I got the final pathology report on my Isbar girl that I took for euthansia and necropsy. The primary cause of death was perforation of the gizzard by a screw. Secondary was extremely high iron level (150x normal) from the breakdown of the six screws in her gizzard. An incidental finding was bumblefoot lesions on the pads of both feet! That really shocked me because when I noticed she was sick, I checked for that. I couldn't see anything but I guess when they opened the food pads they saw infection.
"Focal ulcer diffusely colonized with multiple, small bacterial colonies (cocci) and mineralization foci. The subjacent connective tissue is diffusely edematous and diffusely infiltrated with numerous heterophils."
We had just put down our roo for infection in his foot that went systemic. He was in a different coop than this girl. I have decided that my roosts are probably too high and they are injuring their feet jumping down. I am going to lower all the roosts tomorrow. After the fall asleep I am going to take them down and examine everyone's feet. But I am not sure if that will do any good since I didn't see hers. It has to be from jumping down to the floor because their yards are thick green grass with just a small path of decomposed granite.
RIP poor little Cream Legbar girl. I should have taken better care of you. Michael should have been more careful when building the coop, not leaving screws lying around. You deserved better and from what happened to you I have learned a lot.
