my chicken just passed need help with an autopsy

[anag]

1) What type of bird , age and weight.

She was a white Leghorn (her name was Blondie) about a year and a half years old. Not sure of the weight

2) What is the behavior, exactly.

She was lethargic but I thought it was because the cold weather - she did not do well last winter. But 4 days ago when I went to let them out in the morning she was already out and wet and miserable looking. I must have missed that she hadnt gone in the night before and there was a bad rain storm that night. Then I noticed blood dripping around her vent area. I brought her inside to isolate her from the rest. She had diarrhea and smelled really bad. She had two more bloody poops but the others were runny and clean of blood. I got her on Sulmet by Monday morning (day 2) and added some vitamins and electrolytes here and there. She seemed to be eating (some feed and yogurt and cottage cheese) and drinking.

I bathed her this afternoon to clean her and get a better view of her vent and it was a little swollen but not bloody and it looked dirty like a poop was stuck but I couldn't clean it off. She passed after her bath. She was relaxed enough to lie down and then after an hour she was gone.

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?

Not yet they seem pretty robust and I dont notice any runny poops.

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.

She hasn't laid for a year even though she is of laying age - she laid regularly for a couple of months and then stopped laying last winter. There are small birds that keep getting into the run and sometimes the coop to steal the feed. I'm not sure what to do about that but I thought that may be how she got cocci - if that is what she had though she seems old for that.

I wanted to see if I could get an idea of what it was so I can protect my others from it.

 

[CMV]

Sounds like she may have had laying issues. It should be very clear during a necropsy if this was the case. You will find all kinds of evidence of egg material inside her abdominal cavity. I would go a step further and check the lining of her intestines for signs of damage from cocci. If she has lesions inside her intestines then she likely had cocci or something else that would cause enteritis. I'm pretty sure her cause of death was likely reproductive, though.

Sorry for your loss. Good luck with the necropsy.

 

[ivan3]

I'd suspect, as CMV does, that this might be a reproductive problem.

This is a thread with shots of advanced case of internal laying: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=106294

A vid, from the University of Missouri Vet school, on how to check the reproductive tract of a hen: http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-dissect-female-reproductive-tract-mature-hen-221261/

Thanks for taking the time to answer those questions, it does help.

 

[anag]

Thank you for your responses. I am still trying to decide wether to do the necropsy or not (build up the courage may be a better way to describe it). I think you make a lot of sense that it is most likely reproductive. In fact a couple of months ago I found what looked like a "cooked egg" in the coop when I was cleaning. The poor thing. But at the least the knowledge will help me with my other girls. Thanks again I am grateful for your help.

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

Doing a necropcy is a super learning oportunity that will help you and you birds in the future when there are illnesses. Look at it like you are doing it for the good of the flock, makes it easier to approach.

 

[ivan3]

Another reference, that might be of interest, for anyone performing necroscopies:

Google: The Anatomy of the Domestic Fowl, Benjamin Frankly Kaupp

The book is available to read online in Google Books or, better yet, download as PDF.

Though written shortly after the turn of the last Century, it is remains one of the most thorough, and only free, references available.

Another reference to download and keep on hand is: Avian Medicine: Principles and Applications (click on the little `download as PDF' icon near top left of page) can read online or download. Though the author's primary focus is on companion birds, i.e., parrots, etc., there is a chap. on Galliformes. 90% of the info. will be applicable to chooks: http://www.avianmedicine.net/ampa.html

 

[Miss Lydia]

So far I haven't had this problem in any of my hens but I have to say it was very interesting seeing the videos and also downloaded avainmedicine for reference, thank you

 

[CMV]

Thanks for the links Ivan3. Dry as my old nursing texts, but will undoubtedly prove as invaluable.