healthy hen died after tumor.. cancer??

[hensarefriends]

So I had a very healthy dominecker (slang?) About three years old, And all of the sudden, i noiced a golf ball size mass on her back by her left wing. She seemed fine, big appetite, and many eggs, however about a month after noticing the tumor, she developed a weird liquid sac closer to her tail. She was ok with me touching it, but it looked nasty( size of a waterbottle cap). And once again, she seemed unaffected. Then two weeks later, she suddenly stopped eating, drinking, and walking with the other hens. And within three days she died. I did not have it in me to open her up, but could it have been cancer?? Because i really just don't know. Poor Opey, i will miss her. :'(

 

[ivan3]

Welcome to BYC, sorry for your loss.

It could have been a cancerous tumor impinging on circulation resulting in the fluid pooling. However, it could also have been many other things. If the growth was very hard to the touch with no obvious `marks' on growth then it is more likely to have actually been a tumor of some sort.

Though loss is difficult, knowing is better than not knowing. There are several good threads, on BYC, on performing gross necroscopies and identifying the obvious.

Though inconclusive, this member posted up shots of a pretty thorough gross necroscopy of one of her hens (might be tough to look at, but...): https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/550177/chicken-autopsy-results-warning-very-graphic-pictures

Again, welcome.