Warning - Graphic pics of Internal Egg Layer Necropsy

[the Old Rebel]

Hi All,

I am going to try to upload these pictures, because I have never seen anything like this. I have not been able to understand why we couldn't do anything to help a hen that is laying internally. Now I understand.

This is my Hope. She lived for a week after we discovered she was in trouble. But, obviously, she had been laying internally for quite awhile before that.

We did everything in our power to help her - two antibiotics, warm baths (she seemed to thoroughly enjoy them), keeping her on a heating pad with a heat lamp overhead (red bulb) (we're in the mountains of NC where it is still chilly at night and in the mornings and evenings), keeping her in the dark, giving her Poly-Vi-Sol, oiling her with olive oil in the mouth and in the vent - everything we could think of, but it didn't help. She died in my arms yesterday afternoon.

These pictures are graphic, but I had to see what everyone means by laying internally.

All I can say is "Wow". Who'd a thunk it?? They must internally lay for awhile before you even realize something is wrong. Wow.

Rest in peace, my little one.

 

[speckledhen]

Mine didn't present that way. Wow! That is wild. I lost four to internal laying last year. It may have something to do with the way yours began. My girls' ailment probably began as an ovarian infection which was incapsulated in the oviduct. They say that happens when the cloaca is loose and feces backs into the wrong channel as an egg is being laid. Yours is each yolk sack separately, so maybe more the cause was hormonal? Interesting pictures.

 

[New adventure]

That is the most fascinating thing I hope I NEVER see in person! I'm so sorry you lost your hen.

 

[WriterofWords]

Wow, I've never seen anything like that.

 

[emvickrey]

Oh my gosh! That must've been very painful
.

 

[The Wolf Queen]

!!!DANG!!!

 

[preppy*hippie*chick]

That is wild. Sorry about your hen, but thanks for the information.

 

[jjrabbit2]

Did she actually split open? Or did you open her after death to view? I hope you opened her cuz if thats how she died OMG that is sooooooooooo sad. Did you know it was internal laying before she died? Wow Wild!

 

[pips&peeps]

I agree with Sp H, that looks more like a hormonal thing to me. It looks like a bunch of the eggs started to develop at once.

I have had two internal layers this year and when I necropsied them, I found a huge wad of what looked like cooked egg yolks in the abdomen.

 

[btrent94]

well no wonder she died .. DANG!!