Hard lumps in abdomen

[adonig]

Hi all,

I am new to BYC and in need of your help. About a week ago, one of my egg layers started looking very sick (discolored comb, not eating, not pooping, not moving, just laying on her chest in the dirt all day). At first, I thought maybe she had ascitis, but I tried to drain her and nothing came out. Then I felt several hard lumps in her lower abdomen, so I thought maybe she was egg bound. I tried to coax the eggs out by giving her extra calcium and putting her in a warm bath. Nothing happened. I was at a loss and had no ideas left, so my friend killed her yesterday. I did an autopsy and took some pictures (below). WARNING: pictures are awful to look at. Has anyone ever seen anything like this? Her stomach (or maybe that's not her stomach?) is huge and full of that yellow stuff. Some of the yellow stuff was runny, and some of it was extremely hard. Pretty sure those lumps are what I thought were eggs. She was two years old.

 

[Judy]

You will be interested in these necrosy pictures:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ecropsy-photos-of-cause-of-death#post_5028516

 

[TamiHunter]

That is just crazy! Poor birds. So sorry for your loss. HUGS

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Yeah- mine just died from it, and I've got two more dying from it (I presume due to their abdomens being lumpy) I'm not sure if its a specific diagnosis, but I thought that was called Egg Yolk Peritonitis... again, I'm not sure if that is a definitive diagnosis or not. I've heard its common for hens to die from it. I've had two so far that did for certain die from it. I feel so sorry for the hens.. its horrible! I have similar necropsy pics on one of my posts.

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[soundshores]

Hi, Thanks for posting the picture. I had a hen that had the same about a month ago. I had thought she was eggbound. She was doing the penguin walk and had some pasty butt going on, so I gave her the warm bath and cleaned her bottom. But she passed away anyhow . I also did the chicken autopsy and found the same sort of lumps in her abdomen. She was almost 3. Now one of the others that is also 3 has started to exhibit these same symptoms. I've read that Marek's disease causes these tumors. They attach to internal organs and leg ligaments causing lameness. I have a rooster that I think has Marek's since he was having a respiratory issue and he has lost the ability to walk. So sad cause he's a sweet guy. I'm trying my best to keep him alive. He eats well and his wheezing has stopped. I give him colloidal silver solution to try and kill the virus. I'm very worried that the other 6 hens will get it and I just got 6 babies from the feed store. I believe they have been vaccinated against this. and none of my 1 year old hens has got sick yet.. I have the roo and babies away from the hens and am trying the silver solution and also coconut oil and vitamins. I'm not going to cull any sick ones, since it can be in the grass, soil, coop, and carried by any exposed non sick birds so it does no good to kill them. The things we do to save our birds huh? Good luck, Julianne

 

[PBJBSFN]

I was just told of this condition by a vet at Cornell today. It is an impacted oviduct and it looks exactly as she described. It happens when a yolk passes into the oviduct but an egg is not formed. More yolks the pass into the oviduct and become attached to that original yolk, never forming eggs. The yolks become a breeding ground for bacteria and they appear to be cooked. She said unfortunately the impacted oviduct is always fatal. I'm very sorry this happened to your chicken.