Conducting A Chicken Post-Mortem: A Step-By-Step Guide

A post-mortem examination, or necropsy, on a chicken can be carried out to determine the cause of death or disease. This procedure can be performed by a veterinarian, manager, or grower and can be done with a limited amount of equipment. It involves examining the bird's internal organs and taking samples for further testing if required. If you are unable to perform a necropsy immediately after a chicken's death, it is recommended to refrigerate the bird until you are able to.

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A post-mortem can be done by a veterinarian, manager, or grower

A post-mortem examination, or necropsy, can be performed by a veterinarian, manager, or grower to determine the cause of a chicken's death and obtain diagnostic information. It is important to perform the necropsy soon after death, as birds that have been dead for more than a few hours may not be suitable for diagnostic specimens due to natural decomposition. If the necropsy cannot be performed immediately, the bird should be refrigerated until a later time.

Basic tools such as a knife or scissors can be used to perform a necropsy. If you choose to euthanize a sick bird before performing the necropsy, you can do so humanely by using approved methods such as cervical dislocation, a carbon dioxide chamber, or injecting a euthanasia solution. Before euthanizing, observe the bird for abnormal breathing patterns, abnormal posture, ruffled feathers, and/or nasal or ocular discharge.

During the necropsy, examine the bird's internal organs and look for any signs of disease, infection, or other abnormalities. This may include examining the pancreas, liver, spleen, heart, lungs, genitalia, and air sacs. Make incisions with scissors or bone shears to access and remove the organs for examination. Take swabs and cultures as needed.

If you suspect a communicable disease or virus, seek further assistance from your county agricultural extension, an avian veterinarian, or your state laboratory. They can provide additional information on sampling techniques and shipping methods for diagnostic testing. A necropsy can help identify infectious diseases, nutritional deficiencies, toxicities, parasitic infections, and tumors. However, it may not reveal all causes of disease, especially those related to management and environmental factors such as poor nutrition, water deprivation, improper ventilation, poor sanitation, or overcrowding.

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Basic tools required include a knife, scissors, bone shears, and sterile instruments

A basic chicken post-mortem, or necropsy, can be performed with a limited amount of equipment. The primary tools required include a knife, scissors, bone shears, and sterile instruments. It is recommended to have access to a flat, hard surface in a well-lit area, as well as water and towels.

The knife and scissors are essential for making the initial incisions and reflecting the skin and muscles. With the knife, begin by connecting lateral skin incisions with a transverse incision across the middle of the abdomen. Reflect the skin of the breast anteriorly and the abdomen posteriorly. Then, using scissors, make a longitudinal incision through the pectoral muscles on each side of the keel and over the costochondral junctions. Ensure that the anterior end of each incision intersects the thoracic inlet and the dorso-ventral midpoint.

Bone shears or scissors are then used to cut through the coracoid and clavicle bones. With sterile scissors, make a transverse incision through the posterior part of the abdominal muscles. Continue the incision on each side, moving it anteriorly through the costochondral junctions. This allows for the removal of the ventral abdominal wall and breast as one piece, being careful to observe the air sacs as they are torn during this process.

Using sterile instruments is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the examination and preventing contamination. These instruments are used to remove organs and take any necessary swabs for culturing. It is important to examine the viscera and air sacs without touching them. The examination of specific organs, such as the pancreas, liver, spleen, and heart, may require additional tools or techniques as outlined in avian necropsy guidelines.

Examine the pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, liver, spleen, heart, lungs, and kidneys

To begin the examination of the gastrointestinal tract, cut between the esophagus and proventriculus. Remove the proventriculus, ventriculus (gizzard), small intestines, large intestine, and ceca, cutting off at the level of the cloaca. The pancreas, a pinkish-tan organ cradled within the loop of the duodenum (a section of the small intestine), should also be removed. Cut all attachments close to the intestines and set the gastrointestinal tract aside. At the end of the necropsy, these organs can be opened up and examined for internal parasites.

