Necropsy pics, need opinions - GRAPHIC

[Frosty]

A friend found one of her hens dead and brought her over here so we could look inside. The hen was found laying on her back, head turned to the side, legs straight out behind her. No signs of trauma. WE have butchered plenty of chickens, but never really inspected the innards closely so could use your thoughts.

Here is the cecum, the tubes were very thin then they bulge out at the ends. We didn't open them up, but I still have the hen outside (out of reach of cats) so I could still do that if you think it would help.

Top center in this pic there is a weird mass that looks like a bubble, it was filled with fluid that squirted out when I cut it open. We also found pockets of a gel like substance here and there (one was attached to the heart).

I think the lungs were a bit brighter colored than I am used to seeing, maybe because she wasn't bled out when she died? Or maybe they are normal and I just don't remember right?

The kidneys? I thought they looked rather grainy, can't remember if that's normal? I tried to get a closer pic but the camera wouldn't get focused closer in.

The liver was dark and normal looking, the only other thing I can think to mention is that she died yesterday and the friend left her outside for the night (temps 35 or so), then she put her in a cooler with an ice bag while she was at work and came out here after work. When she opened the crop to check the contents it REEKED. It was full of grass and food, nothing abnormal except the smell. Would that be from sitting for close to 24 hours?

Anything else that you think would be helpful to see? Do these look normal to you? Any thoughts are appreciated!

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

Wow, interesting pics. I don't know anything about that kind of stuff, but here's a post to keep your question at the top, so perhaps someone experienced will answer?

 

[Avalon1984]

I have never butchered a hen so I am not sure about all the fatty tissue in there but the organs aren't looking right. How old was the hen?

 

[Frosty]

The fat looks pretty normal to me, the hen is about a year and a half old (from spring 2010).

 

[Avalon1984]

I am wondering about all the bloody and "off" looking tissue around the organs. They should look different. But I cannot pinpoint it either. Sorry for not being more help. Looks to me like maybe something was wrong with her metabolic system but not sure.

 

[nurse_turtle]

I would guess some type of renal disease.

 

[CMV]

The kidneys look abnormal to me. I have never seen kidneys that sat around for 24 hours after death, but they look pretty grainy and discolored.

You stated that there was a "gel filled" pocket attached to the heart. Can you clarify? I am thinking that if the bird sat around for a day then maybe you are just seeing the results of the blood separating into its components (liquids and solids separating and settling), but that statement gave me pause. There shouldn't really be any sacs attached to the heart, just vessels. Some of the vessels are sizable, but not what I would call a sac/pocket.

The crop should not smell horrible after a mere 24 hours in pretty chilly temps. That seems out of the ordinary.

The intestines are probably blown up like that because gas is starting to fill them. That starts nearly immediately after death.

Everything else looks pretty normal. Some discoloration of the organs would be expected after 24 hours.

Sorry for your friend's loss. It's always a bummer to lose a bird unexpectedly.

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

Was the last pic lungs. They looked congested to me maybe pneumonia. That can kill fast

 

[CMV]

Wayne&Kim1963 :

Was the last pic lungs. They looked congested to me maybe pneumonia. That can kill fast

No, those were supposed to be kidneys.​

 

[Frosty]

Quote:
I suppose the sac attached to the heart could possibly have been settling of the fluid between the membranes around the heart for lubrication? It looked like a bubble attached I believe to the large end (the chicken was on it's back when it died). It looked like it had membrane over it and there was like an almost clear jelly like substance (slightly yellowish). Not a large amount, maybe 1/4 teaspoon? And gasses in the intestine would make sense, I know that even after chilling bacteria can be very active. I have seen evidence of that when my compost steams and melts snow when it's -20 outside. So now I feel better about that part, thank you!

So following thoughts about the bacteria causing gasses, would it be possible that bacteria in the crop was still active and produced gasses that smelled? I will say that the neck was easy to move around to feel for breaks so possily the rigor had left the body already?

Are there any diseases that you can think of where a bird appears fine one day and is dead the next? She difinately wasn't egg bound, I didn't see any eggs in her actually.