Flock health
Hen Health Check: A Hands-On Checklist, Warning Signs and Finding a Vet or Lab
The first clue to a sick hen is often small: a bird that stands apart, a pale comb, a crop that is still full in the morning. Extension specialists stress knowing what a healthy bird looks like, so that changes stand out early. This page turns Ohio State's physical-exam guide and other extension publications into a head-to-tail checklist. It also covers which signs to report right away and how to find a poultry vet or a state diagnostic lab.
Short version: watch the flock first, then handle one bird at a time, early in the morning, wearing gloves. Work from comb to feet: bright red comb, clear eyes, clean nostrils, an empty crop before breakfast, firm breast muscle on both sides of the keel, a clean pink vent, smooth leg scales and flat footpads. Sudden deaths, swelling or purple color on the head or legs, breathing trouble or a twisted neck are signs to report the same day. HenClass does not give veterinary advice or doses.
Watch before you handle
A healthy bird stands erect with its head and tail up, struggles powerfully when held, eats and drinks often and breathes easily (Jacob, Poultry Extension). Ohio State's VME-20 adds that it is bright, alert and responsive, interacts with the flock and keeps laying. Tennessee State says to watch older birds regularly so you know their normal activity, and to check chicks every day.
Ohio State names three reasons to pick a bird up for a closer look: it keeps apart from the flock, it is reluctant to move, or it eats or drinks less. Maryland's FS-1178 adds dullness (less preening, dust bathing and foraging), lethargy with eyes closed, no reaction to people or sudden sounds, and a hunched posture with ruffled feathers and drooping wings. Panting is usually heat stress but can also mean illness (see heat stress).
Before you pick her up
- Time it. Check the crop first thing in the morning, before the birds eat (Maryland EBR-60). Ohio State also suggests early-morning handling in summer.
- Protect yourself. Wear disposable gloves, then wash your hands and clothes afterwards. Some poultry diseases can infect people even when the bird shows no signs (Ohio State).
- Hold her correctly. Reach over the back and hold the wings down. Lift her with your fingers between her legs and support the keel (breastbone) with your other hand. If she is stressed, a light cloth over her head calms her (Ohio State).
- Don't squeeze or hang her. Pressing on the chest or keel can impair breathing. Holding her upside down for long can cause regurgitation and aspiration pneumonia. If she pants or struggles to breathe, put her down and finish later (Ohio State).
- Comb and wattles: bright red and firm, not pale, shrunken or crusted (Ohio State)
- Eyes: bright, round, wide open and clear; copper-to-red iris (Ohio State)
- Nostrils and beak: clean nostrils; smooth beak whose tips meet (Ohio State)
- Crop: empty and hard to find before the morning feed (Maryland EBR-60)
- Breast and keel: full, firm muscle on both sides of the breastbone (Ohio State)
- Wings: extend each one; no swelling, cuts or sign of pain (Ohio State)
- Feathers and skin: feathers flat and preened; part them to look for lice and mites (Ohio State)
- Vent: shiny pink, with clean feathers around it (Ohio State)
- Abdomen and pubic bones: deep and soft in a laying hen, bones wide apart (Mississippi State)
- Legs, joints and feet: smooth tight scales, smooth cool joints, flat clean footpads (Ohio State; Jacob)
Head-to-tail checklist
| Check | Normal | Look closer if you see |
|---|---|---|
| Comb and wattles | Bright red and turgid (Ohio State); blue in breeds such as the Silkie (Jacob). Layers' combs are larger and darker red, then fade and shrink during the molt or when laying stops (NC State). | Pale (possible anemia or blood loss); shrunken and dry (dehydration); black crusting scabs (possible fowl pox) (Ohio State). Swelling or purple color: report it (APHIS). |
| Eyes | Bright, round, wide open, clear, no discharge; iris copper to red (Ohio State) | Gray iris or ragged pupil edge (possible Marek's disease); crusting with bubbles in the corners (upper respiratory infection) (Ohio State); swelling around the eyes (UGA, APHIS) |
| Nostrils and beak | Clean, no discharge, crusts or scratches; beak smooth, tips meeting in a point (Ohio State) | Mucus or discharge, sneezing, coughing (Ohio State, UGA); a cracked or uneven beak |
| Mouth | Sharp papillae on the cleft in the roof of the mouth (Ohio State) | Blunted papillae (poor nutrition or too little vitamin A); mouth ulcers or fungal growth (Ohio State) |
