Graphic: Help, Fatty Liver Death? Necroscopy Attempt

[CoopBoots]

Can I get opinions on what might have killed my hen today? Dissection attempt photos included.

Info: This is my second bird to die in the last few months, and both were at or just under a year "apparently healthy" Buff Orpington hatchery quality hens. The first I couldn't bear to open. This time I tried. Excuse the horrible job I did overall, I've never even butchered a chicken before.

I don't know but isn't that a lot of fat?

Full of loose blood on her left, my right. Liver rupture? I haven't punctured anything yet...

Just above her crop, I think. More fat? I'm feeling worse and worse at this point.

Crop contents.

Throat, more fat, unsure what else I'm looking at here.

Trachea opened?

Liver? Definitely the organ nearest the blood pooling. It's like jello almost. Barely any form.

Gizzard? My gosh the fat.

The cavity as best I could open it.

Lungs. I think. Spots?

Sorry there's so much. I might have a few more from different angles. I feed my flock starter/grower as I have chicks around. Is that a problem? I can discontinue all treats easily enough. Just feel like I'm failing my girls. Any advice at all is appreciated.

Thanks for your time. I'll post a picture of happy Birb later. She was seriously broody just a couple of days ago. Was a very good girl. Went out while dustbathing in her favorite spot.

 

[Krazikatlady64]

I am so sorry for your loss. You did a great job! I hope someone can give you more information on the photos.

I had 2 go due to fatty liver, confirmed by the State. I fed too many treats trying to fix bad behavior. Not enough space for them. I thought I had enough space, but I guess not. They were the best and my babies. My 2nd one was a Buff Orpington, Princess. She was 2 and dust bathing, then gone. I don't feed treats, except in rare occasion not more than once every other week and only a very small amount.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Thank you for sharing

Makes me wonder if I should stick to their feed ONLY I do feed kale, mealworms, tomatoes; shocked when I saw one swallow the whole Grape Tomato, now I cut in 4's. Occasionally I hang a small cabbage or apple for them to peck at, did broccoli once but now price dictates ... So kale, grape tomatoes & mealworms is basically their treats. They get fed Flock Raiser/fermented and fresh water.

So very sorry for your loss, and you did a good job with pictures and explainations. Time for me to rethink "treats"

 

[Sussex19]

Hens do tend to have a lot of fat, so I'm not sure if thats more then expected.
The only thing that really stands out to me, is the lungs, which are very unhealthy looking.
(but then I'm not that experienced)

edited
Sorry, what I thought was lungs is actually the liver.
Go by what Eggcessive said.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, I would agree that this was fatty liver hemorrhagic disease. The liver is pale and putty colored. There is a large blood clot and loads of fat. Did you notice if there was yellow ascites fluid inside the abdomen when you opened it? There are a number of possible causes of fatty liver, such as diet, exposure to aflatoxins, heredity, and others. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Sussex19]

I feed my flock starter/grower as I have chicks around. Is that a problem?

That is not a problem, at all.
Extra protein doesn't make them fat. Unless, I suppose,, it tastes extra good, so they eat more of it.

 

[Eggcessive]

High carb diets can help cause fatty liver. Here is a good article to read:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...e/fatty-liver-hemorrhagic-syndrome-in-poultry

 

[CoopBoots]

Yes, I would agree that this was fatty liver hemorrhagic disease. The liver is pale and putty colored. There is a large blood clot and loads of fat. Did you notice if there was yellow ascites fluid inside the abdomen when you opened it? There are a number of possible causes of fatty liver, such as diet, exposure to aflatoxins, heredity, and others. Sorry for your loss.

Thanks for your response, both this time and last time when I didn't go through with dissection. I didn't see additional fluid, yellow or otherwise, just the bunches of blood pocketed in on the liver side. She was stiff when I found her and there was surprisingly little blood or fluid anywhere else.

 

[The Chick Addict]

Can I get opinions on what might have killed my hen today? Dissection attempt photos included.

Info: This is my second bird to die in the last few months, and both were at or just under a year "apparently healthy" Buff Orpington hatchery quality hens. The first I couldn't bear to open. This time I tried. Excuse the horrible job I did overall, I've never even butchered a chicken before.

View attachment 3515258
I don't know but isn't that a lot of fat?
View attachment 3515260
Full of loose blood on her left, my right. Liver rupture? I haven't punctured anything yet...
View attachment 3515261
Just above her crop, I think. More fat? I'm feeling worse and worse at this point.
View attachment 3515263
Crop contents.
View attachment 3515270
Throat, more fat, unsure what else I'm looking at here.
View attachment 3515274
Trachea opened?
View attachment 3515276
Liver? Definitely the organ nearest the blood pooling. It's like jello almost. Barely any form.
View attachment 3515278
Gizzard? My gosh the fat.
View attachment 3515279
The cavity as best I could open it.
View attachment 3515286
Lungs. I think. Spots?
View attachment 3515287
Sorry there's so much. I might have a few more from different angles. I feed my flock starter/grower as I have chicks around. Is that a problem? I can discontinue all treats easily enough. Just feel like I'm failing my girls. Any advice at all is appreciated.

Thanks for your time. I'll post a picture of happy Birb later. She was seriously broody just a couple of days ago. Was a very good girl. Went out while dustbathing in her favorite spot.

Oh I am so sorry! Poor baby!

 

[CoopBoots]

Many thanks to everyone. I'll be reading up more on diet, maybe even researching necroscopy so I can do a slightly better job next time... The pictures above are kind of awful, so I'd like to leave a reminder of what she was like:

This is practically her birthday photo, as well as the last I have of her. Just a few days ago! I pray I can do better for the rest of her flock, starting with better diet management.