There’s an old myth floating around that “Chickens just drop dead without warning”. Nothing outside of a mythical realm just “drops dead”. Unfortunately, the reality is that chickens are so well adapted to hide their pain and distress, that they may appear to “drop dead” to the untrained eye. For anyone caring for chooks, it is crucial to learn how to read their pain behaviors to identity issues early. From there, identifying what may be going on for the bird can be a whole other ball game. That’s where we come in.

Perform a distance exam

Our first step in examining a chicken is to observe them from a distance. Birds are masters of hiding illness, so it's important to watch for subtle changes in behavior. If you notice a chicken sitting fluffed up for a long time, not eating, or looking generally unwell, they may be seriously sick. This "sick bird look" often signals a critical condition.

Note that If the chicken's comb has turned bluish or purple, they're struggling to breathe, can't stand, or their eyes are mostly closed, they're likely in severe distress. At-home treatment will not be enough in these cases, and a vet or euthanasia is recommended.

Breathing assessment:

Assess her breathing prior to handling, to avoid placing extra stress on the bird.

• Mild: Look for open-mouth breathing, even if it's only occasional. This is never normal.

• Moderate: A bobbing tail is a sign of moderate respiratory distress, as the bird actively
  sucks air in and out quickly.

• Severe: If persistently open mouth breathing, your bird is in severe distress and should
  be seen by an avian vet or euthanased on welfare grounds.

Handling a sick bird requires a gentle touch

Chickens lack a diaphragm. This means that squeezing their body too tightly can make it harder for them to breathe. Instead, support their wings and back while gently holding them. When handling, avoid flipping them onto their back if at all possible, as this will make breathing more difficult for them as organs and fluids flop heavily onto their lungs and air sacs.

Be aware that the stress from handling a very sick bird may push their weak heart over the edge. If the bird is stressed and struggling to breathe, place her in a quiet, dark space and let her calm down before coming back.

When examining her body, use a systematic approach, starting at the head and working your way down.

Comb and Wattles:

• Healthy comb and wattles should be red and clear. Be aware that color is usually slightly
  darker during the laying season.

• Abnormal variations in color can indicate health issues:

  • Pale color: Usually indicates anemia from blood loss. Check for wounds or Red Mites. Beware bleeding may occur inside the body from trauma or clotting disorders.

  • Dark, purplish color: Shock, respiratory distress. This is bad news and an end stage sign of disease.

  • White film: Yeast infection. This surface dwelling yeast can be easily treated with topical treatments, but always question if there may be an underlying issue causing immunosuppression.

  • Warts: Pox virus. We see both a wet form and dry form in NZ.

  • Dry, shrunken comb which may flop: Dehydration, usually critical.

  • Swelling: Consider fowl cholera, a nasty disease with long-lasting repercussions.

Eyes:

Healthy eyes are clean and clear.

• Abnormal signs:

  • Graying iris: Often a sign of ocular lymphoma, indicative of Marek's disease.

  • Persistently constricted pupil: Another potential symptom of Marek's disease.

  • Mucous discharge: Sinus infection. Bird pus turns hard very quickly, so this may accompany swollen sinuses, which can be very difficult to treat.

  • Swollen sinuses: Sinus infection.

Mouth:

Place the palm of your hand on the back of the head and stabilize the beak with your thumb and forefinger. Be gentle but firm. A gentle pressure on either side of the beak can encourage the bird to open her mouth for examination.

• White plaques: Yeast infection. THis infection may continue down the food pipe or windpipe, making treatment more tricky.

• Stringy mucous: May indicate a respiratory infection or dehydration.

• Blunted papilla: These are the pointy things on the roof of the mouth. When rounded, this may indicate a vitamin A deficiency.

Crop:

Gently feel the crop, a pouch at the base of the neck. This pouch is a food storage chamber, which slowly empties into the stomach. A healthy crop should contain some food throughout the day and chooks forage constantly. If empty at any time other than first thing in the morning, she is likely not eating.

“Pendulous Crop” is when the crop becomes distended and stretched, making it difficult for the organ to retract back into place. This can look quite startling, and hang off the front of the hen, putting her off-balance. A crop may not be emptying due to infection of the crop lining, a gut flora upset, nerve damage (e.g. from Marek’s disease or toxins), or parasites. When severe it can be very difficult to resolve.

Skin:

Examine the skin all over the body. Be gentle in parting the feathers, especially during the molting season when new feathers may make her extra sensitive. Note that bruising in birds appears green.

• Check for wounds: Predator attacks may occur anywhere on the body depending on the predator. Chooks will also bully each other and feather pluck, roosters may cause trauma over the neck and head especially with their “favorite” girls, and chooks may even pluck at themselves in times of stress. Beware tooth punctures from predators are often small and unseen, but will still require antibiotics to prevent deathly infection setting in.

• External parasites: These may appear as dark dust or white egg sacs, often particularly prevalent over the base of the tail.

• Preen gland: THis is a small gland on the lower back, at the base of the tail, which may become swollen with infection.

Vent:

The “vent” is the name for the opening under the tail, which looks similar from the outside, in both hens and roosters. A healthy vent is pink and should reflexively "wink" when touched.

• Messy sticky feathers: May indicate diarrhoea or pus. Infection will commonly be coming from the fallopian tube (oviduct) in hens. This will require veterinary treatment or euthanasia and can have long term repercussions for your flock if unaddressed.

• Prolapsed vent: This is common in high-laying hens and, requires urgent treatment and a rest from laying, to save her life.

• Swollen vent: Vent infections may occur in both hens and roosters, and can be bacterial, parasitic, or yeast, in nature.

• Tight swelling below the vent: This is a sign of a distended abdomen and can herald serious health problems, such as an infected uterus or fluid buildup. High-laying hens may also develop laxity of the pelvic floor. A vet will be required.

Keel bone:

This is the name of the breastbone, which runs between the legs of chickens.

• Body Condition Score: A healthy chicken's keel bone should have a gentle slope on either side, putting her at a body condition score 2.5-3 A sunken keel bone may indicate an underweight bird, while squish padding on either side suggests excessive fat deposits. Often chooks are sunken on either side with very little muscle mass remaining by the time illness is noticed. This body condition score of “1” means she is emaciated
  and should generally be euthanized on welfare grounds unless the problem can be immediately and swiftly resolved.

• Green pooling: If you notice green discolouration around the keel and base of the legs, this usually indicates pooling of blood from internal bleeding, for example from rat bait toxicity.

Legs:

• Scales: Check the legs for scaly leg mites, which cause raised, rough scales.

• Soles of the feet: Look for black scabs or swelling on the bottom of the feet, indicating a bacterial infection called bumblefoot.

• Swollen joints: If multiple toes are swollen, you’re likely looking at articular gout, which may also affect the internal organs. Consider protein and calcium intake, or kidney disease.

Leg reflexes:

If able to be laid safely on their back, then lay your finger in their grasp and gently push toward the body. A healthy chook should wrap their toes around your finger like a human newborn would. If toes remain floppy this may indicate nerve damage (eg Marek's disease), trauma or a very weak bird).

When to Seek Veterinary Care

If you notice any of the above symptoms of suffering, or have concerns about your chicken's health, it is important to consult a veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment. Early intervention can often improve the chances of a successful recovery.

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