TThis album also illustrates why this bird was culled~she was a poor layer, was not feed thrifty, her hormones were not stable and, when under stress of molt, she had symptoms of a vitamin deficiency(walking backwards). When she was dissected, I saw poor development of villi in her small intestine(explains her absorption issues that kept her vitamin deficient) and very few rugae(folds of ridges in the wall of an organ) in her gizzard. All other organs were healthy except an underdeveloped ovary. She had a wry tail and uneven pelvis, though it was wide enough to allow egg passage if she had been a good layer.
She has been very healthy in appearance and vigor, is only 1 1/2 yr old, and has had no health issues until this severe molt...which could even have been caused by her absorption problems, as she had already had a molt earlier on this summer.
