🩺 Free Guide · Spring 2026
The practical guide to keeping your flock healthy: common diseases, predator protection, molting, winter care, and exactly when you need a vet — and when you don't.
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Chickens are prey animals — they're hardwired to hide weakness until it's severe. The 60-second daily check is how you catch problems before they become emergencies.
Most backyard chicken diseases fall into a handful of categories. Knowing the difference between bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal — and what each requires — prevents two common beginner mistakes: panicking at nothing and ignoring something real.
Bubble eyes, nasal discharge, coughing, rattling. Spreads slowly through the flock. Treatable with antibiotics if caught early.
Acute and deadly in some forms, chronic in others. The sudden-death form can kill multiple birds overnight. Don't confuse with poisoning.
The most common poultry disease. Caused by herpesvirus; spreads through dander. Vaccine exists for chicks — virtually all commercial hatcheries vaccinate.
Highly contagious respiratory virus. Can devastate a flock quickly. Vaccine available. Often spreads from wild birds.
Parasite that damages the intestinal lining. Biggest killer of young chicks (1–8 weeks). Almost inevitable in non-vaccinated birds at some point.
External parasites that cause anemia, stress, and egg drop. Most common health issue in backyard flocks. Almost never fatal but keep birds miserable.
Internal parasites that steal nutrients and cause weight loss. More common in free-range birds. Easy to prevent with regular deworming.
Mold spores in damp feed, bedding, or coop. Causes respiratory disease. Preventable by keeping feed dry and coop well-ventilated.
Predators kill chickens. That's a fact of keeping poultry. What you can control is how hard it is for them. The difference between a secure coop and an open buffet comes down to a few specific decisions.
| Predator | How They Attack | Signs | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🦊 Fox | Grabs one bird, drags it away. Usually at dawn or dusk. Often takes nothing else. | Missing bird, feathers scattered near fence | Hardware cloth buried 12\" deep. No gaps over 1/2\". |
| 🦝 Raccoon | Reaches through wire to grab birds. Can open simple latches. Pulls birds through gaps. | Mutilated birds left in coop. Limb injuries. | 1/2\" hardware cloth only. No chicken wire. Carriage bolts on latches. |
| 🦉 Hawks / Owls | Daytime hawks dive from above. Owls hunt at night. Grab and fly off with small birds. | Missing birds. Pile of feathers where bird was taken. | Covered run (roof or netting). Don't free-range during peak hawk hours (10am–4pm). |
| 🐍 Rats | Take chicks and eggs. Chew through soft materials. Spread disease. | Missing chicks. Chewed eggs. Rodent droppings. | Seal all entry points under 1\". Remove food at night. Traps. |
| 🐕 Dogs | Attack for fun, not food. Will kill multiple birds in minutes. | Multiple dead birds, obvious bite wounds. Often not eaten. | Privacy fence with no gaps. Motion-activated lights. Strong lock on coop. |
Hardware cloth (1/2\" mesh), not chicken wire. Chicken wire is decorative, not protective. It keeps chickens in; it keeps nothing out. Hardware cloth costs slightly more and lasts forever.
Common diseases, seasonal health tips, predator alerts, and what to do when something looks wrong.
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Every autumn, your hens lose their feathers and grow new ones. This is normal — but it's also when they're most vulnerable and need the most support.
You'll notice more feathers on the ground than usual, especially around the roost. Some birds drop feathers rapidly (hard molt), others lose them slowly (soft molt). Both are normal. Egg production stops or drops sharply — this is normal, not a problem.
The new feathers grow in as quills through the skin — sensitive and sometimes painful. The bird looks ragged and may be less active. Handle them carefully; touching pin feathers causes pain. This is when higher-protein feed makes the biggest difference.
Feathers fill in fully. Energy previously used for egg production now goes to feather growth. When the bird is fully feathered again, egg production resumes — often at a higher rate than before the molt. Keep protein high until all pin feathers are gone.
Layer feed has 16% protein — fine for maintenance, not enough for feather growth. Switch temporarily to a grower feed, add black oil sunflower seeds (28% protein), or add mealworms as a supplement. The extra protein cuts 1–2 weeks off the molt and gets eggs back faster.
Winter is when most flock health problems surface — not because cold is dangerous (it isn't, if they're dry), but because the conditions winter creates create the environment for disease.
Chickens can't eat dry feed without water — their crop needs water to digest. A frozen waterer means no eating, which means no heat production. Use a heated base ($20–$30) or swap water twice daily in freezing climates.
The coop should be cool (not warm) and dry. Moisture from droppings is what kills chickens in winter — it creates ammonia buildup and respiratory disease. Vents at the roofline on opposite walls remove moisture without creating drafts at bird level.
Chickens burn more energy staying warm. A handful of scratch grains before roost time provides slow-burning energy through the coldest hours. Scratch is a supplement — not a replacement — for their regular feed.
Adding fresh bedding on top of old throughout winter creates a composting layer that generates gentle warmth from below. Requires good ventilation to work. Not required but effective for large coops in cold climates.
Heat lamps cause more coop fires than any other equipment. Chickens don't need supplemental heat if they're dry and out of drafts — they've been keeping themselves warm for millions of years. If you must add heat, use a radiant heater, not a lamp.
Eggs freeze and crack in temperatures below 28°F. In winter, check the nest boxes at least twice daily. Frozen eggs crack within hours and attract predators.
New keepers overcall or undercall vets. The goal isn't to avoid vets — it's to know when a vet is actually necessary. Here's a practical framework.
| Situation | Action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sudden death of unknown cause | Call immediately | Could be toxin, fast-moving disease, or predator. Others in flock may be at risk. |
| Paralysis (leg, wing, neck) | Call within 24h | Possible Marek's or botulism — both need diagnosis for flock management. |
| Respiratory distress (gasping, wheezing) | Call within 24h | Could be serious respiratory infection. Quick treatment improves outcome. |
| Suspected poisoning | Emergency vet, now | Time-sensitive. Bring a sample of what they ate if possible. |
| Heavy mite/lice infestation | Research first | Usually treatable at home with diatomaceous earth or poultry dust. If flock-wide and repeating, vet can prescribe stronger treatment. |
| Worm load suspected | Research first | Fecal float test ($20–$30) at most vet clinics identifies worm type. Dewormer selection depends on what kind. Can also treat empirically with Wazine. |
| One bird looks unwell (lethargy) | Observe 24h first | Could be nothing, could be early illness. Isolate the bird and watch. If more join, call vet. |
| Mild respiratory symptoms (one bird, mild) | At-home first | Could be environmental dust or allergies. Check ventilation, add vitamins to water. Call if it spreads or worsens. |
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