Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ribh]

Initial Necropsy Results are Back

It seems to have been a congenital defect. There was an abnormality in her brain/skull.

It does rule out trauma as the cause. The hemorrhage in the skin at the base of the skull is likely from her falling off the roost that night.

Here is the text of the initial report.

The most significant macroscopic findings in this chicken involved a suspect meningoencephalocele with adjacent subcutaneous hemorrhage, subcutaneous masses within the neck, and subjective thickening of the right sacral plexus. A meningoencephalocele is a congenital abnormality that occurs when there is improper formation/fusing of the bones of the calvarium and portions of the meninges and/or neuroparenchyma are external to the remaining bones. In this case, there was hemorrhage within the overlying subcutaneous tissue and at the base of the skull which may suggest trauma. While there was evidence of trauma in the head region, there were no obvious fractures of the bones indicating the brain exposure was a pre-existing condition and not secondary to trauma. In addition to this finding, there were masses within the subcutaneous tissue along the neck and subjective thickening of the right sacral plexus which may suggest this chicken had Marek’s disease.

My poor baby......
View attachment 2907775

I know it doesn't ease the pain of losing her but such a relief to know it wasn't an attack or anything you or Mrs BY Bob did that caused her death. Whether you were home or not it would have happened.

 

[micstrachan]

I know it doesn't ease the pain of losing her but such a relief to know it wasn't an attack or anything you or Mrs BY Bob did that caused her death. Whether you were home or not it would have happened.

That’s the point I was trying to make, though not so gracefully. The losses hurt no matter what. Sorry, Bob.

 

[Lexicon]

She is svelte, but still has that no-nonsense matronly look about her!

She does! She manages to get what she wants without pecking the others (much), just with a look.
She is my most prolific layer who is thankfully taking an egg laying holiday right now. She deserves a break!

 

[featherhead007]

Can I talk about my hen “BoPeeps” for a moment?.. her color is all wrong, to be a Barred Rock. She’s been picked on by the others, and bites me (until I show her personal attention) she lays healthy brown eggs. I’m not convinced that she’s a Rock though, and I wouldn’t have a clue as to the difference. What other breeds resemble Barred Rocks? ??

 

[featherhead007]

Can I talk about my hen “BoPeeps” for a moment?.. her color is all wrong, to be a Barred Rock. She’s been picked on by the others, and bites me (until I show her personal attention) she lays healthy brown eggs. I’m not convinced that she’s a Rock though, and I wouldn’t have a clue as to the difference. What other breeds resemble Barred Rocks? ??

Maybe she’s a bleach blonde California barred rock?

 

[featherhead007]

Maybe she’s a bleach blonde California barred rock?

I could try to get a picture of her with another BR, for comparison (I said try)

 

[featherhead007]

I searched the internet and found a close resemblance of her to the Cuckoo Marans, but honestly, I’m probably the one who is cuckoo! I will keep her anyways. (It’s just that she grew up differently than the others) I feel ashamed and confused

 

[bgmathteach]

Can I talk about my hen “BoPeeps” for a moment?.. her color is all wrong, to be a Barred Rock. She’s been picked on by the others, and bites me (until I show her personal attention) she lays healthy brown eggs. I’m not convinced that she’s a Rock though, and I wouldn’t have a clue as to the difference. What other breeds resemble Barred Rocks? ??

Cuckoo marans?....and their eggs are a nice brown, but not nearly as dark as the copper marans lay. Their barring is less defined and tend to have more black (versus white) than the Barred Rocks in their barring. I have 1 cuckoo marans and a bunch of Rocks, so I could show you a picture comparison....except she is in full on molt, so right now it wouldn't help much. (Also, marans have white legs, rocks have yellow legs)
cuckoo marans hen (from internet)

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...hUKEwjF2aKNibL0AhUBbK0KHYcrBDMQMygDegUIARDbAQ
Barred rock hen pic (from internet)

If she isn't a cuckoo marans, I don't have any other ideas

 

[featherhead007]

Cuckoo marans?....and their eggs are a nice brown, but not nearly as dark as the copper marans lay. Their barring is less defined and tend to have more black (versus white) than the Barred Rocks in their barring. I have 1 cuckoo marans and a bunch of Rocks, so I could show you a picture comparison....except she is in full on molt, so right now it wouldn't help much. (Also, marans have white legs, rocks have yellow legs)
cuckoo marans hen (from internet)
View attachment 2908231
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://www.cacklehatchery.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/img_7102_1_.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.cacklehatchery.com/product/cuckoo-marans/&tbnid=x37S9mpnkMnuJM&vet=12ahUKEwjF2aKNibL0AhUBbK0KHYcrBDMQMygDegUIARDbAQ..i&docid=HfAsDVJNY6gBGM&w=846&h=768&q=cuckoo marans&ved=2ahUKEwjF2aKNibL0AhUBbK0KHYcrBDMQMygDegUIARDbAQ
Barred rock hen pic (from internet)
View attachment 2908232

If she isn't a cuckoo marans, I don't have any other ideas

She’s lighter than her others. I’m confused too

 

[featherhead007]

Cuckoo marans?....and their eggs are a nice brown, but not nearly as dark as the copper marans lay. Their barring is less defined and tend to have more black (versus white) than the Barred Rocks in their barring. I have 1 cuckoo marans and a bunch of Rocks, so I could show you a picture comparison....except she is in full on molt, so right now it wouldn't help much. (Also, marans have white legs, rocks have yellow legs)
cuckoo marans hen (from internet)
View attachment 2908231
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://www.cacklehatchery.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/img_7102_1_.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.cacklehatchery.com/product/cuckoo-marans/&tbnid=x37S9mpnkMnuJM&vet=12ahUKEwjF2aKNibL0AhUBbK0KHYcrBDMQMygDegUIARDbAQ..i&docid=HfAsDVJNY6gBGM&w=846&h=768&q=cuckoo marans&ved=2ahUKEwjF2aKNibL0AhUBbK0KHYcrBDMQMygDegUIARDbAQ
Barred rock hen pic (from internet)
View attachment 2908232

If she isn't a cuckoo marans, I don't have any other ideas

After I held her for a while, she ran straight to Jaffar. I only wish that I knew his secrets!