- Jun 27, 2010
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Heart failure could have been the primary cause or secondary to some other cause. I guess I'd have to say it's probably secondary to some type of organ failure or infection or a necrosis.
You said this bruising happened on two occasions so it's probably not necrosis. Supposedly, staph can enter a bruise or a cut on the foot but then again this doesn't explain the multiple bruisings (it would not likely gain access at the neck location anyway).
Something that can cause bruising in humans is liver disease. I know there are diseases in chickens that affect their livers like Blackhead which is carried by cecal worms (a real good case here for a broad effective wormer).
http://www.ehow.com/about_6590020_blackhead-disease-chickens.html
I think there is also a type of tumor disease that can affect a chicken's liver. I suppose there could have been a toxin but it would produce more obvious symptoms quicker I would think (this seems like something that's been going on unseen for several weeks). No respiratory symptoms so I'm thinking it's not respiratory.
With some type of problem affecting the liver your hen could bruise more easily say like when your roo would push her to the ground or when she's trying to pull herself up on a perch or nesting box.
Intestinal parasites could cause basically human type colitis complications but then anything that inflames the intestines like I am assuming Cocci might could cause leaks and septicimia which would probably shut the liver down first and eventually the heart. I would assume the symptoms would be more acute but then again, chickens seem to be able to carry alot of infection and you wouldn't know it.
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/sepsis-septicemia-blood-infection
But septicemia would be very quick onset and affect organs like the liver, lungs, kidney. Maybe an infection entered from bruisings on the skin.
Strictly a crop problem? I just don't know. Happy, running around and eating one day then not eating and depressed (seemingly feverish) the next day...If the liver is failing I would assume the digestive system is failing too and that means the crop would be affected.
My guess is that it was something that affected her liver first, something that was insidious and undetectable until probably it was too late. Going back to your first post, you said she had a 'yellowish' appearance. That would indicate jaundice which means the liver isn't working properly. In humans many causes including parasites, toxins, liver failure to name a few:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/jaundice/article_em.htm
You said this bruising happened on two occasions so it's probably not necrosis. Supposedly, staph can enter a bruise or a cut on the foot but then again this doesn't explain the multiple bruisings (it would not likely gain access at the neck location anyway).
Something that can cause bruising in humans is liver disease. I know there are diseases in chickens that affect their livers like Blackhead which is carried by cecal worms (a real good case here for a broad effective wormer).
http://www.ehow.com/about_6590020_blackhead-disease-chickens.html
I think there is also a type of tumor disease that can affect a chicken's liver. I suppose there could have been a toxin but it would produce more obvious symptoms quicker I would think (this seems like something that's been going on unseen for several weeks). No respiratory symptoms so I'm thinking it's not respiratory.
With some type of problem affecting the liver your hen could bruise more easily say like when your roo would push her to the ground or when she's trying to pull herself up on a perch or nesting box.
Intestinal parasites could cause basically human type colitis complications but then anything that inflames the intestines like I am assuming Cocci might could cause leaks and septicimia which would probably shut the liver down first and eventually the heart. I would assume the symptoms would be more acute but then again, chickens seem to be able to carry alot of infection and you wouldn't know it.
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/sepsis-septicemia-blood-infection
But septicemia would be very quick onset and affect organs like the liver, lungs, kidney. Maybe an infection entered from bruisings on the skin.
Strictly a crop problem? I just don't know. Happy, running around and eating one day then not eating and depressed (seemingly feverish) the next day...If the liver is failing I would assume the digestive system is failing too and that means the crop would be affected.
My guess is that it was something that affected her liver first, something that was insidious and undetectable until probably it was too late. Going back to your first post, you said she had a 'yellowish' appearance. That would indicate jaundice which means the liver isn't working properly. In humans many causes including parasites, toxins, liver failure to name a few:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/jaundice/article_em.htm