| Breathing | 23–36 breaths per minute at rest (Maryland FS-1178) | Panting (about 150 a minute), gasping, raspy breathing (Maryland; Tennessee State) |
| Crop | Empty and hard to find before the morning feed; when full it can be moved with your fingers (Maryland EBR-60) | Still full in the morning and "hard like a golf ball" (impacted); a sour smell (sour crop, a yeast infection); a crop that hangs down (pendulous) (EBR-60) |
| Feathers and skin | Feathers lie flat and are well preened (Ohio State) | Lice, mites or white clumps of lice eggs at the feather bases; feather loss or picking (Ohio State). See mites and lice and molting. |
| Breast and keel | Full, firm muscle on both sides of the keel, felt with a V of the fingers; meat, egg and dual-purpose breeds differ (Ohio State). Weight typical for the type and age (Jacob). | A prominent breastbone (chronic weight loss and disease); blisters, redness or bare skin on the breast (lying down a lot) (Ohio State) |
| Wings | Extend without pain (Ohio State) | Swelling, cuts or a possible broken bone (Ohio State) |
| Vent | Shiny pink lining (Ohio State); in a laying hen large, moist and bleached (Mississippi State) | Droppings stuck to the feathers (possible diarrhea) or parasites (Ohio State) |
| Legs and feet | Shanks vibrant yellow in yellow-skinned birds; scales smooth and tight; joints smooth and cool (Ohio State; Jacob) | Red legs (disease or dehydration); raised, flaky scales (scaly leg mites); swelling between the toes; a swollen footpad with a black scab (bumblefoot) (Ohio State) |
| Droppings | Fairly solid, brown or green with a white urate cap; cecal droppings gooey (Maryland FS-1178) | Diarrhea; black, red, orange, yellow, dark green, milky white, foamy or greasy droppings; worms (FS-1178) |
Maryland's FS-1178 gives normal ranges of 105.0–109.4°F (cloacal), 250–300 heartbeats a minute and 23–36 breaths a minute, and notes that they vary by breed, age and sex. Handle a sick crop gently: Maryland EBR-60 warns that aggressive massage can cause aspiration pneumonia, and that a crop still full after fasting needs a veterinarian.
Is she laying? Pale legs are often normal
A laying hen moves yellow pigment into her yolks, so her skin bleaches in a set order. Pale legs in a good layer are not necessarily a warning sign; Ohio State says pale legs can mean anemia or long-term laying. Mississippi State's culling guide gives these signs:
| Trait | Laying hen | Not laying |
|---|---|---|
| Comb and wattles | Large, bright red, glossy | Small, dull, shriveled |
| Vent | Large, moist, bleached | Small, dry, puckered |
| Pubic bones | Flexible; at least 2 finger widths apart | Stiff; 1 finger width or less |
| Abdomen (keel to pubic bones) | Deep, soft, pliable; 3–4 finger widths | Shallow, tough; about 2 finger widths |
| Bleaching after the first egg | Vent 4–7 days; eye ring 7–10 days; beak 4–8 weeks; soles 8–10 weeks; shanks 15–24 weeks | Color returns in the same order, usually in about half the time |
Bleaching is easiest to see in yellow-skinned breeds such as White Leghorns. Mississippi State advises against judging hens this way while many birds are sick or molting. For other reasons laying stops, see how long hens keep laying and the egg problems chart.
Signs to report the same day
USDA APHIS says some deaths are normal, but a large share of dead or dying birds is not. Rule out predators and weather first. Then "report any signs of illness or unexplained deaths to animal health officials right away." APHIS lists:
- Reduced energy, appetite or activity; fewer eggs, or soft-shelled or misshapen eggs
- Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles or shanks; purple wattles, comb or legs
- Difficulty breathing, runny nose, sneezing
- Twisting of the head and neck, stumbling or falling, tremors, circling, complete stiffness
- Diarrhea; APHIS's Newcastle disease sheet specifies greenish, watery diarrhea
Call your veterinarian, your cooperative extension office, your State Veterinarian or animal diagnostic lab, or USDA at 1-866-536-7593 (APHIS). Some poultry diseases are legally reportable, and Ohio State says to isolate a bird you suspect is sick until there is a diagnosis. The flock biosecurity page has state hotlines and the full step-by-step list.
Finding a poultry vet
- Find one before you need one. Wisconsin Extension and Penn State both advise making contact before birds are sick; Penn State notes that not every clinic is comfortable with poultry. Tennessee State suggests working with a poultry vet on a flock health plan.
