Hen is leaning and breathing funny *Video*

[bhawk-23]

We lost Orpy at 5 am this morning. Not sure if I was too late because of my misdiagnosing or it was something I could not heal. Our hearts are broken. She was a spitfire pullet, great flock leader and even better mother. When she was a pullet she was my least favorite because she was top of the flock. She was certainly teaching me how the pecking order works and I did not like it. Then she showed me the fierceness of a mother hen and my admiration for her grew.

I knew something was really wrong when she laid in my lap willingly, allowing me to pet her, it was the first time ever. She will be missed dearly.

 

[Eggcessive]

I am very sorry that you lost her. She looked like a great hen. We can only guess at what was wrong with her, but it may have been something that you could not help her with treatment. In hens over 2 cancer, reproductive disorders, and organ issues can be common. If you still have the body, your state vet could perform a necropsy if the body is kept cool. I usually do my own home necropsies on hens, to have a look at the abdominal organs, gizzard, crop, and intestines for anything abnormal. The state vet can do much more and testing. Here is a list of state vets, including 3 in IL:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

 

[azygous]

I'm so sorry about Orpy. Probably, she had reproductive cancer and a tumor was blocking her oviduct. In that case, there was nothing you could have done to make her well.

You might consider doing a cursory necropsy yourself to look at her innards to see what you can find. Tumors are often easy to spot. There is also a chance she was laying internally and you would find lots of "cooked" eggs in her abdominal cavity.

Or, find an animal testing lab and have a real necropsy done to find out of this is something that could affect the rest of the flock.

 

[bhawk-23]

I called around, I am lucky to live 3 minutes from the university. Unfortunately it will cost $350 to have a necropsy done. Not sure I have the stomach to do it myself. She did have some green tinged fluid under her. It was absorbed by the pee pad but I could see a small amount to green poop also so not sure if that just mixed in with the liquids.

 

[azygous]

I completely understand not having the stomach to open up your dear little Orpy. I go through that every time a chicken of mine dies. What I do to get past that is to refrigerate the body for a few days until I've made the decision to satisfy my curiosity or to confirm what I suspect killed my chicken, and after a few days, I no longer look at the corpse as my former beloved pet. I've had two lab necropsies and even at $100 each and another $100 for path tests, it's too expensive for every chicken that dies.

It's surprisingly obvious what killed a chicken in many cases when you open up the abdominal cavity. I've found avian virus tumors on every organ, I've found a liver blown up 200 times normal size, and eggs "hardboiled" by the hen's body heat all clustered in the abdominal cavity staring back at me. I figure I've saved nearly a thousand dollars and gained untold knowledge doing my own crude necropsies.

 

[bhawk-23]

I completely understand not having the stomach to open up your dear little Orpy. I go through that every time a chicken of mine dies. What I do to get past that is to refrigerate the body for a few days until I've made the decision to satisfy my curiosity or to confirm what I suspect killed my chicken, and after a few days, I no longer look at the corpse as my former beloved pet. I've had two lab necropsies and even at $100 each and another $100 for path tests, it's too expensive for every chicken that dies.

It's surprisingly obvious what killed a chicken in many cases when you open up the abdominal cavity. I've found avian virus tumors on every organ, I've found a liver blown up 200 times normal size, and eggs "hardboiled" by the hen's body heat all clustered in the abdominal cavity staring back at me. I figure I've saved nearly a thousand dollars and gained untold knowledge doing my own crude necropsies.

So waiting a couple days is an option? I have some knowledge of animals and have been in surgeries at the vets I've worked for and do have a natural curiosity. I am just too upset right now. Would Friday be too long? We have the refrigerator space. But hubs is coming home Thursday evening and I could really use his help.

 

[Eggcessive]

It is worth a try even if you wait. When you spoke to the state vet, did they realize it was a backyard pet? My state says they charge $100 for a necropsy, but when I spoke to them, they said it would only be $23 for a backyard chicken and if I brought the body in.

 

[Eggcessive]

This video is helpful when performing a necropsy. i don’t do that much, but it is good to label the organs. Take pictures of the organs if possible. The liver, intestines, any cooked egg matter, blood clots, or yellow fluid inside the abdomen is important to note.

 

[azygous]

You can wait several days to do your necropsy. The only reason to rush to have it done is if you want pathology tests. Those rely on fresh specimens so pathological bacteria isn't confused with decomposition bacteria.

By all means keep Orpy on ice until you and your helper are ready to take on this project. Pick a mild day and set up outside on a patios table. It's how I do it.

 

[bhawk-23]

It is worth a try even if you wait. When you spoke to the state vet, did they realize it was a backyard pet? My state says they charge $100 for a necropsy, but when I spoke to them, they said it would only be $23 for a backyard chicken and if I brought the body in.

Nope, I actually have to go through a vet. They will not communicate with any owners, only vets. So I called the exotic teaching department and they quoted $200 for the necropsy. And even though I am currently a client they have not seen Orpy so I would need to have an emergency exam fee of $150 for her to become an established patient. And then there would be extra costs for body disposal which I didn't even ask to hear.

Hubs is on board for helping so if I don't get the nerve before Friday it will be then.