Heartbroken - Need answers 😭

[Mumtomany]

One of my girls was unwell. Nurses her for 2 days. Thought she may be egg bound. Yesterday she looked Lille she was in so much pain so we euthanised her. I did a necropsy to see if I could see anything. I have no idea what I’m doing but when at least 2 cups of fluid ran out of her I knew straight away she was not going to survive. Her insides were riddled with white lumps everywhere and she had 2 masses of huge things that looked like solid fat. Thought they were organs but on cutting them in half they were solid masses. What I presume is her liver is about 4 times longer than what it should be.... her intestines felt like rock she had heaps of little sacs filled with the yellow fluid that ran out of her. If anyone knows what went on in her poor little body, answers would be good. Thank you

 

[JoePa]

Holy mackeral - what ever it is I sure hope I never get it

 

[orloffer]

So sorry you lost a bird! I am not quite sure who to tag, but these people seem knowledgeable: @casportpony @ronott1

 

[ronott1]

Was she about 2? It looks like tumors.

I am sorry you lost here

Here in California, we can take dead chickens in for a low cost necropsy.

Some resources:

http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/necropsy-and-disease-testing-lab-info.1236884/

fecal float test: https://www.statelinetack.com/item/...epperjam&publisherId=21181&clickId=2464987830

Mareks lab tests: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/mareks-testing-in-living-birds.1206105/

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

I am so sorry for you loss, I have never seen anything like that before. Hopefully someone will know. I'm sure you did all you could for her

 

[Mumtomany]

Holy mackeral - what ever it is I sure hope I never get it

I hope none of my other girls ever get it either. It was so sad and cruel

 

[Eggcessive]

Very sorry for your loss, but glad that you could share your necropsy photos. How old was she? I would agree that your hen had cancer and ascites. The solid masses could be lash egg material. The cancer could be oviduct cancer or possibly Mareks disease. A state poultry pathologist could probably give a better diagnosis.

 

[Mumtomany]

Was she about 2? It looks like tumors.

I am sorry you lost here

Here in California, we can take dead chickens in for a low cost necropsy.

Some resources:

http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/necropsy-and-disease-testing-lab-info.1236884/

fecal float test: https://www.statelinetack.com/item/...epperjam&publisherId=21181&clickId=2464987830

Mareks lab tests: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/mareks-testing-in-living-birds.1206105/

She was 5 years old. They do look like tumours. I’m just hoping it isn’t something I could have avoided. I just feel so sad that I spent 2 days trying to help her and all I did was cause her more pain and let it linger on. I’ve also had the guilt of wondering if I’ve euthanised a chook too soon without giving it longer....and now I’m regretting I didn’t do it sooner. It’s just so heart breaking.

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

She was 5 years old. They do look like tumours. I’m just hoping it isn’t something I could have avoided. I just feel so sad that I spent 2 days trying to help her and all I did was cause her more pain and let it linger on. I’ve also had the guilt of wondering if I’ve euthanised a chook too soon without giving it longer....and now I’m regretting I didn’t do it sooner. It’s just so heart breaking.

It's very hard to know when to make the call. You did the best you could without having a way to know what was going on

 

[Mumtomany]

Very sorry for your loss, but glad that you could share your necropsy photos. How old was she? I would agree that your hen had cancer and ascites. The solid masses could be lash egg material. The cancer could be oviduct cancer or possibly Mareks disease. A state poultry pathologist could probably give a better diagnosis.

She was 5 years old. I’ve never seen so many lumps before all over everything inside her. She was in such a bad way. She must have been suffering for such a long time if her internals were that bad . I’m wondering if there were signs and I just didn’t pick up on them. Lately I’ve been leaving for work in the dark and coming back in the dark and I’ve just been checking their food and water and with a flashlight counting them each night to make sure everyone was home. I’m gonna watch everyone like a hawk from now on