- Ask the county extension office. Wisconsin suggests the 4-H or agriculture agent. UGA says agents won't diagnose a problem but will direct you to your state's veterinary labs.
- Ask around. Wisconsin lists local chicken-keeper groups on social media, farm and feed stores and calling clinics. Penn State suggests small-animal and large or mixed-animal practices.
- Why it matters for medicines. Federal rules require a veterinarian-client relationship before a prescription is written (Wisconsin). FDA says that from June 11, 2023, new medically important antimicrobial products for animals, chickens included, must carry prescription labeling. Getting them means consulting a vet with whom you have a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship.
Using a state diagnostic lab
A necropsy (postmortem examination) finds out why a bird got sick or died (CAHFS). Penn State's labs "do not examine or treat live birds," but they answer general questions about poultry disease and explain how to submit samples. To find a lab, use APHIS's list of National Animal Health Laboratory Network labs by state, the USAHA directory of State Veterinarians, or your county extension office.
| Step | What the labs say |
|---|---|
| Call first | Call the nearest lab to confirm the samples it needs (Alabama ANR-2390). California's CAHFS needs a submission form with each case. |
| Choose the birds | For older birds, usually several very sick birds plus recent deaths. For poor laying, a random sample of live birds plus the daily dead. Pick birds with the typical signs, not the easiest to catch, and avoid sending all live or all dead birds (ANR-2390). |
| Keep it cold | Double-bag dead birds and refrigerate them; do not freeze (Penn State; ANR-2390). Keep carcasses in a cooler (CAHFS). If the lab is far away, ship chilled birds overnight and warn the lab first (ANR-2390). |
| Send the history | Flock size, bird age, symptoms, suspected diseases and county; records of additions and removals, changes in laying and daily deaths (ANR-2390) |
| Fees | Vary by state. Alabama listed a $10 accession fee for up to five backyard birds in 2023 (ANR-2390); CAHFS says to contact the lab for current pricing, with shipping at the owner's expense. Submitted birds are not always returned (ANR-2390). |
If birds are dying, Penn State advises a voluntary quarantine: no buying, selling, trading or moving birds until the problem is solved.
Health check routine
- Watch the flock regularly so you know its normal posture, appetite, droppings and laying.
- Check by hand in the morning, before feeding, wearing gloves.
- Work through the ten points in the drawing, comb to feet, parting the feathers around the vent for lice and mites (Ohio State).
- Write down what you find; Tennessee State recommends written records of any treatment, including withdrawal times.
- Isolate a bird that looks sick and call a vet or your extension office; report sudden deaths or the APHIS warning signs the same day.
HenClass summarizes official guidance and does not give veterinary advice or doses. Follow your veterinarian, your state animal health officials and the label on any product used on poultry.
Sources
- Ohio State University Extension — Performing a Physical Exam on a Chicken (VME-20, Lossie and McDermott, 2019; hosted by OSU Extension Holmes County)
- Poultry Extension, Jacquie Jacob (University of Kentucky) — Characteristics of Healthy Birds
- University of Maryland Extension — Sickness Behavior in Chickens (FS-1178, Snyder, Moyle and Weimer, 2021)
- University of Maryland Extension — Common Crop Issues in Backyard Chickens (EBR-60, Moyle, Ghanem and Perdue, 2021, updated 2024)
- Mississippi State University Extension — Culling Hens
- N.C. Cooperative Extension, Yadkin County — 6 Signs of Happy, Healthy Chickens (Phil Rucker, 2022)
- University of Georgia Extension — Backyard Flock Tip: How Will I Know That My Birds Are Sick? (Claudia Dunkley, 2010)
- Tennessee State University — Health Considerations for Raising Backyard Chickens (Goodrich et al.)
- USDA APHIS — Report Sick Birds: Checklist for Reporting Unusual Mortality (Program Aid 2235-7, 2019)
- USDA APHIS — Virulent Newcastle Disease: Know the Signs (Program Aid 2246-2, 2019)
- USDA APHIS — NAHLN Laboratories (approved labs by state)
- United States Animal Health Association — State Animal Health Officials (Find my State Veterinarian)
- Penn State Extension — Poultry Diseases: Where to Get Help (Lighty and Dunn, 2021)
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension — Finding a Veterinarian for your Chickens (Ronald Kean)
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System — Submitting Samples to Alabama Diagnostic Laboratories (ANR-2390, revised 2023)
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory (CAHFS) / CDFA — Necropsy Services for California Backyard Poultry Owners (2025)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration — GFI #263: Frequently Asked Questions for Farmers and Ranchers