Mareks? Need help with gross necropsy photos.

[Kiki]

This is a good read:
https://articles.extension.org/pages/69065/feeding-chickens-for-egg-production

Don't pay attention to the title.

 

[Kiki]

We have 45 now, when you say complete what do you mean? Is there something I should be looking for besides protein?

By complete I mean a crumble or pelleted commercially made feed.
Not a whole grain or scratch grain feed.

 

[azygous]

How old was this pullet? I had a very young, 10 - 11 months old hen, that got very sick and I had to euthanize. When I opened her up, there was fat everywhere, nearly unheard of for a chicken so young, and my flock gets fermented feed and extremely rationed treats, especially scratch, no more than a tablespoon per bird only once or twice a week. I found no other abnormalities.

Something, maybe a metabolic disorder, caused the acute fat buildup, but I can't say it was responsible for her death. Sometimes these DIY necropsies have something so glaringly obvious, there's no doubt what we're seeing, but most of the time, it's an exercise in curiosity and not much more. However, it's always worth doing because we all learn a bit more each time we do it and see the results.

If you wish conclusive answers, pour the guts iand the rest of the chicken nto a plastic bag, refrigerate, and take it to a lab for a necropsy where they cut things open and weigh the organs and even run some lab tests for viruses and bacteria and parasites.

By the way, I always cut open the intestines and gizzard to see what might be hidden inside. What you find can give you a few more clues.

 

[tctully63]

How old was this pullet? I had a very young, 10 - 11 months old hen, that got very sick and I had to euthanize. When I opened her up, there was fat everywhere, nearly unheard of for a chicken so young, and my flock gets fermented feed and extremely rationed treats, especially scratch, no more than a tablespoon per bird only once or twice a week. I found no other abnormalities.

Something, maybe a metabolic disorder, caused the acute fat buildup, but I can't say it was responsible for her death. Sometimes these DIY necropsies have something so glaringly obvious, there's no doubt what we're seeing, but most of the time, it's an exercise in curiosity and not much more. However, it's always worth doing because we all learn a bit more each time we do it and see the results.

If you wish conclusive answers, pour the guts iand the rest of the chicken nto a plastic bag, refrigerate, and take it to a lab for a necropsy where they cut things open and weigh the organs and even run some lab tests for viruses and bacteria and parasites.

By the way, I always cut open the intestines and gizzard to see what might be hidden inside. What you find can give you a few more clues.

She was 11 months, I actually did cut open some of the intestines, thought maybe I would see worms or something but I didn't. I should have cut the gizard open, but I was by myself and using a box cutter. I am going to get a better knife if I ever have to do it again. It was kind of interesting though!

 

[tctully63]

By complete I mean a crumble or pelleted commercially made feed.
Not a whole grain or scratch grain feed.

Oh ok thank you, we use the 16% pellets from the local feed mill, they are supposed to be top notch, so everyone says

 

[Kiki]

Oh ok thank you, we use the 16% pellets from the local feed mill, they are supposed to be top notch, so everyone says

That's great...I worry they may be getting too many treats...the scratch and meal worms.

 

[tctully63]

This is a good read:
https://articles.extension.org/pages/69065/feeding-chickens-for-egg-production

Don't pay attention to the title.

This was an excellent article Kiki, thank you.