Gapeworm was not found in necropsy, what could it be?

[topochico225]

She was not overweight, a rather light 3.5 lbs. I did find some fat in and around her insides but not too much. Would that have the same symptoms?

I'm not sure, more of a wild guess! The eggs-perts (@Eggcessive, @aart, @ sourland, etc.) can tell you more than I can

 

[aart]

I'm not sure, more of a wild guess! The eggs-perts (@Eggcessive, @aart, @ sourland, etc.) can tell you more than I can

Did you not notice that some experts had already replied, including one that you tagged?

 

[dawg53]

I did not notice any other symptoms and none of her best friends have any symptoms. I have treated them all for gapeworms anyway. Maybe she had gapeworms that caused further damage that cause her breathing problems?

Gapeworms have a Direct and Indirect lifecycle. If it's gapeworms, your soil will be contaminated with gapeworm eggs, not to mention insects possibly consuming the eggs as well.
You'll know in time whether it's gapeworms or not when your other birds become infected.
If you see symptoms in about a month or two, take a fresh fecal sample to a vet and get it looked at under a microscope to verify it's gapeworm eggs.
Capillary worms can cause similar symptoms, but in the crop and esophagus. Again, a fecal sample taken to a vet would be best.
I still believe it couldve been air sac mites.

 

[Eggcessive]

Did she have yellow fluid come out of the abdomen when you first opened her abdomen during the necropsy? I did a necropsy on an old hen I lost the other day. Her liver was a bit discolored or splotchy tan, but not putty colored. She was a thinner hen, but had quite a bit of fat layer over her organs. I wondered a little about fatty liver disease, but I did not find any yellow fluid or ascites fluid that usually would be found with liver disease. I am just learning to know what to find in necropsies, after doing a dozen or so, after losing a chicken. Thanks for posting your pictures as it helps others to see what to look for.

 

[PNWskye]

Just for your information, gapeworm are rare in chickens. Since you did a necropsy, did you vertically slice open the trachea? That's where you would find the small red "Y" shaped gapeworms.
Other than that, my first thoughts were either some type of mold or fungal infection or air sac mites. I was leaning toward air sac mites, however the green blob may have something to do with her symptoms and death, but I'm not sure.
Sorry for your loss.

Do you have more info on differentiating between air sac mites or a mold/fungal infection for a gaping chicken?

 

[dawg53]

Do you have more info on differentiating between air sac mites or a mold/fungal infection for a gaping chicken?

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/airsacculitis
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/airsac-mites