Chickens are fast becoming a popular backyard pet in America, as they pay their rent in the form of eggs, meat, pest control, and even as pets full of character. Whatever your reasons, as a responsible keeper of chickens, it is good to know how to identify if they are healthy and happy.
A healthy and happy chicken will have glossy feathers, a clean vent, a bright red comb, and sparkly, alert eyes. Happy, healthy chickens are full of energy and enjoy running around, and healthy hens will regularly lay strong eggs with dark, golden yolks.
Given the language difference between humans and chickens, humans don’t really understand chicken psychology. Humans must go on what we see and understand to be “Happy Chicken Behavior.” However, we can use the advice from professionals who have studied chickens and eggs (we still don’t know what came first), backyard chicken keepers, and responsible chicken farmers.
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11 Signs Of A Healthy (And Hopefully Happy) Chicken
A healthy chicken is generally a happy chicken. We can tell if a chicken is healthy by looking at the following aspects of a chicken without having to pull out a thermometer or take it to a vet straight away. If your chicken doesn’t meet the requirements or you are still unhappy about something, you can seek more specific help to resolve the problem.
1. Clear And Shiny Eyes
An alert and active chicken should have eyes that are clear and shiny. Its eyelids should not show or droop, and there should be no discharge or swelling around the eyes.
2. Bright Red Combs
A hen with a comb that is a bright, rich red is an indicator of good health and that she is in lay. This is also true for roosters, minus the laying part, naturally. A hen with a pinkish comb is not in lay but is still healthy.
Combs with a bluish hue usually means that blood circulation is not great and needs attention, while scabby combs mean the hen or cockerel have been fighting (hen-pecked) or injured, usually by fencing in the coop.
3. A Clear Nose
A chicken’s nostrils should be clear and open because a healthy chicken breathes with their mouth closed. Both nostrils should be free of discharge. Fluid around the nostrils or eyes can be indicative of a respiratory infection.
4. A Closed Mouth When Breathing
Chickens usually breathe with their mouths closed, except when it is hot. If a chicken has cooled down or the conditions aren’t too warm, but the chicken still breathes with its mouth open, it is probably sick.
5. A Body Full Of Glossy Feathers
While breed differences should be accounted for regarding feathers, a healthy and active chicken will have its feathers smoothed down unless it is resting or taking a dust bath. A chicken may lose some tail feathers when captured, which is normal. However, if there are skin ailments or the chicken looks bedraggled when it shouldn’t, it might have lice or be ill.
As a rule, chickens shouldn’t miss big patches of feathers or have scabby patches of skin or open wounds. If a rooster is kept with hens, you may notice the hens are missing some feathers near the base of their neck and upper back. This is due to mating, and these patches are considered normal. If Mr. Rooster gets too intense, it may be wise to give the hens a break from him sometimes.
6. Tucked In Wings
When choosing your chickens, it is wise to see how their breed carries their wings. In most breeds, the chickens carry their wings close to their body; in some breeds, the wings point downward. A chicken’s wings should not look twisted or droopy, whatever the breed.
Droopy wings can be a sign that your chicken is unwell. This isn’t the same as a damaged wing that has healed askew – that won’t affect the breeding or laying ability of the chicken. Chickens hatched with bad or deformed wings should not be used for breeding, as the deformed wings are usually indicative of a genetic problem.
7. Legs, Feet, And Toes
A chicken’s legs, feet, and toes should be free of scabs, wounds, and swelling. The hock joints of a chicken should not touch each other. A chicken’s feet should not point outward, and there should be no webbing on the feet (this indicates a genetic defect). The front three toes of the chicken should point forward and not touch each other.
Defects or healed injuries do not necessarily mean the chicken will be unhappy, but they could impede its movement and agility.
You should check for mites on the legs and feet of your chickens. Mites are little parasites that feed off the blood of your chickens and will cause the scales on these extremities to stick out, both of which can cause an unhealthy and unhappy chicken.
8. A Clean And Healthy Vent
The vent is the opening under the tail feathers. For a hen, a lot goes on down there as that’s where the mating happens and where her eggs and feces leave her body. The feathers around the vent should not be matted with feces, and there should be no wounds or sores around the opening.
9. Active During The Day
The activity levels of chickens differ from breed to breed, but the general rule is that a healthy chicken is always busy with something during daylight hours, which could include sitting on her eggs. In very warm weather, chickens are generally less active.
Signs of an unhealthy chicken include lethargy, sitting with its head hunched down, and sitting away from the rest of the flock.
10. Alertness By Day And Lights Out At Night
Chickens are alert and generally avoid strangers or predators when it is light. If you find an inactive bird during daylight or one that is easy to handle, it is probably ill.
In the dark, chickens are very passive, which is normal. It’s an excellent time to inspect them for health issues as they clock out for the day, and it’s roosting and sleepy time. As such, they make good prey at night – an even better reason to ensure your chickens are kept in a safe, predator-proof enclosure at night.
11. Good Quality And Quantity Egg Production
A healthy hen in lay produces, on average, one egg per day, depending on variables such as day length, nutrition, weather, and the presence of predators. The eggs produced by a healthy hen should have strong shells (about 3mm thick) and golden, dark yolks.
Treating Your Chickens – How To Make A Chicken Happy
A common observation between chicken owners is that chickens purr almost cat-like when they are happy. Once you have ensured that their basic needs of fresh water, nutritious food, and safe shelter have been met, you can treat them a bit (because you’re cool like that). Here are some ideas to get them purring:
1. More Space And Freedom. Chickens like to explore and scratch around in new spaces. If you keep your chickens in a coop with a run, you can treat them with an hour or more of “free time,” obviously ensuring it is a safe place for them to explore.
2. Limit Stress Levels. Chickens will be less stressed if they feel safe from predators (e.g., birds of prey, foxes, dogs, and cats) and are separated from overzealous roosters and hen-pecking chickens.
3. Feed Them Treats. Chickens love scratching in grass and soil for bugs and tidbits. They get especially excited over high-protein bugs like mealworms, earthworms, and centipedes and will play tug-of-war over particularly yummy bugs.
4. Buddies To Hang Out With. Chickens are sociable creatures and enjoy the company of other chickens, as long as they’re not being bullied.
5. A Dusty Patch. Chickens love sand-bathing as it helps to clean the parasites from them, plus it probably feels good looking at how flamboyant some chickens get when sand-bathing.
Conclusion
You can assess if your chicken is healthy and happy by checking a few aspects of her appearance and behavior, providing for her basic needs, and moderating the consistency and quality of her eggs. You can make your chicken happier by giving it treats such as more roaming space, friendly company, yummy bugs to eat, and a dust patch for bathing.
