Necropsy - impacted gizzard?

[wemimew]

I did my first necropsy on a hen today and from what I could see - everything looked very healthy except the gizzard. At first I thought it was an egg - it was solid as a rock. Once open I saw it was full of hay and grass - some hay pieces being very thick and there was minimal grit visible despite it being accessible in the run and they free range. Would this be an impacted gizzard? Four days ago she was eating, laying, talking, playing and very healthy. In the end her crop was completely empty, off food and drank minimally, and passed water only in her stools. No bowel impaction or egg bonding was visible.

 

[dawg53]

Yes, that's impacted gizzard. Alot of times it's an impacted gizzard that can cause an impacted crop. The bird just keeps eating and eating because it's hungry. The next thing you know, its crop is impacted. Even crop surgery fails to correct the problem and the bird can die from starvation. Cant do gizzard surgery.
I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[Margaretgray]

I did my first necropsy on a hen today and from what I could see - everything looked very healthy except the gizzard. At first I thought it was an egg - it was solid as a rock. Once open I saw it was full of hay and grass - some hay pieces being very thick and there was minimal grit visible despite it being accessible in the run and they free range. Would this be an impacted gizzard? Four days ago she was eating, laying, talking, playing and very healthy. In the end her crop was completely empty, off food and drank minimally, and passed water only in her stools. No bowel impaction or egg bonding was visible.

I just loss my 4th hen. I did a necropsy and her crop and gizzard were full of hay and pine shavings. We are switching to sand after all this.

 

[Kiki]

I just loss my 4th hen. I did a necropsy and her crop and gizzard were full of hay and pine shavings. We are switching to sand after all this.

Are You aware that you can send your birds body to your state lab for a necropsy?
Did you lose four birds back to back?

 

[Margaretgray]

Are You aware that you can send your birds body to your state lab for a necropsy?
Did you lose four birds back to back?

Yes I know I can send them. No not back to back. There were months between

 

[Kiki]

Yes I know I can send them. No not back to back. There were months between

Okay great, I highly recommend sending your next death in.

 

[Margaretgray]

Okay great, I highly recommend sending your next death in.

We always did our own on the farm.