Necropsy Fatty Liver Disease? (graphic post mortem images warning)

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Any advice in this section should not be taken to overrule advice by a certified licensed veterinarian. You should always consult a veterinarian for treatment or diagnoses of animal disease or injury. The information in this thread is simply the experience of board members and is not to be taken as a substitution for veterinary advice or treatment.
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KimChick
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Re: Fatty Liver Disease? (graphic post mortem images warning)

Post by KimChick » Thu May 02, 2019 8:08 pm

Reboot wrote:
Thu May 02, 2019 9:30 am
KimChick wrote:
Wed May 01, 2019 9:04 pm
That's a good new name, neighbour! It's also a good name because of your career change.
Much appreciated all, thanks. Although I am male I'm not afraid to ask for help when I'm lost! We are in Salem KimChick where are you? Do you have that nice looking chicken run near Cty 42? In the event you saw a strange CRV parked on the shoulder of the road watching your coop last summer it was my wife and I admiring your work.
No kidding? I may or may not have seen the vehicle that was yours. Yes, we are on CR 42 - the white house on the hill. Do stop in!
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Reboot
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Re: Fatty Liver Disease? (graphic post mortem images warning)

Post by Reboot » Fri May 10, 2019 12:40 pm

The Perth Vet Clinic called about the U of Guelph necropsy results. 100% Fatty Liver Disease - they ate themselves to death. I guess in a way I am relieved it wasn't mouse poison that did them in. We've not lost a bird since the 3rd one died, the feed is restricted and the remaining birds are running around the property getting lots of exercise. Birds were safe to eat (I tossed them already) and the eggs are fine. Whew! We can sell again with a clear conscience.
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Killerbunny
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Re: Fatty Liver Disease? (graphic post mortem images warning)

Post by Killerbunny » Fri May 10, 2019 1:08 pm

I am pleased that you know the reason, not nice but sets your mind at rest.
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Happy
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Re: Fatty Liver Disease? (graphic post mortem images warning)

Post by Happy » Fri May 10, 2019 1:30 pm

What a strange coincidence that they passed within days if each other. Honestly an eye opener for me and I thank you for posting this because I didn't think a bird could get fatty liver from layers ration. I have always read about diets high in treats like sunflower seeds and scratch mix and even table scraps. Onwards and upwards. Hopefully that's the end of your bad luck.
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Ontario Chick
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Re: Fatty Liver Disease? (graphic post mortem images warning)

Post by Ontario Chick » Fri May 10, 2019 1:35 pm

Reboot wrote:
Fri May 10, 2019 12:40 pm
The Perth Vet Clinic called about the U of Guelph necropsy results. 100% Fatty Liver Disease - they ate themselves to death. I guess in a way I am relieved it wasn't mouse poison that did them in. We've not lost a bird since the 3rd one died, the feed is restricted and the remaining birds are running around the property getting lots of exercise. Birds were safe to eat (I tossed them already) and the eggs are fine. Whew! We can sell again with a clear conscience.
Thank you for going the distance, we are all wiser because of your effort.
It brings to mind the fact that most North American animals are somewhat overweight.
Since fatty liver tends to be a big problem with caged birds, and I am sure you will now be much aware of how much exercise your birds are getting, I can't get rid of the picture of your flock joining you on your morning jog, or possibly visit to the gym? ;)
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labradors
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Re: Fatty Liver Disease? (graphic post mortem images warning)

Post by labradors » Fri May 10, 2019 2:07 pm

Thanks so much for letting us know. What a PITA! Guess I'd better check how much each hen is "supposed" to eat in a day just to be on the safe side......
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kenya
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Re: Fatty Liver Disease? (graphic post mortem images warning)

Post by kenya » Fri May 10, 2019 3:23 pm

Excellent news, nothing you can't prevent or fix. As others have said above I think we tend to overfeed not realizing the dangers. Nice that you have taken internal pictures may help others in the future identify the problem. Thankyou!
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windwalkingwolf
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Re: Fatty Liver Disease? (graphic post mortem images warning)

Post by windwalkingwolf » Fri May 10, 2019 11:34 pm

I'm so glad it's nothing contagious! Thank you for letting us know the results, and I'm sorry you're having such a run of bad luck. Who knew chicken keeping could be so complicated?
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Reboot
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Re: Fatty Liver Disease? (graphic post mortem images warning)

Post by Reboot » Sat May 11, 2019 7:16 am

If we are keeping livestock for our own consumption whether eggs or otherwise we feel obligated to give them the best conditions possible for us to provide within our limited budget ($$$). Free choice seemed like a good plan although I had tried to determine if I should ration through winter. I think last summer I had our birds in electro netting (300+ feet of it for 35+ birds). Mostly I did that out of caution as I wasn't sure what predation may be like here and there is plenty of predators around.This year I was more comfortable letting them have free range immediately after wintering in the 130 sq ft coop (15 birds) as I had a handle on incubating (ha ha ha I have posts on that efort!). Over winter I did have a wire covered winter run but the birds wouldn't go out on it and my guess was too much snow and a lot of ice accumulating that I couldn't clear over the winter. So from going from a high calorie sardine can chicken coop to a 4 acre amusement park of bugs and worms left the birds maybe in utopia which exposed them to a lot of stress come fertile egg laying season for birds not yet a year old perhaps. A chicken who's liver is carrying 40% fat content from winter was a ticking time bomb for some of those birds who were genetically ill prepared to ride it out but thats my uneducated guess. Next winter I will make a more accessible winter run with a surface made from old rubber cattle matts I repurposed our old triathlon training gym I built in the house. I'll move that winter coop run to the sunnier side of my coop but on a slight angle so the sun heats the black rubber surface and melts clear the accumulating ice and snow. It seems to rain every month in the winter now so ice is a problem! Of course I'll also limit the feed until I know they are getting what the need only next winter. This is a good lesson for us given we have expanded our homestead to include dairy goats this summer so their diet will require monitoring and a whole new learning curve for us.
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Reboot
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Re: Fatty Liver Disease? (graphic post mortem images warning)

Post by Reboot » Sat May 11, 2019 7:27 am

The vet told me I'll be getting a report from U of Guelph when I asked who I may owe money too (I still don't know what the charge will be yet, yikes!). So if its possible to copy and paste the lab findings in here I will as I try not to say stuff without backing it up with proof. I assumed I have to pay somebody for all this examination stuff even if Agri Canada does subsidize the necropsy according to the lab rules. Regardless our customers were anxiously waiting for us to come back online with eggs sales and we have orders to fill already. I felt confident our birds were safe to eat and ended up eating a ton of eggs so did our dogs; I was confident but not confident enough to allow our customers to consume the eggs - that wasn't my decision to make on their behalf. so I am glad to sell them again now that we aren't buying feed weekly and our birds are getting their feed from our organic market garden start up. They do get exercise following me around the property as I hand dig post holes for the 1 acre goat paddock. The birds have learned there are bugs and worms in that dirt pile at each hole. Ironman training is certainly hard but wow chipping rocks out of a 8 inch wide hole 4 feet deep in icey cold mucky ground is pretty tough training for me too!
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