The sick chicken checklist
Written by Sue Clarke. Provided by New Zealand Lifestyle Block, incorporating Growing Today, magazine.
When it comes to diagnosing what is wrong with a bird, you may find your vet is floundering a bit. They don't often see birds of any kind, and it's a very specialist topic - there are only two avian vets in all of New Zealand.
Diagnosis of a problem is reasonably hard when the bird is sitting in front of you, but it's even harder if an owner gives a vague description. Completing a checklist, by answering the questions below, can help narrow down or rule out some of the problems straight away. A picture of the bird can also be of great help, provided it is close-up and clear enough to see the detail.
What is the age of the bird?
Young birds can be prone to problems that don't affect older birds.
What breed?
Commercial breeds can struggle in a new environment, however they are vaccinated for some diseases, unlike purebreds.
Sex of bird?
Females and males have different physiological issues.
What is your location?
Different areas/climates have different problems.
How is it housed?
Is the bird free ranging, or housed and contained in a small permanent run or a moveable coop and run, or indoors?
What symptoms have you noted?
Always give as much detail as possible. Examples of common symptoms include: standing alone, hunched head in shoulders, unable to walk, feathers fluffed out, marks/scabs/bleeding around head or vent area, swollen feet or hock joints, losing weight, wet around eyes/nose. Look for dust stuck to a wet surface, and a change in droppings.
Give a full droppings description:
Colour, consistency, frequency, offensive smell? Excessively watery, white and little else? Full of blood, pinkish mucous, or very dark brown and slimy-looking? Observe normal dropping so you can compare.
Any respiratory changes?
Are there breathing sounds, bubbly breathing, discharge from eyes/nose, laboured breathing, facial swelling.
Any digestive changes?
Is the crop full and hard or full and spongy, or empty? Is the bird eating, drinking?
Any condition changes?
Weight changes, is the comb/wattle colour pale and scaly, bluish, or bright red? Is the skin covered in feathers, exposed, missing feathers, has it been pecked, is it moulting? If it's a hen, has she stopped laying?
Any behavioural changes?
Is it socialising, laying, crowing, broody, standing/sitting on its own, is its head hunched/eyes closed. How does its behaviour change when you approach, and how does this differ from normal?
Any agility changes?
Any lameness, holding up one leg, mainly squatting/leg out to one side or behind? If it's a hen, does she seem to be in pain/straining to lay an egg, walking like a penguin?
Describe your usual worming routine and products.
If none, say so and skip the next four worming questions.
- Do you have a cycle that you use? Is it every 3 months, or every six months?
- When was the bird last wormed? An approximate date is fine.
- What product was used to worm the bird, and how was it given? Was it put in the drinking water, applied on the skin, or by injection?
- Was a follow-up dose given? Did you repeat 10-14 days later?
Has the bird had any other recent medications?
Antibiotics, coccidiosis medication in the feed or water, herbal remedies, cider vinegar etc?
Have there been any other changes?
Have you recently moved it to/from new living quarters, mixed it with other birds, changed feed source, replaced familiar feeders or drinkers, had weather changes eg, high or low temperatures?
Do you have photos of the bird?
Any relevant photos are very helpful in diagnosing many kinds of heath problems.
This article was provided by NZ Lifestyle Block, incorporating Growing Today magazine.
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