Chickens have a mysterious way of getting sick very suddenly! However, it’s probably not that they get sick very suddenly, it’s they often don’t make their symptoms apparent until it’s too late. That makes it very hard on us chicken keepers though. One way to keep track of your flock’s health is by performing a routine chicken health check on each bird. I do a health check on my entire flock every month to be sure that I don’t miss any hidden signs of illness.

a Favorelle hen free-ranging in the woods during the fall
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Chicken Health Check

A monthly chicken health check is helpful for monitoring your whole flock’s health as well as each individual’s health. If you see a re-occurring issue in multiple birds as you check your flock, then you know that there is a factor that is affecting the entire flock. This is more than likely an environmental factor, especially if you have a mixed flock.

If a certain issue only shows up in one bird, then you may have a case-specific problem. However, it could also be the beginning of a disease that is spreadable and contagious. Genetics, breed, and strains within breeds also are sometimes prone to certain ailments.

Consider these things when doing a flock health check. Let’s get started!

a backyard hen being held for a chicken health check
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First…. Observe

First observe your flock. Notice how each bird interacts with the other birds. Look at individual birds to see if they look and act normal. Here are a few sign to look for to indicate a healthy chicken:

  • interacts with others in the flock
  • posture is upright and alert- may vary according to breed
  • feathers are held in the normal position against the body
  • walks and runs with a normal gait
  • no visible signs of lumps, cuts, or other abnormalities

To get a good idea of overall flock health, I highly recommend installing a droppings board or poop sling below the roosts in your coop. This allows you to do a health assessment every morning when you clean up the droppings. Chicken poop can tell you a lot about the health of your flock!

Now that you have a general idea of the health your flock, it’s time to examine each bird individually. Chickens are masters at disguising their illnesses, so looks may be deceiving. A chicken may be acting normally, but they are trying to cover up an illness or issue. I start by picking up the bird that I want to examine and hold it in one hand. I put my index finger between its legs and my thumb grips one thigh and the rest of my fingers grip the other thigh.

the beard and muffs of a Favorelle hen being examined for external parasites
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Head:

I then examine the head area. Look for these key things to indicate a healthy bird:

  • bright red comb and wattles
  • no torn flesh and no blood
  • a well shaped beak
  • no fowl (pun un-intended) smell coming from the face
  • no mucus coming from the nostrils
  • bright, alert eyes
  • no parasites or parasite eggs in the head feathers
  • for bearded and muffed breeds, check those feathers carefully for parasites
the wing feathers of a backyard hen being examined during a health check
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Feathers:

Next I examine the plumage of the bird. A healthy bird will have minimal torn or broken feathers and no blood from plucked feathers. Shiny, glossy feathers are also a sign of good health, although good laying hens may have a duller look to their feathers. This is because the good layers put their energy into producing eggs, not glossy, new feathers.

If you have a cock roaming with your hens you may see broken feathers or bare skin on the back of the hen. This is from the cock treading on the hen when he mates with her. You may also notice feathers missing on the head from when the cock grabs the hen’s feathers to balance himself on her back.

a tan chicken saddle on the back of hen who has been over-mated by the rooster
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A chicken saddle is handy for protecting the back of a hen who gets a little too much attention from a cock. The chicken saddle covers the back of a hen and is strapped around the wings to keep it in place. I make my own chicken saddles using fleece and elastic, but there are many designs online that you can buy. Make sure you make/get the right size saddle for the size hen you are putting it on. If it is too big it will slip off and if it is too tight it will cause chaffing and possibly broken feathers.

the vent area of a backyard hen being checked for external parasites
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Vent:

Next I flip the bird upside down, pressing its back against my body while still keeping my hold on its legs. I part the feathers where the vent is to examine for these things:

  • vent is moist and wide, means that the hen is laying (only for hens, not for cocks)
  • no parasites or parasite eggs (lice and mites)
  • feathers don’t have poop or diarrhea stuck to them
  • no blood

If the vent is dry and shaped more like a circle then the hen is not laying. A favorite spot for parasites is right around the vent and above the vent. Look for a build up of parasite eggs at the base of the feathers surrounding the vent. The eggs will look like tiny, white balls all caked together. I look for blood because blood could be a sign of a serious disease, a pro-lapsed vent, or parasites. Poop stuck to the feathers could be another sign of serious illness. Diarrhea and poop caked feathers can indicate a worm infestation as well.

the feathered legs of a Favorelle hen being examined for abnormalities
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Legs:

I also examine the legs and feet of the bird. The legs should have even scales covering the whole leg and no raised, torn, or bloody spots. Lumpy scales on the leg along with visible debris under the scales are signs of scaly leg mites.

On breeds that heave feathered feet or shanks, check those feathers for proper growth or to see if they are covering up any abnormalities on the shanks.

