Dead 14 week old Marans chick - WARNING autopsy pix

Blak1 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 25, 2013 9:22 pm

OK, here's what poor Ranga was like about 3 hours before she died - video file:

She got worse every time I checked on her, using her whole body to breathe. She looked distressed.

Tonight, I opened her up.

I'm not sure if her windpipe is supposed to have this thickening? I apologise for the blurry pix :-/

Liver was all good, but she'd had a heart attack - heart sack full of arterial blood.

Lungs were a mess:

I think the gizzard was OK?

Any help with COD appreciated. I think it was respiratory infection / failure & heart attack? Do I keep the two remaining chicks on Oxymav?

LOOLOO · **Posted:** Fri Jul 26, 2013 8:51 am

Looking at those lungs I would say respiratory disease that caused secondary infections which is common and can cause heart failure. Yes I would keep the two other chicks on treatment. Do they have any symptoms of respiratory distress?

Thanks for posting the pictures

LooLoo

Blak1 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 26, 2013 5:45 pm

Nope, no symptoms at all yet?

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Once again, sorry for your loss :cry:

Thank you for posting the photos, I studied Agricultural Science, very good dissection.

Marans can have lots of health problems. Treat the other girls and keep them warm, dry and out of any draughts until they are bigger and stronger.

Blak1 · **Posted:** Sat Jul 27, 2013 9:34 am

Thanks PP. This was my first go since the 'bulls eye' in year 7.... more than 20 years ago! :shock:

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Just watched the video file, Ranga look like she was having an asthma attack gasping for breath.

Keep the others warm.

ChunkEgg · **Joined:** Sat Jul 27, 2013 10:28 am **Posts:** 1

Good to see these autopsy pictures we can learn heaps I think

C.K · **Posted:** Sun Jul 28, 2013 2:26 pm

It makes me start to wonder if there is truth in the rumour that the marans were imported illegally a few years ago as they just suddenly emerged from nowhere ,
They seam to have all the symptoms of the salmonella Polluom virus that the imports were culled for . conf665

Blak1 · **Posted:** Sun Jul 28, 2013 7:24 pm

My losses have been at 14 weeks and the chicks haven't had bad diarrhoea? Variable & non-specific symptoms isn't helpful in reaching diagnosis....
http://www.safe-poultry.com/PullorumDisease.asp

"Clinical signs of Pullorum Disease

Usually seen in chicks younger than 3 weeks old.
First indication is an excessive number of dead-in-shell chicks and deaths shortly after hatching.
Clinical signs variable and non-specific.
White diarrhoea, with pasting of the vent is often a feature."

I think I'm going to loose 'Runty' but I'm suspicious of internal cocci damage... She also has some sort of injury or pea-sized tumour on her back between tail & wing and is paler in the face than her older sister. Ranga didn't have any obvious injuries and I'm pretty sure she died of a respiratory issue - I'm glad I got video!

C.K · **Posted:** Sun Jul 28, 2013 8:52 pm

Sorry Blak1, I meant in general not yours .
it can cause late deaths up to 24 weeks or soon after onset of laying too.
If you have tried breeding them you would know what I mean .

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