Found another hen dead in the...

[Eggsoteric]

pen this evening. This is the 3rd hen in the past 3 weeks that has died. She showed no obvious injuries nor signs of being ill prior to my finding her. The lab doesn't have weekend hours so I won't be able to get her in to be necropsied until Monday morning. Okay to keep her on ice until then?

 

[leadwolf1]

Do not put her on ice! That will destroy the tissues needed for examination. Put her in a plastic bag and stick her in the fridge.

 

[Eggsoteric]

Won't she start to smell? Right now, I have her in a bag in a styrofoam cooler with one ice pack in it.

 

[leadwolf1]

If you wrap her and put her in the fridge, she will not smell...I've done it several times...twice for necropsy and several others till I could get a chance to bury them. I've keep them in there up to 4 - 5 days, no problem.

IMO, one icepack will not keep her cold enough and tissue will be lost. If you up the amount of ice, you will freeze the tissue and testing will not be accurate or able to be performed at all.