were 4 small fist size lumps (size of flattened tennis ball) that looked like bread dough. Does anyone with some experience know what this is or likely cause?

Thanks for your help!

Aaron

I just went through this. I saved 1 hen and lost 64. Newcastle Disease look it up.