Raising backyard chickens can be an incredibly rewarding experience. However when one of your beloved birds becomes ill it can cause stress and uncertainty. Knowing what to do when you have a sick chicken is crucial for getting your feathered friend back to good health. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through the steps for caring for an ailing hen and tips for preventing illness in your flock.
Recognizing a Sick Chicken
The first step is identifying symptoms of illness in your chickens. Healthy chickens are active, have bright red combs and wattles, clear eyes, and smooth, well-groomed feathers. Be on the lookout for these signs of sickness:
- Lethargy or lack of energy
- Decreased appetite or decrease in egg production
- Pale or discolored comb/wattles
- Runny nose, eyes, coughing, sneezing
- Difficulty breathing
- Diarrhea, bloody stool, or abnormal droppings
- Swelling around eyes, head, comb, or wattles
- Lameness or trouble walking
- Wounds, abscesses, or visible parasites
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s time to take action. Catching illness early makes treatment easier.
Isolate the Sick Chicken
Once you’ve identified a sick chicken, quarantine her away from the flock immediately. House the hen in a warm, safe enclosure like a dog crate or rabbit cage. Isolating her prevents spreading disease and protects from bullying.
Disinfect any equipment used for the sick bird before using it for healthy chickens. Wear disposable gloves when handling the ill hen and wash hands thoroughly afterwards.
Limit contact between the isolated chicken and healthy flock. Caring for the sick chicken last each day reduces passing illness through your clothes or boots.
Offer Supportive Care
With your chicken separated, focus on supportive care to comfort her and help strengthen her immune system.
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Ensure she’s hydrated Provide clean, fresh water at all times Add electrolytes or vitamins to boost her intake. Use a dropper if she won’t drink on her own.
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Offer nourishing foods. Make a mash by crushing pellets and mixing with yogurt or scrambled eggs. Hand feed her if needed.
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Keep her warm. Use a heat lamp or snuggle safe disc in her enclosure during recovery.
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Let her rest. A dark calm space reduces stress levels. Limit handling and maintenance of the pen.
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Check on her often. Observe for changes in symptoms or behavior every few hours.
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Clean the pen daily. Replace soiled bedding to prevent further illness. Scoop out manure and uneaten food.
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Treat symptoms. Use [remedies] for diarrhea, respiratory issues, parasites, etc. Monitor how she responds.
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Call a vet if needed. If symptoms persist or you’re unsure of the cause, consult an avian veterinarian.
With attentive home care, many common chicken illnesses can be overcome. But call the vet immediately for any severe symptoms or sudden death in your flock.
Determine the Cause
Once you’ve stabilized your sick chicken and met her basic needs, investigate potential causes. Ask these questions:
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How old is the bird? Chicks/pullets under 17 weeks are prone to different issues than mature hens.
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When did symptoms start? Acute or chronic timeline provides clues.
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Any changes to environment or diet? New stressors can trigger illness.
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Are other birds showing symptoms? Contagious diseases spread through flock.
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Parasites or pests seen? Check for mites, lice, worms.
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Any past health issues? Previous diseases like Marek’s make chickens vulnerable.
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Could she have eaten something toxic? Look for access to poisonous plants, chemicals.
Common chicken sicknesses include parasitic infections, respiratory illnesses, viral/bacterial diseases, and more. Identifying the cause lets you tailor treatment for your bird. If unsure, call your state veterinary diagnostic lab to help identify through testing.
Treat the Illness
Treatment depends on the specific sickness diagnosed. Here are some common chicken ailments and associated care:
External Parasites: Dust baths, poultry dust, essential oils, vet-prescribed sprays
Respiratory Infection: Increase ventilation, nebulize area with oils, antibiotics from vet
Impacted Crop: Gentle crop massage, warm oils, epsom salt baths, vet may lance crop
Egg Bound: Hydration, warmth, olive/mineral oil, possible calcium injections from vet
Fowl Pox: Isolate from flock, essential oils, immune boosters, prevent mosquitos
Marek’s Disease: Isolate, cull to prevent spreading, vaccinate young chicks
Internal Parasites: Dewormers from feed store or vet, probiotics, immune boosters
Always follow product labels and vet instructions when medicating chickens. Only give antibiotics prescribed for that specific bird and illness. Monitor how she responds to treatment and tweak as needed.
Be prepared that not every bird can be saved. Sometimes humane euthanasia is the right call. Know your emergency avian vets and have a plan for how to humanely put a chicken down if her suffering becomes too great.
Disinfect the Coop
Before returning your chicken to the flock, do a deep clean of the coop to eradicate any lingering illness.
Remove all bedding and wash down the interior with soap and water. Spray vinegar over perches, nest boxes, feeders.
Disinfect with products like Oxine or Kleengreen that won’t harm your chickens. Rinse and allow to fully dry.
Replace bedding, roosts, hardware with clean materials. Use this opportunity to make any repairs needed to improve ventilation or drainage.
Finally, monitor your recovering hen to ensure she stays healthy before re-introducing her. Quarantine for a week or two more if uncertain.
Prevent Future Illness in Your Flock
While some sicknesses can feel unpredictable, many can be avoided by taking these key prevention steps:
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Buy chicks only from NPIP-certified hatcheries
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Quarantine new birds before adding to flock
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Regularly check for parasites and treat as needed
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Clean coop weekly – remove manure, uneaten food, etc
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Improve ventilation and drainage areas
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Avoid overcrowding birds
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Offer flock probiotics and immune boosters
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Limit stress – provide places to hide, roost, dust bathe
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Avoid introducing wild birds to flock
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Vaccinate for common diseases like Marek’s
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Remove sick birds immediately at first symptoms
Good biosecurity and flock management gives your chickens the best chance at robust health. Even still, illness happens. Now that you know what to do if you have a sick chicken, you can take swift action and nurse your precious hen back to health. With attentive care and some TLC, your feathered friend will soon be back to her happy, lively self!