Next, remove the liver and spleen. A green discoloration of the liver near the gall bladder is a normal finding. The spleen is the reddish, round organ located at the junction of the proventriculus and gizzard.

Examine the interior surface of the esophagus and crop. Look for the presence of food and/or parasites (worms) in the crop. If the inside surface appears to resemble a towel, it may be an indication of a fungal infection called "crop mycosis." Cut through the larynx, trachea, and syrinx. The inside surface should be free of excess mucus.

Now, examine the heart. The outer surface of the heart should be examined for a cloudy, thickened appearance, suggesting pericarditis. Also, note if excessive fluid is located between the heart and the pericardium (the membranous covering of the heart).

For the lungs, gently tease them out of the rib cage for further examination. Examine and palpate the costal and ventral surfaces of the lungs.

Finally, examine the kidneys, which are elongated, lobulated organs that are embedded in the backbone of the bird. Palpate the kidneys and examine their internal and external surfaces.

Look for lesions, parasites, and signs of possible communicable disease or virus

When performing a post-mortem examination on a chicken, it is important to look for lesions, parasites, and signs of possible communicable disease or virus. This can help determine the cause of death and identify any potential risks to the rest of the flock.

Begin by examining the external body for any visible lesions or parasites. Look for abnormal breathing patterns, abnormal posture, ruffled feathers, and nasal or ocular discharge, which could indicate a respiratory illness. Check the skin pigmentation and shanks, as well as the presence of physical injuries, facial tissue damage, and discharges from the eyes, nose, or mouth.

Next, use scissors to make a longitudinal incision through the proventriculus, ventriculus, small intestine, ceca, colon, and cloaca. Inspect these organs for any signs of parasites or lesions, such as the presence of roundworms or other internal parasites. Examine the brachial plexuses and sciatic nerves, carefully separating the adductor muscles to expose the extrapelvic sciatic nerve. Split one femur longitudinally with bone shears or scissors to examine the bone marrow for any abnormalities.

Additionally, inspect the lungs for uniformity in color and any signs of hemorrhages, pus, or fluid, which could indicate a respiratory illness. Open the crop, gizzard, and intestines to examine their contents, as well as check for internal parasites. If there are signs of respiratory disease, further lab testing may be necessary for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Finally, if any lesions are identified, differentiate between inflammatory lesions and tumorous lesions. Tumors may be identified by their appearance and location, such as the grey tumor lesions found in the liver, spleen, and bursa of birds with lymphoid leucosis. If there are signs of infectious disease, nutritional deficiencies, toxicities, or parasitic disease, a necropsy can help identify these issues and guide appropriate treatment or management interventions.

Refrigerate the chicken if it cannot be examined immediately

If you cannot examine the chicken immediately, it is important to refrigerate it until you can. This is because the natural decomposition process will create changes that may be confused with true pathological lesions. You should also refrigerate the chicken if you are sending it to a veterinarian for examination, as it can be costly to have them determine the cause of death without performing a post-mortem.

While walking through a house, a recently dead or currently ill bird can be chosen for a post-mortem. If you are performing the necropsy yourself, you can use a knife or scissors to obtain diagnostic information or samples for further laboratory testing. You can also examine the bird for signs of a possible communicable disease or virus, and if found, seek further assistance from your county agricultural extension, an avian vet, or your state laboratory.

If you are planning to euthanize and necropsy a sick bird, first observe it for abnormal breathing patterns, abnormal posture, ruffled feathers, and/or nasal or ocular discharge before euthanizing. The bird can be humanely euthanized by several approved methods, including cervical dislocation (breaking the neck), using a carbon dioxide chamber, or injecting a euthanasia solution such as potassium chloride or high-dose barbiturates into a vein or directly into the heart.

Once the chicken has been refrigerated and you are ready to perform the post-mortem, you can refer to detailed guides on the specific incisions and examinations to perform.

Frequently asked questions