HELP, tumors ALL inside of hen....

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Thank you guys for the support. It was NOT something I undertook lightly.

Off to the grocery store, I will do reaserch later though I really don't feel like looking at food right now

 

[Eggs4Sale]

Pine, you sound like you really knew what you were doing, and didn't make light of the situation at all. I commend you for stepping up and doing what you had to do. Your day has been eventful if nothing else.

I hope you figure out what caused the tumors, and I pray it's not contagious.

Good luck, Mom. You did more for your son today than a LOT of parents would do for theirs.

 

[NGT ANGL]

to you and your son on the loss of your pet. Extra big

to you for being so brave and being able to do what you did and perform the surgery.

 

[lotzahenz]

Here is a new reply from Gail Damerow's "The Chicken Health Handbook"

Now, not to scare you, just wanted to read what the book says. To be sure of course you need a real necropsy and not everyone lives close to a source for that.

Viral Tumors: Tumors can occur in any part of the body, they may be benign or maliganant. There are ovarian tumors found in older hens ovary or ovaducts.

Avian leukosis complex, an interrelated group of viral diseases that affect few other birds or animals brsides chickens. They fall in two catagories. 1) Marek's Disease, caused by 6 different herpesviruses that primary affect the nervous system of growing birds. 2)The leukosis/sarcoma group caused by retroviruses that primarily affect older birds.

Lymphoid Leukosis: affects chickens by the time they reach maturity. The myeloid leukosis causes internal tumors.

Tumors occur in the reproductive tract of hens more than any other animal and are a common cause of poor laying. Some tumors have A known cause- notably lymphioid leukosis and Marek's disease, others do not.

Without para-phrasing the whole book, maybe that will get you started. Sorry about your little guy loosing his pet hen.

HenZ

 

[toredano]

I think is she at least felt some relief before she died, that is worth a whole lot in my book.
You did what alot of people could not have done and her having a relief just for a little while..that is so much more than extending her life for maybe a few more weeks and suffer again.

 

[Lunachick]

Quote:
I agree...sorry Pine for your loss...

 

[saddina]

I'm thinking she may have been egg bound and that was what you were seeing, either way make sure you and DS have some time to deal with his upset.

 

[threehorses]

I was thinking abdominal egg laying (and still can't rule it out quite yet) but usually tumors aren't free-floating in the abdomen. Were all of them attached? Or some were, some weren't? IS it possible that the ones in the liver were different from the ones free floating?

I suspect abdominal laying for the free floating ones - they cook in the body and aren't yellow like you'd expect to see yolks be normally quite. But the ones that were in the organs, if they were part of the organ (tumor) then I'd say either Marek's or Leukosis.

Mareks and Leukosis are the 'cancers' of chicken.

They're both viral, both contagious, however Marek's is less so than Leukosis.

Were either of this hens' eyes (pupils to be specific) blind or too large or too small?

If you lose another chicken, especially if it has fluid in the abdomen, or loses weight despite a healthy appetite and correct food, I would take it and have a necropsy/histo done and find out which it was exactly. It may be too late for this girl if you've buried her or haven't refrigerated her. Or you could photograph it and have a consultation done online (highly recommended - PM me if this is the option) which might be more affordable.

I would contact your state's ag colleges and their extensions now, whichever is nearest, and ask that in the case of a necropsy being needed do they need a live dying bird, or a carcass - and if a carcass what do they need you to do? Better to have the information ahead of time than when you're sad or stressed.

I'm very sorry that you lost her, but I think you just caused her some relief and gave her mercy. That's a much better end than suffering. /hugs for your own heart's suffering and that of your baby boy.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

For you and your son.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Thanks guys.

I find myself wondering if a hen was abnormally laying for a long time and the yolk just sat in there, could they in therory attach to the organs?

No her pupils were fine, I actually checked that with a flashlight while I had her on the table.

And the colors of her organs were not bad, other than the heart which was very pale.

Despite the liver being covered the liver color was normal. Lungs were normal. Gizzard and bile sac were covered in a weird thick membrane of skin type matieral. Gizzard was darker in color than normal.

They were not exactly "free floating", they were like on the surface of things barely hanging on and easily to knock off, like crappy velcro.

I still can't think of it without my stomach turning a little. I have processed alot of birds, but that was something I hope never see again.

If I lose another I will certainly send it off for formal Necropsy.