What are the signs of an unhealthy backyard chicken?
- Sleepiness. Chooks do not sleep during the day – they should be alert and active
- May have a hunched up appearance, standing but looking uncomfortable
- They have a dirty vent (under the tail)
- Their eyes are watery, or you notice discharge
- Discharge or crusting around the beak or mouth
- Foul smelling breath
- Coughing or sneezing
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of weight, breast bone feels sharp and protruded
- Smelly, nasty droppings (a strong ammonia or sickly sweet smell)
- Sitting apart from the other chooks or being picked on
- Sitting all day on the nest (but not broody) or has an egg protruding
- Losing feathers (but not the normal moult)
- Stumbling
- Limping
- Scratching or pulling at feathers
- Constantly shaking their head to one side
In the below picture, you can see that the hen has a slightly hunched and uncomfortable looking stance. Other signs she was unwell included that she was standing on her own in the corner and was not interested in food. Contrastingly, shes usually the bossiest in the flock, pecking at boots and pushing the other hens out of the way for treats.
description: Surrounded by autumn moulting feathers, this Hy-Line Brown hen is showing signs she is unwell. Shes uncharacteristically standing on her own, has a slightly hunched-up stance and is refusing food.
What to do with sick backyard chickens
If you have the slightest suspicion you have a sick chook, isolate her immediately – don’t wait!
This will reduce your chickens stress and help stop the illness from spreading (if contagious).
What should you use to isolate a sick chicken? You should always have a separate cage, crate, pet carrier or chook pen on hand for sick chickens. A cage, crate or carrier with enough room for her to move around is ideal. Otherwise, a cardboard box (that you can then dispose of) and some netting or mesh over the top will be sufficient.
The best investment you will make in your backyard chicken’s health (and your peace of mind when you suspect you have a sick chicken!) is to buy a copy of The Chicken Health Handbook by Gail Damerow. Theres now even an Audible version! It lists the typical symptoms and treatment for common chicken diseases and conditions.
Stress and wet or dirty housing are the number one causes of illness for all types of chickens. However, rodents, flies, mosquitoes, and sparrows also carry disease; hence prevention is always better than cure.
But whats stressful to a chicken? See page 39 of my ebook, Simple Steps To Successful Backyard Chickens for things that cause stress for chickens.
Respiratory illnesses are very complex. They may be bacterial infections, viruses or mycoplasma infections. To add complexity, multiple pathogens can often be present at the same time, with a range of symptoms. This is a significant point that many keepers overlook. Unfortunately, chicken respiratory diseases are also often highly contagious between chickens.
Common respiratory diseases include:
Other illnesses you may encounter, particularly in younger birds:
Is My Chicken Sick? How to Treat Chickens Naturally
FAQ
How do you help a sick chicken?
Hydration is vital for a sick chicken. Offer clean, fresh water at all times. You can also add electrolytes to the water, especially if the chicken is dehydrated.
Will a sick chicken recover on its own?
The time it takes for an injured chicken to heal or a sick chicken to recover varies depending on the severity of the injury or disease. Some may need a few hours to recover, others may need a few days, weeks, or even months to be healthy enough to rejoin the flock.
What are the symptoms of a sick chicken?
- Lethargy, lack of energy, drooping wings.
- Loss of appetite.
- Swelling of the head, eyes, comb, wattles and hocks.
- Purple discoloration of the wattles, combs and legs.
- Nasal discharge.
- Coughing, wheezing, or sneezing.
- Lack of coordination or complete paralysis.
- Muscle tremors or twisted necks.
How do you care for a sick chicken?
Priority #1 is to provide a sick chicken with a quiet, protected, warm environment away from the flock where it can be observed closely. Separation from the flock keeps it protected from being bullied or pecked by other flock members and protects the rest of the flock from what may be a contagious condition.
What should I do if my hen is sick?
Additionally, to prevent spreading disease, care for the sick chicken AFTER you’ve fed, watered, and collected eggs from the rest of your hens. In the case of very contagious illnesses, wear boot covers or place a foot bath of bleach water just outside the pen.
How do you feed a sick chicken?
Food is much less critical than water initially for a sick bird. If the chicken is not eating independently, they can be fed by spoon, dropper, syringe or tube fed a liquid diet. Layer feed can be can be crushed with warm water or warm milk to make a soupy mash, which a sick chicken may find enticing when little else does.
How do you know if a chicken is sick?
Common indications of a sick chicken include: hiding, inactivity, pale comb or wattles, unusual droppings, unusual posture, lethargy, lack of appetite and reduced egg production- all indications that closer observation is needed.
Do chickens need care if they’re sick?
Most of the time, chickens require very little care and illnesses are less common in a well-maintained coop. Hopefully, you’ll be buying your chickens gifts more often than taking care of then when they’re sick. But it’s necessary to be able to identify symptoms of chicken illness in your flock.
How do you get a sick chicken to eat eggs?
Naturally, an egg will provide small amounts of all the essential nutrients a chicken needs. Try offering scrambled, boiled, or fried eggs to a sick chicken. If eggs don’t work, try cooked chicken, another cooked meat, or dried grubs. Something natural and meaty may encourage curiosity and an appetite.