Mysterious hen death

[Mogal]

My 2 yo ameraucana just passed away. She had been very vocal today, but acted normally otherwise. She has been looking rather large lately, but she just completed a molt and I assumed she was just extra fluffy. Tonight when I came home around 530, I found her trying to sleep in a nesting box. I knew something was up so I brought her in. Her crop felt full, but not hard. They do usually eat right before bed. She was lethargic and held her mouth open to breath. I tried giving her probiotics and a scrambled egg. She was not interested but I did get some acv and water down her. Maybe this was a bad idea? She weezed afterwards for a while but I let her rest. About 2 hours later I could hear loud gurgling. The bottom of the kennel was soaked w a clear fluid. I tried to comfort her but she had a seizure and died. She then had a thick yellowish discharge from her eyes and beak. What happened? Is she contagious? Is there something poisonous in my yard?

 

[Yardmom]

How did you get the acv and water down?

 

[Mogal]

How did you get the acv and water down?

With a syringe and tube attachment. I wasn't able to get much in her.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My 2 yo ameraucana just passed away. She had been very vocal today, but acted normally otherwise. She has been looking rather large lately, but she just completed a molt and I assumed she was just extra fluffy. Tonight when I came home around 530, I found her trying to sleep in a nesting box. I knew something was up so I brought her in. Her crop felt full, but not hard. They do usually eat right before bed. She was lethargic and held her mouth open to breath. I tried giving her probiotics and a scrambled egg. She was not interested but I did get some acv and water down her. Maybe this was a bad idea? She weezed afterwards for a while but I let her rest. About 2 hours later I could hear loud gurgling. The bottom of the kennel was soaked w a clear fluid. I tried to comfort her but she had a seizure and died. She then had a thick yellowish discharge from her eyes and beak. What happened? Is she contagious? Is there something poisonous in my yard?

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry to hear about your hen.

Often it's hard to know why a hen has died without necropsy. If you still have the body, consider wrapping it in plastic, refrigerate it and call your State Lab to send it in.

Alternatively, if you are up to it, you can do an informal investigation on your own, taking a look at the organs, etc. sometimes you can find what was going on. If this is the route you choose, take some photos of what you see, we'll try to help you.

Again, no one can say for sure, but if she had been looking large, she may have had fluid in the abdomen which is a symptom called Ascites. This fluid accumulates in the abdomen due to reproductive disorders like EYP, Salpingitis, Internal Laying, cancer, etc. and/or it can be cause by organ failure/dysfunction like Fatty Liver disease, heart conditions, etc.

The thick discharge from the eyes and nostrils could be a concern, but it's hard to know if that was just a normal process from dying. It may have been contents from the crop that was expelled, but again - no way to really now.

I would at least try to look inside the beak for any signs of yellow/white pasty material that looks like lesions that could indicate Canker, but if her crop was full and not emptying she may have had sour crop.

Had you noticed any signs of respiratory symptoms with her or another chicken in the flock or have you ever had respiratory illness in your flock? Coughing, sneezing, swollen eyes, mucous, bubbles in the eyes, etc. or have you brought in new birds within the last 30 days?

 

[Mogal]

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry to hear about your hen.

Often it's hard to know why a hen has died without necropsy. If you still have the body, consider wrapping it in plastic, refrigerate it and call your State Lab to send it in.

Alternatively, if you are up to it, you can do an informal investigation on your own, taking a look at the organs, etc. sometimes you can find what was going on. If this is the route you choose, take some photos of what you see, we'll try to help you.

Again, no one can say for sure, but if she had been looking large, she may have had fluid in the abdomen which is a symptom called Ascites. This fluid accumulates in the abdomen due to reproductive disorders like EYP, Salpingitis, Internal Laying, cancer, etc. and/or it can be cause by organ failure/dysfunction like Fatty Liver disease, heart conditions, etc.

The thick discharge from the eyes and nostrils could be a concern, but it's hard to know if that was just a normal process from dying. It may have been contents from the crop that was expelled, but again - no way to really now.

I would at least try to look inside the beak for any signs of yellow/white pasty material that looks like lesions that could indicate Canker, but if her crop was full and not emptying she may have had sour crop.

Had you noticed any signs of respiratory symptoms with her or another chicken in the flock or have you ever had respiratory illness in your flock? Coughing, sneezing, swollen eyes, mucous, bubbles in the eyes, etc. or have you brought in new birds within the last 30 days?

Thank you. I don't feel comfortable examining her myself. I do have her refrigerated but not 100% sure if I'll send her off either. The reproductive issues/ cancer makes the most sense. She has had laying issues in the past. I felt her abdomen and it didn't feel bloated to me, but who knows? I don't believe she was egg bound and her vent looked normal. I have had one other chicken with respiratory issues but we caught it early and treated. That was about a year ago. I haven't introduced any new chickens.

I appreciate the response. Thanks again.

 

[Mogal]

After some research, I'm 99% sure my girl had cancer and ended up with ascites. All the symptoms match up. I hate that they hide their pain so well and wish I could have done more to comfort her.
I have called my local lab, but have decided to not have a necropsy done. I am just too confident in her cause of death. But I am glad to know that's an option in the future.
Thank you so much for your help!