Is my chicken sick?

[mallachai]

I am trying to find out if I have a sick chicken. I have 3 Rhode Islands and they are together in a coop and run area. I feed them organic grain / cracked corn mix. I am new to raising chickens and they have been great so far. They even let me pick them up and hold them and they run to me when I come out lol.

 

[JedJackson]

I am trying to find out if I have a sick chicken. I have 3 Rhode Islands and they are together in a coop and run area. I feed them organic grain / cracked corn mix. I am new to raising chickens and they have been great so far. They even let me pick them up and hold them and they run to me when I come out lol.

What are her symptoms? She just looks like she's molting from the picture but if there are wounds, signs of illness or strange behaviors let us know what they are so we can help.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

yes, molting can sometimes make the chicken look like she/he is sick but it's a natural part of their life that will be over eventually.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

If she is acting normal, I agree that looks like molting.

But I strongly caution you that cracked corn mix is low in protein and vitamins/mineral. If your grain mix is JUST a grain mix and not a formulated chicken ration... You MAY run into nutritional health AND behavioral issues. Chickens are omnivores and they NEED some animal protein for the amino acids it contains.

Don't know your grain mix content... but corn only contains about 8% protein and chickens need to not less than about 16% protein. Also, they will need access to some sort of calcium supplement in order to make hard shells on their eggs. This is usually supplied by Oyster Shell. But I know we all have different things available to us.

During molt, a little higher protein MAY be helpful (I like around 20%) because feathers are growing in and made of 90% protein and the amino acids it contains. Do you birds get access to any bugs and such?

 

[Isaac 0]

She is molting.

I agree with @EggSighted4Life that you should stop feeding Corn/Grain and switch to higher protein for your hens.Some Scrambled eggs and tuna every so often would help them get through there molt.