Spot problems early

Healthy chickens look busy

Chickens are prey animals, and they hide illness until they are quite sick. That makes your daily glance at the flock the most useful health tool you have. A healthy hen is alert, active, eating and drinking, and moving with the group. Learn what normal looks like for your birds so changes stand out.

This page is general information for beginners, not veterinary advice. When a bird is seriously ill, injured, or several birds are sick, contact a veterinarian. Report sudden deaths or signs of bird flu right away (see below).

Warning signs to act on

If you see any of these, separate the bird into a dog crate or box in a quiet, warm place with feed and water. This protects the flock and lets you watch her eating and droppings closely.

Common problems in backyard flocks

Mites and lice

Look under the feathers near the vent and under the wings. Lice are small, fast-moving insects; mites can be tiny red or dark specks, often found on roosts at night. Signs include feather loss, pale combs, and itchy, restless birds. Clean the coop and treat birds with a product labeled for poultry, following the label for egg use.

Internal parasites (worms)

Weight loss, pale combs, and reduced laying can point to worms. A veterinarian or diagnostic lab can check a fecal sample so you treat only when needed and with the right product.

Coccidiosis

A parasite most dangerous to chicks and young birds. Signs include bloody or watery droppings, lethargy, and fluffed-up chicks. Keep brooder bedding dry and use medicated starter or vaccinated chicks. It can move fast, so call a vet or your supplier promptly if you suspect it.

Respiratory illness

Sneezing, rattling, bubbly eyes, or swollen faces can come from several infectious diseases, some of which stay in a flock long term. Isolate the bird and get a diagnosis rather than guessing. Poor ventilation and ammonia make respiratory problems worse.

Bumblefoot

A swollen footpad, often with a dark scab, caused by infection. Rough or high roosts and hard landings contribute. Mild cases may respond to cleaning and care, but deeper infections need a vet.

Egg binding

A hen straining, walking like a penguin, or sitting fluffed and uncomfortable may have an egg stuck. Warmth and calcium can help mild cases, but this can become an emergency. Call a vet if she does not pass the egg soon.

Crop problems

The crop should be empty by morning. A crop that stays full, hard, or squishy and smells sour can mean impacted or sour crop. Long grass clippings and stringy foods are common causes.

Pasty butt (chicks)

Droppings dry over a chick's vent and block it. Check daily in the first week and gently clean with warm water.

Marek's disease

A viral disease that can cause paralysis, tumors, and death, usually in young birds. There is no treatment, but a vaccine given to day-old chicks at the hatchery is widely available. Ask for it.

Heat stress and frostbite

Panting with wings held away from the body means a hen is too hot; move her to shade and offer cool water. Frostbite shows up as pale, gray, or black tips on combs and wattles, and is mostly caused by moisture in a cold coop. Improve ventilation and keep bedding dry.

Pecking injuries

Chickens peck at red, bleeding spots, which can turn a small wound into a serious one. Separate injured birds until healed. Crowding and boredom make pecking worse.

When to call a vet

• Several birds are sick at once, or birds die suddenly.
• A bird has trouble breathing, a swollen face, or neurological signs such as twisted neck, stumbling, or paralysis.
• Deep wounds, broken bones, or predator injuries.
• Egg binding or a prolapsed vent that does not improve quickly.
• A bird stops eating and drinking for more than a day.
• You are unsure what you are looking at.

Not every vet sees chickens. Call clinics before you need one and ask whether they treat poultry. Avian vets, farm or mixed-animal vets, and some exotic-pet clinics often do. Your county extension office can also suggest local help.

If a bird dies and you want to know why, many states have animal diagnostic laboratories that can examine it (a necropsy). This can tell you whether the rest of the flock is at risk. Ask your vet or state veterinarian's office how to submit a bird.

Report sudden deaths and possible bird flu

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) can spread quickly and kill many birds. Signs include sudden death without warning, lack of energy and appetite, a big drop in egg production, swelling or purple discoloration of the head, comb, wattles, or legs, nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, and diarrhea.

If you see sudden deaths or several sick birds, report it right away to your state veterinarian or to the USDA at 1-866-536-7593. Do not move birds off your property.

Find more in our biosecurity guide and at USDA's Defend the Flock program.

Medicines and eggs

Many medicines are not labeled for laying hens, and some require you to throw away eggs for a set time after treatment (a withdrawal period). Read the label, and ask a vet before using any drug on hens whose eggs you eat. In the United States, most antibiotics for animals now require a veterinarian's prescription, so a relationship with a local vet matters.

A simple chicken first-aid kit

• Disposable gloves and a headlamp
• A dog crate or large box for isolation, with an old towel
• Saline or clean water for flushing wounds
• A wound spray or ointment labeled safe for poultry (avoid products with "-caine" pain relievers)
• Gauze, vet wrap, and small scissors
• Electrolytes for poultry, and a dropper or syringe without a needle
• Phone numbers for your vet, extension office, and state veterinarian

Keeping people healthy too

Chickens can carry Salmonella even when they look healthy. Wash hands after touching birds, eggs, or equipment. Keep chicken shoes outside, keep birds out of the house, and supervise young children closely. The CDC backyard poultry page explains more.