Sick or Molting? HELP!

[urge4ice]

Ok so my chick is about 8 weeks old. I have noticed about 5 feathers on the bedding in about a weeks time. Also today I noticed she was scratching her neck with her feet, and digging in her wings with her beak. She sneezes sometimes as well. She still seems energetic though. Oh and also sometimes she has diarrhea, but I thought that was maybe cause I have been letting her eat grass outside. Any advice? She is still mainly an indoor chick, as we are not done building the coop yet.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

They go through mini molts...that is normal to see feathers everywhere as they are growing up.

She is preening when she digs in her wings with her beak. Chickens do scratch themselves too.

Sneezing can be from environmental causes (dusty pine shavings for example) or illness. If she is just sneezing occasionally and you see nothing else resembling illness I' not worry for now.

Chickens have caecal poos that are normal -see poo page-
http://chat.allotment.org/index.php?topic=17568.0

However, if you are seeing watery diarrhea, that is not normal and I would worry about coccidiosis (but you would likely be seeing lethargy, feathers fluffed up, not eating or drinking, etc. too). Coccidiosis is treatable and is an emergency, so if you ever see those signs you should seek help to treat her.