Got the necropsy back on Violet, one of my EEs whom...

[Eggsoteric]

I found dead in the pen this past Friday evening (this will be the 3rd bird in 3 weeks that I've lost). I'll post the actual notes:


Gross Pathology

Presented for necropsy is a 1.588Kg, 1.5yr old Easter Egger chicken (no leg bands) in good nutritional condition and fair postmortem condition (death-necropsy interval is approximately 60hrs). There is no ocular or nasal discharge at time of necropsy. The skin on head, legs and feet is grossly normal. The feathers are in good condition (wing feathers are clipped).

There is abundant bright yellow coelomic fat. There is 20mI of bright red clotted blood free in the coelomic cavity, wrapped around the right liver lobe. The liver is very soft, friable, has numerous fractures and is pale tan with sharp lobe margins.

The air sacs, lungs, kidneys, spleen, heart are all grossly normal. The trachea is empty (normal). The gizzard contains grit and feed, the intestines contain grossly normal fecal material with large white worms.

GROSS DIAGNOSIS: FATTY LIVER HEMORRHAGIC SYNDROME, with HEMORRHAGE GROSS FINDINGS: BODY AS A WHOLE: in good condition LIVER: fatty liver with acute fracture and coelomic hemorrhage

COMMENTS: Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome is very common in laying hens. It can be caused by excessive calorie intake (this is the usual reason), by aflatoxin (a mycotoxin) contamination of the feed, by calcium deficiency, by stress, by an incorrect protein:energy balance in the feed; some strains of chicken seem to be more prone to developing this syndrome.

They also performed a fecal. The results are:

Ascaris sp. - result (positive) - level Rare +
Eimeria - result (positive) - level Rare +

Comments: Level is number of ova/oocysts observed: Rare=1-10; Light=11-25; Moderate=26-49; Heavy=50-100; TNTC (Too numerous to count)>100.


Question: Is there an acceptable amount of worms? I just wormed everyone back in June, should I worm again given the Rare + level or, okay to wait until December when it's time to worm again?

 

[PAchickenlover]

Wow, never heard of this condition before. Thank you for posting this. I am not sure about the worm issue though. Wish I could give you a better answer about that.

 

[speckledhen]

Actually, contrary to what some folks think, a healthy chicken can handle a small worm load with no adverse effect. Most chickens have a few worms and/or eggs, even if you don't see them.

Ascaris are roundworms. Eimeria signifies coccidiosis, though. Eimeria is a genus of parasites that includes various species responsible for coccidiosis. Eimeria Tenella is one of the 9 types of cocci. Oocysts are the protozoan that cause cocci. I don't think it's unusual for those to be found in the poop of chickens who are immune, though. Just because they are in there, doesn't mean the bird has coccidiosis. Cocci happens when oocysts overwhelm the system.


If this is the 3rd bird you've lost, might want to check your feed. Could be you have gotten a bad batch or two from the feed store or moisture got into the bottom of the bag somehow.

 

[Kiki]

I found dead in the pen this past Friday evening (this will be the 3rd bird in 3 weeks that I've lost). I'll post the actual notes:


Gross Pathology

Presented for necropsy is a 1.588Kg, 1.5yr old Easter Egger chicken (no leg bands) in good nutritional condition and fair postmortem condition (death-necropsy interval is approximately 60hrs). There is no ocular or nasal discharge at time of necropsy. The skin on head, legs and feet is grossly normal. The feathers are in good condition (wing feathers are clipped).

There is abundant bright yellow coelomic fat. There is 20mI of bright red clotted blood free in the coelomic cavity, wrapped around the right liver lobe. The liver is very soft, friable, has numerous fractures and is pale tan with sharp lobe margins.

The air sacs, lungs, kidneys, spleen, heart are all grossly normal. The trachea is empty (normal). The gizzard contains grit and feed, the intestines contain grossly normal fecal material with large white worms.

GROSS DIAGNOSIS: FATTY LIVER HEMORRHAGIC SYNDROME, with HEMORRHAGE GROSS FINDINGS: BODY AS A WHOLE: in good condition LIVER: fatty liver with acute fracture and coelomic hemorrhage

COMMENTS: Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome is very common in laying hens. It can be caused by excessive calorie intake (this is the usual reason), by aflatoxin (a mycotoxin) contamination of the feed, by calcium deficiency, by stress, by an incorrect protein:energy balance in the feed; some strains of chicken seem to be more prone to developing this syndrome.

They also performed a fecal. The results are:

Ascaris sp. - result (positive) - level Rare +
Eimeria - result (positive) - level Rare +

Comments: Level is number of ova/oocysts observed: Rare=1-10; Light=11-25; Moderate=26-49; Heavy=50-100; TNTC (Too numerous to count)>100.


Question: Is there an acceptable amount of worms? I just wormed everyone back in June, should I worm again given the Rare + level or, okay to wait until December when it's time to worm again?