Spending a little time each day observing your poultry will help you to notice when any of them start to become unwell or have a change in their behaviour. Chickens are notorious for being a little tricky to diagnose, but there are some basic things to look out for to help you see to your flock before they get too sick. A sick hen can go down-hill very quickly so being aware of any changes as soon as they occur could save a chicken's life.
Healthy Poultry Checklist
Sick Poultry Checklist
Just one or many of these signs could mean that your hen is unwell and best to be checked over by a vet as soon as possible.
Healthy Poultry Checklist
- Comb should be red (and upright in certain breeds)
- Comb should be blemish free
- Eats and drinks normally
- Happily forages and roams the yard
- Walks well
- Legs and feet are clean looking and flake free
- Breathing is normal
- Breath is odourless
- Crop should be firm but not hard or squishy
- Regular egg laying
- Clean bottom/vent
- Dust bathes
- Eyes and nose are clear
Sick Poultry Checklist
- Fluffed up feathers
- Hunched with tail down
- Pale comb (and floppy in certain breeds)
- Blemished comb
- Unwilling to walk and forage like usual
- Limping
- Laying on the ground frequently throughout the day
- Sleepy appearance
- Unable to eat and drink properly or completely refusing
- Dirty bottom/vent
- Drooping wing feathers
- Strange droppings - e.g. very smelly, watery, discoloured or bloody
- Off egg laying
- Standing by herself away from the others
- Lack of interest in her surroundings
- Bad breath smell
- Squishy or very hard crop
- Legs and feet are scabby, peeling, discoloured and thickened
Just one or many of these signs could mean that your hen is unwell and best to be checked over by a vet as soon as possible.
What you can do
Questions to ask
- Check their yard and shedding for any signs of parasites and bugs
- Check their droppings for signs of wateriness, blood or worms
- Check for signs of a struggle with an intruder. e.g. feathers on the ground
- Make sure the hen is out of direct sunlight and made comfortable
- Place her in an isolation coop (prevent cross contamination with the rest of the flock or hen-pecking the injured)
- Do not delay in helping your sick hen as they can do down-hill very quickly once symptoms begin
- Clean the coop and yard (preferably after a vet has visited)
Questions to ask
- Have you wormed your flock lately?
- Do they have access to clean fresh water?
- Is the food source contaminated?
- Are you feeding them scraps that are dangerous or not good for poultry?
- Has something new been introduced into their diet?
- Do they get a lot of treats?
- Has the pecking order become a bigger issue or has there been fighting?
- Has another pet been chasing the flock?
- Are they dust bathing and preening a lot more than normal?
- Have new hens been introduced into your yard lately and mixed with your existing flock?
- Do a lot of pigeons visit your yard?
- Do you regularly cut the long grass?
- When was the last time the coop was thoroughly cleaned and dusted for mites?
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