- Apr 6, 2015
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Ok so i been having ongoing issues. I lost a few birds and sent 2 of for necropsy, it cam back mostly inconclusive. (kidney where pale, breast tissue was depleted) some signs that they had cocci maybe but no signs that led the vet to telling me to treat for cocci.
So the signs I see are pale comb, slowly wasting away (breast tissue slowly just goes away). head held closer to the body similar to cocci stance. Feather condition is great, skin looks great. eye look normal. have an occasional sneeze but its not often and no other signs of respiratory problems.
Feeding high quality food. garlic in water off and on. Vitamins and electrolights off and on.
I am stumped.... Oh and it's 1 or 2 birds slowly decline die then another starts showing signs and its a slow decline. lost 5 birds over a span of 2 months about.
Prior to having them in their coop and run, I believe they where stressed by brooder conditions. roughly 7 birds in a watermelon bin (4x4, about) at the age of roughly 3 months..... so they where overcrowded. the brooder was in my shop it did get very hot in there a few days in the spring.
My gut is telling me that the time in the brooder possibly caused them to have health problem and the stress and such created possibly damage to some of their system and I am now seeing the results. I do not know if I am correct. but the Necropsy didn't turn up any form of illness or disease that the vet was able to see from the visual inspection or under a microscope.
I did speak with the vet and she said she didn't see all the signs she should have to have cocci be the cause of death and she said she would not treat for it.
_______________________________
Report Date: 26 Jul 2016
Species: Chicken
Sex/Age: , 3 Months
Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab
Pathology Report
The carcasses of two, 3-month-old chickens were submitted for laboratory evaluation. Both birds are fair postmortem
condition.
a) Americana, female, weight = 290 grams, died on 07/21/16. The bird is thin and has depleted breast muscle.
The proventriculus is enlarged and reddened. The there is petechiation of the glandular lumen on the mucosa of
the proventriculus. The kidneys are severely pale, the lobular pattern is marked and there is small amount of white
chalky material (urates) throughout. No other significant gross changes are noted in any other organ of this bird,
including digestive tract, respiratory system, nervous system, etc.
b) Maran, male, weigh = 515 grams, died on 07/23/16. The bird is thin and has depleted breast muscle. The
kidneys are moderately pale. No other significant gross changes are noted in any other organ of this bird, including
digestive tract, respiratory system, nervous system, etc.
GROSS DIAGNOSES:
• Nephropathy (birds a and b)
• Hypertrophy of proventricular wall (bird a)
COMMENTS: I am not sure what caused these changes in the birds. I recommend to examine the tissues under
the microscope (additional $40) to determine whether this is infectious, nutritional or neoplastic problem. Let me
know if you agree to this additional test. Also, do not hesitate to contact me with any other questions.
________________________________________
Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab
Histopathology Report
Sections of trachea, lung, heart, liver, esophagus, proventriculus, gizzard, intestine, pancreas, spleen, bursa of
Fabricius, kidney, peripheral nerve, skeletal muscle, and brain have been examined histologically. Changes are
in:
INTESTINE: Numerous coccidian schizonts are noted on the tip of scattered villi of jejunum-ileum. There are
also a few protozoal parasites (coccidia) in the epithelium of duodenum.
KIDNEY: Both sections (one from each bird) have moderate dilation of tubules. In one of the sections, there
is also accumulation of eosinophilic proteinaceous material in the tubular lumen. Occasional mineralization of
tubules is observed. There is also mild infiltration of heterophils in the interstitium.
BURSA OF FABRICIUS: There is marked lymphoid depletion in the bursa, mainly in the matrix.
BRAIN: In the cerebellum of one section, there is mild vacuolation of the Purkinje layer (may be autolysis, rather
than a pathologic change)
HISTOLOGIC DIAGNOSES:
• Intestinal coccidiosis
• Nephrosis and mild tophi formation
• Lymphoid depletion of bursa of Fabricius
COMMENTS: Birds might have been depressed because coccidiosis. There is also evidence of urolithiasis. This
may be secondary to depression caused by coccidiosis and/or dehydration. Lymphoid depletion may be caused by
stressed.
