Hen Gaping -- respiratory situation? Gapeworm? Cancer?

[ten chicks]

RE: the cancer --- when you have 75 "spent" hens -- all from a factory farm -- ten percent of the flock dying from cancer is not unusual. Cancer is the most common cause of death in high-production hens, especially after they pass their peak production years. The necropsies have all been performed by the CAHFS, which performs them for free.

Anyway, I haven't seen her gaping/yawning today, so I assume that's not the thing that is going to kill her right now.

Thank you all!

This additional information does make a difference,this is why it is so important to list all pertinent information. Yes,hens over the age of 4 have a 50% increase in developing ovarian cancer.

 

[casportpony]

I see my birds gape now and then. I always thought it was an ancient behavior response to mommy feed bag, LOL.
Is the cancer consistent with Marek's disease or LL?

That's what I was thinking... Yawning can be a symptom of Marek's.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

This additional information does make a difference,this is why it is so important to list all pertinent information. Yes,hens over the age of 4 have a 50% increase in developing ovarian cancer.X2.

X2.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

RE: the cancer --- when you have 75 "spent" hens -- all from a factory farm -- ten percent of the flock dying from cancer is not unusual. Cancer is the most common cause of death in high-production hens, especially after they pass their peak production years. The necropsies have all been performed by the CAHFS, which performs them for free.

Anyway, I haven't seen her gaping/yawning today, so I assume that's not the thing that is going to kill her right now.

Thank you all!

Have you performed a cloacal exam? If they have oviduct cancer that has spread you should be able to feel it, it'll feel like little pimples everywhere, or you might even be able to feel a mass. Below are pictures of a hen that I knew had cancer from doing the cloacal exam.


































-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Well, the cancer diagnosis comes from the fact that every hen I've had with a swollen/lumpy/fluid abdomen, whom we drained, and who didnt' respond to antibiotics, died of cancer (necropsy showed only cancer). That is about ten hens, all who have died of cancer, and these three are exhibiting the exact same symptoms as my ten other dead cancer hens. I'm not thinking internal laying because the fluid that is drained is not cloudy, and also it doesn't respond to antibiotics.

I thought this gaping might be more than just yawning because she makes a little peep/honk noise periodically, like something might be stuck in her throat. But if she doesn't do it tomorrow, then maybe I can just pass it off as a quirky, momentary yawn.

thanks!

Did your reports say what type of cancer?

-Kathy