If you have chickens, the unfortunate reality is that at some point, they will die. But what happens if one dies young, or several birds die in succession? Maybe you suspected it was an illness that ultimately brought your beloved birds demise. Wouldn’t it be nice to know what caused your loss(es) to prevent them in the future? Consider sending the bird to your local laboratory for a necropsy, or chicken autopsy, which is a cause of death report. Many laboratories offer this service for free or a nominal fee.
Keep in mind that if you decide to have a bird sent to the lab, special preparation is necessary. Start by wrapping the bird in a bag and placing it in the refrigerator or a cooler of ice (do not freeze!). From there contact your local laboratory and decide if you can deliver or if you must mail. Ask them how they want the bird packaged for transport.
Here you will find a comprehensive list of laboratories offering poultry necropsy. Please help us keep this list complete/up to date! If you know of a necropsy laboratory that is not listed below, comment below and we will add it! Thank you!
Table of Contents
Alabama
Alabama Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories
- Thompson-Bishop-Sparks State Diagnostic Laboratory – Auburn
- J. B. Taylor Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory – Elba
- Hinton Michem Poultry Diagnostic Laboratory – Hanceville
- Michem-Sparks State Diagnostic Laboratory – Boaz
Alaska
Alaska State Environmental Health Laboratory
Arizona
Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories
Arkansas
Arkansas Livestock & Poultry Commission Laboratory
University of Arkansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
California
California Animal Health & Food Safety Laboratory System
Colorado
Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab
Connecticut
Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
Delaware
University of Delaware Lasher Laboratory
Delaware Department of Agriculture- Poultry and Animal Health Section
Florida
Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
Georgia
Georgia Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Hawaii
Hawaii State Veterinary Laboratory
Idaho
Idaho Department of Agriculture Animal Health Laboratory
Illinois
University of Illinois- College of Veterinary Medicine
Illinois Animal Disease Laboratory
Indiana
Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Purdue University
Iowa
Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Kansas
Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Kentucky
University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Breathitt Veterinary Center
Louisiana
Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
Maine
University of Maine Animal Health Lab
Maryland
Frederick Animal Health Laboratory
Massachusetts
William A. Hinton State Laboratory
Michigan
Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health
Minnesota
University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Mississippi
Mississippi Veterinary Research & Diagnostic Laboratory
Missouri
University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
Missouri Department of Agriculture Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Montana
Montana Department of Livestock Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Nebraska
University of Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center
Nevada
State of Nevada Animal Disease Laboratory
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
New Jersey
New Jersey Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory
New Mexico
New Mexico Department of Agriculture Veterinary Diagnostic Services (requires veterinarian referral)
New York
Animal Health Diagnostic Center- Cornell University
North Carolina
North Carolina Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System (Raleigh)
- Elkin
- Fletcher
- Monroe
North Dakota
North Dakota State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Ohio
Ohio Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
Oregon
Oregon State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Oregon Department of Agriculture Animal Health Laboratory
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory Systems tripartite (Penn State, University of Pennsylvania and Harrisburg)
Rhode Island
No information found
South Carolina
Clemson Veterinary Diagnostic Center
South Dakota
South Dakota Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory
Tennessee
C.E. Kord Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
University of Tennessee- College of Veterinary Medicine (requires veterinarian referral)
Texas
Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
Texas State-Federal Laboratory (Austin)
DoD Food Analysis & Diagnostic Laboratory
Utah
Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Vermont
Vermont Agricultural & Environmental Laboratory
Virginia
VDACS Harrisonburg Regional Animal Health Laboratory
Washington
Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (Pullman)
Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory– Avian Health & Food Safety (Puyallup)
West Virginia
West Virginia Department of Agriculture-Animal Health Division
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
USGS National Wildlife Health Center
Kyit
Monday 6th of November 2023
Vermont does not offer any sort of necropsy service. Local vets go through University of New Hampshire.