Warning - Graphic pics of Internal Egg Layer Necropsy

[Chicky Tocks]

I'm so sorry about your Hope. She knew she was loved and cared for. I must avoid this at all cost so I have to ask.

How do you know when a hen starts to lay internally opposed to just not laying at the moment? Did she swell? Prolapsed vent? What are the warning signs please?

 

[speckledhen]

Old Rebel and I discussed this a bit last night through PM. My girls presented just like pips & peeps. Below is a photo I took when we did necropsies on our four girls last year (GRAPHIC!!!) so you can see the cooked yolk stuff Jean was talking about. rooster -red started a thread on internal layers since both he and I have lost several to it, all hatchery girls around two years old.
This is what I removed from ONE chicken's oviduct. It was like sausage in a casing in the oviduct.

 

[b.hromada]

Wow, those poor girls. I'm so very sorry you both lost your little girls. At least now, they are out of their misery. Only that can be a comfort for you.
The pics may be graphic, but, in the long run necessary. thank you for sharing this information with us.

 

[allaboutdemchicks]

I'm so very sorry for your losses of those girls.

Those are amazing photos, I would think this could ease the minds of those that have lost hens to reproduction problems. Thank you for sharing.

Claudia

 

[LynneP]

Both sets of photos are very revealing, and I'm very sorry about the loss of your hens. Thank you for sharing, though, it gives a new level of appreciation for the gruesome process. I can see how internal laying could have several causes and how it can present in slightly different ways. Could easily be confused with a simpler ascites, too. Wow. Just when you think your skills are improving and you see something far beyond your capacity to assist.

 

[speckledhen]

This is one of those things that we cannot control and by the time we realize what's probably happening, there's nothing that you can really do for the hen. I had a fifth dying from this at the same time I lost my fourth hen last year; in fact, they were in the same small pen together because they were so weak and thin. The RIR died and my BR hen, Ivy, was on her way. Same exact symptoms. She had no breast meat left in spite of continuing to eat fine. In a last ditch effort to save her, a "what have we got to lose?" move, we gave her a round of penicillin. She lingered, then she began to perk up.
We put her back with her flock and she started to gain her weight back and her color. In a few weeks, she started laying again and is right back to her beautiful, plump self again. What happened inside of her and why that worked, we have no idea, but we were thrilled to still have Ivy. She is now over three years old.

 

[WingingIt]

I'm sorry that you lost your girls. Those pictures are amazing and I wanted to thank you for showing us. I had no idea an internal layer could end up like that. I'm glad she's no longer in pain.

 

[KattyKillFish]

Quote:
that's a weird thing to find inside a chicken. poor girl

 

[sonew123]

Im so sorry for both of you on your losses but so greatful you shared your photos and experiences so we can try and help our babies when and if the time comes to deal with these situations...

 

[EweSheep]

Wow! That is ALOT of underdeveloped eggs that she had to carry. I am guessing that hatchery birds are more susceptible (sp) than private breeder birds. Alot of the breedings are due to egg productions and I would not be surprised if more hatchery bred birds have this.

I had internal egg layers in my flock and majority of them are breeder birds. I dont know why but perhaps diet/environmental has something to do with it or they carried that lethal gene.