So the signs I see are pale comb, slowly wasting away (breast tissue slowly just goes away). head held closer to the body similar to cocci stance. Feather condition is great, skin looks great. eye look normal. have an occasional sneeze but its not often and no other signs of respiratory problems.
Feeding high quality food. garlic in water off and on. Vitamins and electrolights off and on.
I am stumped.... Oh and it's 1 or 2 birds slowly decline die then another starts showing signs and its a slow decline. lost 5 birds over a span of 2 months about.
Prior to having them in their coop and run, I believe they where stressed by brooder conditions. roughly 7 birds in a watermelon bin (4x4, about) at the age of roughly 3 months..... so they where overcrowded. the brooder was in my shop it did get very hot in there a few days in the spring.
My gut is telling me that the time in the brooder possibly caused them to have health problem and the stress and such created possibly damage to some of their system and I am now seeing the results. I do not know if I am correct. but the Necropsy didn't turn up any form of illness or disease that the vet was able to see from the visual inspection or under a microscope.
I did speak with the vet and she said she didn't see all the signs she should have to have cocci be the cause of death and she said she would not treat for it.
_______________________________
Report Date: 26 Jul 2016
Species: Chicken
Sex/Age: , 3 Months
Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab
Pathology Report
The carcasses of two, 3-month-old chickens were submitted for laboratory evaluation. Both birds are fair postmortem
condition.
a) Americana, female, weight = 290 grams, died on 07/21/16. The bird is thin and has depleted breast muscle.
The proventriculus is enlarged and reddened. The there is petechiation of the glandular lumen on the mucosa of
the proventriculus. The kidneys are severely pale, the lobular pattern is marked and there is small amount of white
chalky material (urates) throughout. No other significant gross changes are noted in any other organ of this bird,
including digestive tract, respiratory system, nervous system, etc.
b) Maran, male, weigh = 515 grams, died on 07/23/16. The bird is thin and has depleted breast muscle. The
kidneys are moderately pale. No other significant gross changes are noted in any other organ of this bird, including
digestive tract, respiratory system, nervous system, etc.
GROSS DIAGNOSES:
• Nephropathy (birds a and b)
• Hypertrophy of proventricular wall (bird a)
COMMENTS: I am not sure what caused these changes in the birds. I recommend to examine the tissues under
the microscope (additional $40) to determine whether this is infectious, nutritional or neoplastic problem. Let me
know if you agree to this additional test. Also, do not hesitate to contact me with any other questions.
________________________________________
Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab
Histopathology Report
Sections of trachea, lung, heart, liver, esophagus, proventriculus, gizzard, intestine, pancreas, spleen, bursa of
Fabricius, kidney, peripheral nerve, skeletal muscle, and brain have been examined histologically. Changes are
in:
INTESTINE: Numerous coccidian schizonts are noted on the tip of scattered villi of jejunum-ileum. There are
also a few protozoal parasites (coccidia) in the epithelium of duodenum.
KIDNEY: Both sections (one from each bird) have moderate dilation of tubules. In one of the sections, there
is also accumulation of eosinophilic proteinaceous material in the tubular lumen. Occasional mineralization of
tubules is observed. There is also mild infiltration of heterophils in the interstitium.
BURSA OF FABRICIUS: There is marked lymphoid depletion in the bursa, mainly in the matrix.
BRAIN: In the cerebellum of one section, there is mild vacuolation of the Purkinje layer (may be autolysis, rather
than a pathologic change)
HISTOLOGIC DIAGNOSES:
• Intestinal coccidiosis
• Nephrosis and mild tophi formation
• Lymphoid depletion of bursa of Fabricius
COMMENTS: Birds might have been depressed because coccidiosis. There is also evidence of urolithiasis. This
may be secondary to depression caused by coccidiosis and/or dehydration. Lymphoid depletion may be caused by
stressed.
