Five-Point Health Check

Daily Checks

These extras are more about preventative care and spotting chronic or environmental issues. Combine both daily and weekly assessments for best flock health.

1. Behavior & Activity Level

• Are they alert, active, and moving normally?
• Chickens should be curious, pecking, scratching, and socializing.
• Watch for: lethargy, isolating, limping, reluctance to move.

2. Respiratory Health

• Listen quietly for wheezing, coughing, sneezing, or gurgling.
• Check for nasal discharge or crusty nostrils.
• Watch for: open-mouth breathing, tail bobbing, wheezing, coughing, sneezing, gurgling, nasal discharge.

3. Eyes, Comb, and Wattles

• Eyes should be bright, clear, and free of discharge.
• Combs and wattles should be a healthy red (unless breed-specific) and not pale, shriveled, or swollen.
• Watch for: swelling, crusting, discharge; in cold weather, pale tips or black scabs (frostbite).

4. Feathers & Skin Condition

• Feathers should be clean, smooth, and well-kept (molting is an exception).
• Check for parasites like mites or lice—look near the vent and under wings.
• Watch for: bald patches, heavy dandruff, scabs, mites/lice or eggs at feather bases, excessive preening.

5. Eating, Drinking & Droppings

• Are they eating and drinking regularly? Monitor feed/water levels.
• A sudden drop in appetite or weight may indicate illness.
• Normal droppings are firm with white caps (urates).
• Watch for: sudden drop in appetite or weight; watery, bloody, foamy, or discolored droppings; ongoing diarrhea.

Weekly Checks

Hands-on checks to catch slow-building problems. Pick up a few birds and examine the skin, feathers, wings, legs and feet.

Vent, Keel & Abdomen Check

• Check: breast muscle along the keel (not knife-sharp, not buried in fat); vent clean and open; lower abdomen soft, not distended.
• Watch for: sharp keel (weight loss), very rounded keel (obesity), vent swelling/redness/soiling, hard or swollen abdomen.
• Action: Isolate; clean a dirty vent, replace wet bedding, and check for mites or lice. If parasites are present, clean housing and use a poultry-safe product as labeled; if the abdomen is hard or the bird strains to lay (“penguin stance”), move to a warm, quiet crate and call your vet/state team.

Feet & Leg Health

• Check: smooth leg scales, clean footpads, steady gait; roosts smooth and at safe height.
• Watch for: bumblefoot (swelling/scab on pad), scaly leg mites (raised, crusty scales), limping.
• Action: Fix rough or high roosts; isolate birds with wounds and keep footing clean and dry. Seek care if swelling worsens or the bird won’t bear weight.

Coop & Environment Conditions

• Check: dry bedding, no ammonia smell, strong airflow from vents, no drafts at bird level; feed stored tight, water area not muddy.
• Watch for: damp or caked litter, rodent sign, mites/lice, condensation.
• Action: Add dry bedding, open upper vents, and move/refresh waterers; secure feed and close pest gaps. Get help if moisture or ammonia persists.