How do you properly necropsy a dead chicken?

[Eggcessive]

@LikeTurkeys, @Kiki just started a thread (https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/necropsy-video.1349581/) with this video:

That is the same one in post 2, but it is a good one to watch.

 

[casportpony]

That is the same one in post 2.

Are they exactly the same? I see now that it's the same two people, let me compare the two.

 

[Eggcessive]

Are they exactly the same? I see now that it's the same two people, let me compare the two.

No, not the same, but it uses a lot of the same pictures. I will have to watch both again. It looks like 2 different vets in different states have posted it. Anyway good info.

 

[Folly's place]

Last night one of my hens, a six year old Belgian d'Uccle, was dead in the coop. Nobody was outside all day, and naturally she hadn't 'acted ill' beforehand.
Today I did the necropsy, and all looked pretty normal. no egg production for a fair while, no obvious lesions anywhere. I would have had to send in tissue samples, and didn't. Worse case, more deaths occur soon, and I'll be sending bodies in to MSU.
Hope not!
Mary

 

[LikeTurkeys]

It might help to look at a few of the articles and videos to see how vets do them. I usually do just a partial one to look at the major internal organs where something obvious may be seen. Many of the articles are more in depth than I do, but important in some cases. When I cull the bird, I drain the blood, but I don’t if the bird dies on it’s own. I like to see the inside of the gizzard and crop, the liver, heart, intestines, and oviduct. When I first cut through the abdominal wall, I look for yellow fluid from ascites, and large amounts of fat since I have dealt with that several times. Here are some links that might help:
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/sites/gateway/files/A visual guide to a chicken necropsy.pdf
http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-to-perform-necropsy-autopsy-on.html

I am by no means very good at necropsy. I usually try to carefully open the skin and start "peeling" away from there.

Did you happen to take some photos of the one you did?

Cornell has a series of videos (11 of them) the link to those is at the bottom of their article. Probably start at video Chapter 2 opening the bird, but I think the videos are more geared toward the pros, but it would give you some tips https://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/veterinarians/avian-necropsy-examination


This youtube video may also be helpful

Okay, I've just finished watching the video you both posted. It has a lot of information, thanks! @Eggcessive, I watched yours there were some odd points where it would freeze and then start back up? Anyway, I missed some info but I'm sure I can find it elsewhere. Now I have to work through the rest of this wealth of information in this thread!
Thanks everyone.