Necropsy results on dead Ameraucana hen

[HenalayLady]

Last week in a separate post I described the death of my16 mo old hen during my examination of her. I suspected a bound egg--symptoms were no recent egg-laying, weakness, lethargy. I put her in a warm bath, then checked inside her vent for an egg--none. But I did feel much "lumpiness", small lumps. I few minutes later she had a major spasm and died. I worried that I'd caused her death or that she had some disease that my 8 other hens might get. So I took her to our local avian vet for a necropsy. The next day I was notified that she was riddled with cancer--a reproductive cancer that is not so unusual in hens of any breed. The vet was surprised to find the cancer because the hen appeared so healthy, well muscled and fat. She said my examination did not cause her death. She also said that although some of the cancers are viral-related, she did not believe the rest of the flock was in any danger. The cost was $45. Very cheap for peace of mind.

 

[speckledhen]

The only thing unusual about this cancer is that your hen was so young. The ones I've had who died from ovarian cancer were over 5 years old. The rest who died from reproductive malfunction died from egg yolk peritonitis and/or internal laying.

 

[HenalayLady]

Thanks for the info. On my previous post about the hen's death I'd been warned that examining the vent was "highly dangerous", leading me to think I'd done something wrong and hurt her. I wanted to let others know the outcome and to suggest necropsy is a useful tool.
Regarding the cancer, it wasn't called ovarian, just reproductive. The vet said all her organs had small lesions all over them--like a condition called carcinomatosis. And yes--she was rather young. Up 'til 2 weeks ago was laying maybe 4 eggs/week or so. Seemed well, then I left on a 10-day trip, and the neighbor caretakers (co-owners) noted nothing wrong. But on my return she was obviously sick and died that evening. I never expected to lose one so young to such a disease.

 

[speckledhen]

It's still usually called ovarian carcinoma-that results in those little growths all down the oviducts and the intestines like my own have had.

Examining the vent is not a big deal, as long as you only probe with your lubed fingers and not some instrument. You have to in the case of one you believe may be egg bound (egg stuck in the duct).

You were lucky to have had that done at such a low cost and to have access to an avian vet. Few folks have access and when they do, the vet charges exorbitant rates, making it prohibitive to even think of using them. The best we can usually do is the state vet.

We chicken owners get quite an education caring for our own birds. My husband and I have learned much by doing our own necropsies, in conjunction with consulting vet manuals of organs and how they should look and what is wrong when they look a certain way. I've just had my share of hatchery stock die from all these reproductive malfunctions, just never one so young have cancer like yours did. My breeder birds rarely have these issues-must be made of better stuff, generally.

 

[leadwolf1]

I had a 16 week old die of the same. However, the necropsy concluded that Marek's was the cause. Since, it was overall organ involvement and not just the reproducive tract. I'm just a little surprised that they didn't mention this or Lymphoid leukosis as the cause. I'm glad that they don't feel that this is a problem for the rest of your birds. Sorry you lost the first.

 

[speckledhen]

Here is a write-up from an animal sanctuary who is familiar with this. I found it after Reba died and the description fit to "T". We've never had Marek's Disease here, thankfully.


Quote:

 

[leadwolf1]

Thanks for that information Speckledhen. I guess that I was talking more when the liver, spleen, lungs, intestines and reproductive tract are involved. What those poor girls have to go through

 

[speckledhen]

Of course, there's more than one thing that will cause small tumors, Gina and you know more about Mareks than I do as that is one thing I haven't had to deal with, thankfully. I found one good size growth inside Reba's oviduct blocking it that was fibrous and then tiny ones on the oviduct and intestines were all like teeny white balls/specks, nothing huge. There was evidence of some minor internal laying, but nothing that would have killed her. She was going on 6 years old as was another hen who also died with the same symptoms.

With ovarian/oviduct cancers, as long as the duct isn't really blocked, they can lay up until not long before they die, as was the case with my Brahma hen.

 

[leadwolf1]

What amazes me is that when I was younger, I raised bantams. No breeds, just backyard mixes. One, was a laced polish bantam hen right out of the mountains in Marion, VA. They all lived in a small coop and run. I would take them out and play with them. None of them was ever sick. None of the roosters fought. The hens never had naked backs. They died of old age. I just don't get these new age chickens that seem to have so many problems! I should have gone back to the farm where I had gotten my chickens 35+ years ago...yes, he still has his backyard flock. I wanted SQ...in the process all I got was Marek's and a lot of broken dreams.

To have a chicken make it to 6 is a dream right now. I've lost almost all of my original flock. What is left is now 16 months old. I am now going to breed for resistance. I'm forgetting breeds and just hoping for healthy.