Examine the spurs on roosters (and some hens) and make sure they are not hindering the movement of the bird. Make sure the spur is not curving around and puncturing the leg on older roosters with longer spurs.

the toes of a hen being examined for bumblefoot
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Feet:

Examine the feet of a bird for these signs:

  • smooth scales on toes
  • no broken or bent toes
  • bumblefoot on foot pad
  • abnormal lumps
  • torn nails or long nails

The chicken shown above had her toes affected by frostbite. Thankfully we were able to treat the frostbite and she only lost the tips of her toes. She is just fine now and happily goes about her daily routine like a normal chicken.

Bumblefoot is a staph infection of the foot pad and depending on its severity, could cause the bird to limp. In extreme cases the staph infection moves from the foot into the rest of the body and becomes fatal. Bumblefoot looks like a black dot on the bird’s foot pad. In its early stages the black dot will be small, no bigger than a flax seed. If left un-treated, the staph infection will make the black spot grow to a size larger than a pea.

Abnormal lumps on the feet could be a sign of gout, which is often caused by excess protein in the diet. Gout is not too common in backyard chickens, but it is a good dietary-caused issue to be aware of.

the breast bone of a chicken starts about midway down the chest
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Breast/Abdomen:

I then move to the breast bone of the chicken. Check the straightness of the bone and see if there are any blisters on the skin. Also feel for meat around the breast bone. If you cannot feel or find the breast bone, then the bird is more than likely fat, which means if it is a hen then it won’t be laying. You should be able to feel the breast bone on good layers and there should be some meat on either side of the bone. A bird is too thin if you can feel the bone and there is no meat on either side of it, also the thighs of the bird may feel thin and not plump.

Fatness is often caused by dietary factors along with not enough exercise. Thinness is often caused by parasites and disease.

Also feel the abdomen for any very hard lumps or bulges. The abdomen is the area between the legs and below the vent. Lumps or bulges could indicate that a hen is egg bound, a build up of fluid or fat, or internal laying. An extremely firm abdomen could mean the build up of a fat pad, which is dangerous. Be careful not to mistake an about-to-be-laid egg for something serious. You should be able to tell the difference though by the position, shape, and hardness that you feel.

a backyard hen wearing a chicken saddle while free-ranging
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Crop:

Last of all I feel the crop of the chicken. I make sure it feels squishy and full. In the morning the crop will feel small (if you can find it) and in the evening it should feel full (and maybe even look full!). If the crop does not feel full in the evening then the bird is more than likely not eating and may feel very thin. A full, hard crop could indicate crop-impaction or sour crop. Sour smelling breath would also accompany sour crop.

a Buff Orpington hen exhibiting symptoms of a sick chicken
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Signs of a Sick Chicken

Although chickens try their best to disguise their illness, at some point the illness will begin to show through. A really sick chicken may show one or more of these signs:

  • pale comb, wattles, and face; comb and wattles may be very thin and shriveled
  • hunched, ruffled look; drooping tail
  • dull eyes, lack of interest in its surroundings
  • diarrhea
  • not eating or drinking
  • difficulty walking
  • gasping, sneezing, sinus discharge

Always quarantine a sick or potentially sick bird. This will protect it from getting picked on by the others and protect the others from potentially getting the same illness. Identify and treat the issue as best you can. For more resources on monitoring the health of your flock, check out this information:

an orange leg band on the leg of a Silver Leghorn hen
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I use leg bands to help me identify birds that need to be treated for a mild disease (like bumblefoot) or need some other kind of additional care. These can be very helpful if you have several birds of the same coloring that need to be treated.

a backyard chicken foraging in the fall leaves while free-ranging
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Conducting a health check of your flock frequently can help you catch any illness before it becomes dangerous. Make a schedule for yourself and stick to it as best you can. Chicken diseases, illnesses, and issues can appear rapidly and suddenly!  Also practice good bio-security and cleanliness. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Observe and check your flock regularly to maintain a healthy and happy flock of backyard chickens!

Are you part of our modern pioneer community yet? We would love for you to join us on our adventure of raising chickens on the homestead and creating a more self-sufficient lifestyle! You can even get a copy of our Raising Chickens Like a Pioneer when you sign up to our weekly newsletter!

by Alexa

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Performing a Chicken Health Check- this step-by-step guide will walk you through examining a chicken from head to toe so you can keep a healthy backyard flock! | The Pioneer Chicks | raising chickens | chicken health | natural chicken keeping | #chickens #holisticremedies #homesteading
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Performing a Chicken Health Check- this step-by-step guide will walk you through examining a chicken from head to toe so you can keep a healthy backyard flock! | The Pioneer Chicks | raising chickens | chicken health | natural chicken keeping | #chickens #holisticremedies #homesteading
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