Sick hybrid and what to do?

[coach723]

Very sorry for your loss. I hope the necropsy gives answers. If it was indeed salpingitis, it's a horrible condition that is terribly resistant to treatment, regardless of cause. Necropsy is the best way to be informed, so glad you chose that. So sorry.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello friends, I wanted to say thanks again for all of your knowledge and experience and helpful suggestions for Missy. We decided that, after all of the treatments we've given her over the past month, and the medicine from the vet which yielded no significant improvements, we had her euthanized yesterday. It was hard for me and the vet, but it was the humane thing to do. I took Missy straight to Auburn University and the Sugg Lab for Animal Health Research, where they performed a necropsy to determine what caused her death. I'm waiting for the results, which I will post here for informational purposes. Not being a vet, or chicken expert, I can only guess as to what caused her death. It's my uneducated conclusion she had contracted viral salpingitis. Viral is different than bacterial salpingitis in that there is no cure for it. I'm going to compose a timeline of symptoms and tried cures next week when we get the lab results. Again, thanks to:
@Wyorp Rock
@coach723
@Eggcessive
@Bawkbok

I'm sorry to hear about Missy.
You did everything you could for her.

Let us know what you find out from the lab.

 

[RedHillChicken]

@Wyorp Rock
@Eggcessive
@coach723
@Bawkbok
I'm attaching the necropsy report for Missy. I hope this can help someone in their quest to save a chicken.

 

[Eggcessive]

Salpingitis is so very common in hens unfortunately. Let us know what the final report show on the cultures that are pending.

 

[RedHillChicken]

Salpingitis is so very common in hens unfortunately. Let us know what the final report show on the cultures that are pending.

I will post the final report as soon as they send it. Basically it's fatal, right? And if it's transmitted through the E.coli getting in the reproductive tract, can a rooster be the carrier? By the way, I've been looking at posts on BYC that are similar, and it seems there's lots of the same symptoms, except for the sneezing/mucus drainage, and the outcome is usually death. Have you noticed this?

 

[Eggcessive]

Usually the hen can get E.coli which can travel up to oviduct from the vent and out into the abdomen as the vet said.

 

[RedHillChicken]

Usually the hen can get E.coli which can travel up to oviduct from the vent and out into the abdomen as the vet said.

How is E.coli treated in humans, and is there an agent which kills E.coli?

 

[coach723]

In humans, the first choice of treatment for e. coli is just hydration and supportive care, so the body can heal. If a human has to be hospitalized for it, there is more treatment that is done, including sometimes blood transfusions. Antibiotics are often not used unless specific testing is done before hand, as it can cause the infection to worsen sometimes. But that is generally in the digestive tract. When, in a hen, it travels up the oviduct, it's a whole 'nother thing. In my experience, in all of my birds affected over the years, it has been eventually fatal. There are some people who say they've treated it early enough and gotten rid of it. I'm skeptical, but it may be true in some cases. That seems to be more the exception than the common result. Years ago I did a lot of searching for ultimate causes, and there isn't a lot of good information, and some is contradictory. I think some hens get stretched cloaca's from laying, maybe partly genetic for them, and it can allow bacteria to enter easier. Most of my birds that have had it have been breeds that are very heavy layers, like sexlink hybrids. I could find no good information on a rooster being a carrier, though I've seen the question before, and logic would suggest if that were happening then it would be affecting a lot more hens in that flock. I've not found that to be the case, it's sporadic and only one here and there.

 

[RedHillChicken]

In humans, the first choice of treatment for e. coli is just hydration and supportive care, so the body can heal. If a human has to be hospitalized for it, there is more treatment that is done, including sometimes blood transfusions. Antibiotics are often not used unless specific testing is done before hand, as it can cause the infection to worsen sometimes. But that is generally in the digestive tract. When, in a hen, it travels up the oviduct, it's a whole 'nother thing. In my experience, in all of my birds affected over the years, it has been eventually fatal. There are some people who say they've treated it early enough and gotten rid of it. I'm skeptical, but it may be true in some cases. That seems to be more the exception than the common result. Years ago I did a lot of searching for ultimate causes, and there isn't a lot of good information, and some is contradictory. I think some hens get stretched cloaca's from laying, maybe partly genetic for them, and it can allow bacteria to enter easier. Most of my birds that have had it have been breeds that are very heavy layers, like sexlink hybrids. I could find no good information on a rooster being a carrier, though I've seen the question before, and logic would suggest if that were happening then it would be affecting a lot more hens in that flock. I've not found that to be the case, it's sporadic and only one here and there.

Missy was a hybrid, either Golden Comet or Cinnamon Queen.

 

[coach723]

My red sexlinks, they go by many names, have had a much higher percentage of reproductive problems over all, including cancers and salpingitis, than any of my other breeds. Even the black sexlinks I've had have done a little better. I have one red sexlink left, she's about 5 years old, and a few that are mixes with them, hatched here. I tend to try to get other breeds when I purchase now, just because of their tendency towards reproductive issues. They have tended to be friendly, calm birds, easy keepers, honestly very nice, sweet birds. But they just don't tend to live as long.