Hen not eating - Lethargic! Advice please!

[casportpony]

I am sorry for you loss.

 

[casportpony]

I don't want to sound insensitive, but are you interested in getting a necropsy done? If so, put her in the refrigerator, not the freezer. I'll understand if you want to bury her, that's often what I do with my favorites.

When I get off this stupid iPad and on a real computer, I'll send you some necropsy info.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

i did consider it but figured it would really not change anything, just might explain what caused it. I am quite sure it was nothing contagious, at least none of our others are showing any signs or symptoms and I would think by now they would since it has been over a week since she started acting 'off". If I thought it was something contagious I certainly would send her in if only to help narrow it down. Although I have heard that it can take a long time to get the results back.

I am chalking it up to some type of medical condition that just got worse.

They are my pets but we don't have an avian vet anywhere or the $ to spend on trying to save a chicken. She was young and that is my biggest puzzle but I have heard of other people who have had birds just drop dead in front of them so I guess it just happens.

 

[casportpony]

Could be anything. So far, none of my UC Davis chicken necropsies have had the same results, but all of my turkey and peafowl have died from histomoniasis. Necropsies are free for chickens, turkeys and waterfowl in CA, so I'll keep sending them, just so I can learn more. You could also do your own. The few I have done I have found stuff like egg yolk peritonitis, massive blood loss, regular peritonitis, histomoniasis (liver lesions and necrotic ceca).

Most labs will have prelimininary results by the day after they receive the bird, it's the cultures that take longer. UC Davis emails me a preliminary report the day they get the bird. I'll post the "shipping" photos when I get on the PC.

 

[pwand]

She's a beautiful hen, sorry to hear she passed away.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Could be anything. So far, none of my UC Davis chicken necropsies have had the same results, but all of my turkey and peafowl have died from histomoniasis. Necropsies are free for chickens, turkeys and waterfowl in CA, so I'll keep sending them, just so I can learn more. You could also do your own. The few I have done I have found stuff like egg yolk peritonitis, massive blood loss, regular peritonitis, histomoniasis (liver lesions and necrotic ceca).

Most labs will have prelimininary results by the day after they receive the bird, it's the cultures that take longer. UC Davis emails me a preliminary report the day they get the bird. I'll post the "shipping" photos when I get on the PC.

She's a beautiful hen, sorry to hear she passed away.

Thank you. She was a talker and I miss hearing her when I go to see the birds.

 

[casportpony]

How to Send a Bird for a Necropsy​

They need the whole bird, not frozen. If it's Friday, unless you want to overnight for Saturday delivery, I would suggest shipping on Monday for Tuesday delivery. What you need to do, if you haven't already done so, is put your hen in your refrigerator, NOT the freezer! Then you need to find a box, line it with styrofoam (I use the 4'x8'x1" stuff from Home Depot. You can also get smaller pieces at an art store like Michael's, but is way more expensive. Click here to see foam options. You'll also need at least one ice pack. Here are some pictures that I took of the last bird that I sent:

Box lined with foam on four sides and bottom. Seams of foam taped sealed.


Box, sides, bottom and and top.


Frozen ice pack in ziplock baggie.


Brown paper on top of ice pack.


Hen in ziplock baggie on top of brown paper.


Brown paper on top of hen.


Ice pack on top of brown paper.


Lid on top of brown paper.
​

Inside the box you should also include a submission form in a ziplock baggie. Do not tell anyone at FedEx that you're shipping a dead animal... that seems to really worry them. Just make sure that nothing will leak.

 

[casportpony]

Arkansas lab:
http://vdl.uark.edu/21.htm

 

[Puddin Fluff]

​

Inside the box you should also include a submission form in a ziplock baggie. Do not tell anyone at FedEx that you're shipping a dead animal... that seems to really worry them. Just make sure that nothing will leak.

Sorry, it isn't funny but it is. You would think live animals would concern them more than dead.

Any way, thank you for all your support and I hope I don't have to do this anytime soon, but I am going to hold on to this thread and the advise.

 

[Betsy57]

i had this problem and have just got passed the same issue. it cost over half my flock. i gave all the chickens atibiotics for 3 days and then a pro-antibiotic. i had too hand feed the sick birds. if you cant get a pro-antibiotic, use bread and buttermilk too replace the belly inzimes. hope this solves your problem

Never heard of a pro-antibiotic. Is that something new? There are probiotics that help with digestion, is that what you mean? "Belly inzimes", what is that? Stomach enzymes?