Behind the Scenes: Monthly Chicken Health Checks

At Secondhand Stories, we provide a lifelong sanctuary where 22 rescue chickens can live their natural lives in peace and freedom. Offering a compassionate home for chickens requires a commitment to their health and well-being. Our operations are guided by a detailed Sanctuary Operations Manual, which outlines best practices for everything from shelter and feeding to veterinary care. This ensures the highest standards of animal welfare for our flock.

One of the most important things we do to proactively ensure the health and well-being of our chickens is conducting monthly health checks here at the sanctuary. These thorough exams alert us to any subtle changes in a chicken’s well-being and provide an important baseline we can reference if they ever become unwell.

Once a month, we perform a thorough head-to-toe examination on each chicken. The checklist is extensive and we carefully review each area, including: abdomen, beak, body condition, breast and keel, comb and wattles, crop, ears, eyes, feathers and skin, feet, head and neck, legs, mouth, nares, poop, preen gland, vent, weight, and wings.

We record every area, including if there are no abnormal findings, in our digital healthcare database in Airtable using The Open Sanctuary Project’s Animal Database template. The health exams also include important notes for pre-check observations, social behavior, and current treatments. We can upload photos and attachments, and we even have a health rating field that allows us to quickly sort residents by those who may be feeling under the weather.

If there is a medical concern with one of the chickens, we consult with a veterinarian immediately and, if necessary, isolate the individual. Our digital record-keeping is crucial for identifying health trends and remembering individual histories. It also enables us to share records directly with our veterinary partners, making appointments more comprehensive and efficient.

Providing a truly healthy home for chickens is a significant undertaking. It requires consistent vigilance, specialized knowledge, and a strong plan to ensure the long-term well-being of every single chicken in our care. Our health checks are just one example of the many measures we take to ensure our flock leads a good life.

Check out our live stream documenting one of our monthly chicken health checks!