Signs of Illness
Understanding your birds
It's important to understand your birds normal behaviour, any changes from ‘normal’ can indicate a health problem. While dogs and cats can easily show you when something isn’t quite right, poultry are prey animals, and hide signs of illness … sometimes until it’s too late!
Look out for early signs:
Behaviour - watch your birds from a distance. Sick birds may hold back from the rest of the flock, look withdrawn or hunched with their tail feathers down
Bullying - your birds may have settled the pecking order, but this is never set in stone! If a bird becomes unwell, they may become subject to pecking, and attacks by flock mates. Separate any birds that are being bullied for their safety and monitor closely
Weight loss - regularly pick up your birds to feel their weight, check the muscle padding either side of the keel/ breastbone (body condition). If their keel bone becomes more noticeable, it could indicate weight loss and cause for concern
Eating less - check the crop to see if your bird has actually eaten. Birds will often go through the motion of eating, and hang around the feeder - it looks like they are eating, but the crop may be empty
Changes in faeces - less brown parts, and more water and white, can indicate less feed intake. Check around the vent - wet faeces can stick to the vent feathers
Stopped laying - during times of stress or illness, birds may stop laying
As birds become more unwell, additional sick bird signs include:
Staying in the coop/nest box more than usual - to hide out of sight and avoid conflict with other birds
Significant weight loss - birds feel very thin, with very little padding around the keel bone
Looking fluffed up - birds fluff up their feathers, usually to stay warm
Reluctant to move around and hunched - birds can be very still and will take a few steps only when gently encouraged, but quickly sink back into a hunched posture
Long, slow blinks - a sign of pain in birds
What can you do at home:
Ensure your bird can access food and water - they sometimes prefer comfort food, try mashed, soaked layers pellets. Add an electrolyte or multivitamin to drinking water
It’s important to monitor any sick birds very closely. Make a note of any changes (even subtle changes), as this can help your vet to put the jigsaw pieces together, and ultimately help your bird!
If your bird isn’t eating or drinking for longer than 24 hours, and has some of the signs above - contact your vet
Knowing how to perform a health check (see training courses) can help you to identify problems, before they become a serious concern. Regularly perform the following checks, in a suspected sick bird:
Monitor demeanour, and behaviour with other birds
Weigh your bird (baby scales are ideal)
Check their body condition
Check the crop (should be empty in the morning, but contain food when they go to bed)
Check faeces and vent
If unsure, make an appointment with a poultry savvy vet
Book an appointment with the Chicken Clinic -
Video calls for advice
Home visit for a health check and to prescribe poultry friendly medicines if needed.