I posted on here a couple days ago about a sick hen.I was told it could be vent gleet I was also told it could be oviduct infection.Long story short she prolapsed with a lot of bleeding so idecided to end her suffering.I did do a necropsy for the sake of the rest of flock.What I saw was shocking.Understand I have cut open about 15 chickens over the years.I did not take photos (should have) but now I am left without answers.Maybe some one here would know...Here is what I wrote about it.
I know how to cut carefully and maybe not the same route as a real necropsy.I went down the breastline,from under the breast bone to the vent.
1) what causes gross amounts of fluids in the abdomen.(thats what was causing the prolapse,she was trying to rid herself of the fluid but couldnt)The fluid was cloudy,best description was a bit darker than human urine.I easily got out 2 pints before it quit.(all that fluid came out of nic of skin,it came out like a fountain)Oh yeah and she had quit having bowel movements and the vent leakage had all stopped this morning-maybe close to 12n
[FONT=comic sans ms,sans-serif]2)I dont know the technical terms so bear with me.The webbing around your intestines.That thin layer of skin.It was riddled with white lumps.These were hard lumps,not something that could be broken or smashed between my fingers.Various sizes.Maybe a bit bigger than the plastic top (that round ball) on a sewing pin.It was riddled with them.all through out-
3) as you followed the intestines up,towards the breast bone,almost at the top.The intestine turned snow white,and it was rock hard.I cut into it,It kinda looked like a tiny bit of puss inside.That was only about 3-4 inches of the intestine.[/FONT]
4) the little yolk looking things that will turn into eggs.One was black,not smooth outside,mishapen.Inside was,black liquid and something that was kinda like pudding.Other little egg sacs were malformed.Blood vessels on the outside.They just didnt look right.And maybe it was because she was big chicken but they big to me.Like those really big marbles,maybe a bit bigger (sidenote she always laid small eggs for her size)
5)and lastly maybe I made a wrong cut,but I dont think so because I wasnt far enough over but when I finally made the incision all the way down.when the final bit of liquid was draining out 2 or 3 what seemed to be egg yolks (almost full size) fell out,in tact.
Any ideas on what this may be?Nothing looked like what I have seen in other chickens I have cut up.Nothing in this bird looked right.Well I take that back she had a great liver.Beautiful and healthy.She was sold to me as a Jersey Giant,I think she was more Austrolorp as she was short and low to the ground.She was an easy 10-12 pounds and had a good 1-2 inches of yellow fat to cut through before I got to internals.It is important I figure this out as I have her sister.Her sister is much smaller,at max she is 7-8 pounds.She is healthy right now but she is broody.She is sitting on a nest of Black Copper Maran and wheaten maran eggs I bought.Also whatever this is or was....all my other chickens have been exposed.
I know how to cut carefully and maybe not the same route as a real necropsy.I went down the breastline,from under the breast bone to the vent.
1) what causes gross amounts of fluids in the abdomen.(thats what was causing the prolapse,she was trying to rid herself of the fluid but couldnt)The fluid was cloudy,best description was a bit darker than human urine.I easily got out 2 pints before it quit.(all that fluid came out of nic of skin,it came out like a fountain)Oh yeah and she had quit having bowel movements and the vent leakage had all stopped this morning-maybe close to 12n
[FONT=comic sans ms,sans-serif]2)I dont know the technical terms so bear with me.The webbing around your intestines.That thin layer of skin.It was riddled with white lumps.These were hard lumps,not something that could be broken or smashed between my fingers.Various sizes.Maybe a bit bigger than the plastic top (that round ball) on a sewing pin.It was riddled with them.all through out-
3) as you followed the intestines up,towards the breast bone,almost at the top.The intestine turned snow white,and it was rock hard.I cut into it,It kinda looked like a tiny bit of puss inside.That was only about 3-4 inches of the intestine.[/FONT]
4) the little yolk looking things that will turn into eggs.One was black,not smooth outside,mishapen.Inside was,black liquid and something that was kinda like pudding.Other little egg sacs were malformed.Blood vessels on the outside.They just didnt look right.And maybe it was because she was big chicken but they big to me.Like those really big marbles,maybe a bit bigger (sidenote she always laid small eggs for her size)
5)and lastly maybe I made a wrong cut,but I dont think so because I wasnt far enough over but when I finally made the incision all the way down.when the final bit of liquid was draining out 2 or 3 what seemed to be egg yolks (almost full size) fell out,in tact.
Any ideas on what this may be?Nothing looked like what I have seen in other chickens I have cut up.Nothing in this bird looked right.Well I take that back she had a great liver.Beautiful and healthy.She was sold to me as a Jersey Giant,I think she was more Austrolorp as she was short and low to the ground.She was an easy 10-12 pounds and had a good 1-2 inches of yellow fat to cut through before I got to internals.It is important I figure this out as I have her sister.Her sister is much smaller,at max she is 7-8 pounds.She is healthy right now but she is broody.She is sitting on a nest of Black Copper Maran and wheaten maran eggs I bought.Also whatever this is or was....all my other chickens have been exposed.