This resource was reviewed as part of the Veterinary Review process. It was originally published on February 28, 2018.

Consider The Risk Of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)
Given the widespread risk of HPAI in recent years, it’s important to consider the current risk in your area before welcoming new avian residents. While quarantineThe policy or space in which an individual is separately housed away from others as a preventative measure to protect other residents from potentially contagious health conditions, such as in the case of new residents or residents who may have been exposed to certain diseases. plays an important role in protecting your existing residents from being introduced to certain infectious diseases a new resident may expose them to, when it comes to HPAI, quarantining onsite is not enough to protect residents from the disease or regional control efforts. Depending on the current situation in your area (or where the new chicken is coming from), it may not be safe to bring them to your sanctuary. To learn more about HPAI, check out our in-depth resource here or our FAQ here.

When a new chicken arrives at your sanctuary, there are a number of critical steps that must be taken to ensure the safety and health of the incoming resident, the existing residents, and yourself! In this resource, we’ll discuss important incoming protocols for chickens, but as you’ll see, the specifics of your incoming protocols may vary depending on your region, philosophy of care, and unique circumstances. The following information is meant to give folks a basic understanding of the types of incoming protocols that may be necessary when welcoming chickens to their sanctuary, but we recommend that folks work with their veterinarian to identify the most appropriate incoming protocols for their residents.

Take Notes!
Remember to keep track of all intake information and records of any new resident. You can find our Resident Record Keeping guide here.

Identify The Specific Needs Of Incoming Individuals

Before welcoming a new resident, it’s important to have at least a basic understanding of their species’ needs so that you can prepare to meet those needs. When it comes to chickens, it’s not just about knowing what chickens, as a species, require, but also about what an individual needs based on their breed type. Large breedDomesticated animal breeds that have been selectively bred by humans to grow as large as possible, as quickly as possible, to the detriment of their health. chickens have different care needs from non-large breedA domesticated animal breed that has not been specifically engineered to grow as quickly as possible for the purpose of human consumption. In resources at The Open Sanctuary Project, "Heritage" breeds of turkeys, for instance, are "non-large breed", even if they are physically quite big. chickens, and if you have experience caring for one breed type but not the other, it’s important to know that while there is some overlap in terms of the care they require, there are also areas where their needs diverge from one another. You can read a bit more about the differences between large breed and non-large breed chickens here, and you can read more about caring for large breed chickens here.

We provide general recommendations regarding the nutritional, housing, and care requirements of both large breed and non-large breed chickens, but it’s important to consider if new arrivals have different needs or require any special accommodations based on factors such as their age, sex, health status, known history, or the circumstances of their recent living situation. In some cases, this will be something you can figure out before even meeting the new arrival based on the information you are provided with, but other times you’ll gather this information after their arrival, for example, during their intake evaluation, during a veterinary exam, or during your observation of the individual (as described below). 

Each new resident and situation will be different, but we want to highlight a few of the more common situations sanctuaries may encounter and how to proceed:

Welcoming Chicks

Chicks (baby chickens) have very different needs from mature chickens. It’s important to be aware of these differences before welcoming a chick to your sanctuary so you can provide them with the care they need to thrive. You can read more about caring for chicks here. It’s not uncommon for sanctuaries to be contacted about chicks with leg issues (“spraddled leg” or “splayed leg”), which could be the result of a slipped tendon or a congenital issue, among other things. It is imperative that the individual be evaluated by an experienced avian veterinarian to determine the cause of the leg issue and the best course of action. While online sources may suggest the individual should be splinted or hobbled, without knowing exactly what’s going on (typically through diagnostic imaging), you may implement interventions that actually cause more harmThe infliction of mental, emotional, and/or physical pain, suffering, or loss. Harm can occur intentionally or unintentionally and directly or indirectly. Someone can intentionally cause direct harm (e.g., punitively cutting a sheep's skin while shearing them) or unintentionally cause direct harm (e.g., your hand slips while shearing a sheep, causing an accidental wound on their skin). Likewise, someone can intentionally cause indirect harm (e.g., selling socks made from a sanctuary resident's wool and encouraging folks who purchase them to buy more products made from the wool of farmed sheep) or unintentionally cause indirect harm (e.g., selling socks made from a sanctuary resident's wool, which inadvertently perpetuates the idea that it is ok to commodify sheep for their wool). than good. Additionally, improper splinting or hobbling can make the primary issue worse or result in secondary issues, so you must be shown how to do this properly.

Depending on the age of the chicks and where they are coming from, you may welcome chicks who have recently been debeaked. This is a cruel and painful practice in which the end of the beak is cut or seared off. These individuals may need pain medication or other interventions while they heal. Be sure to work with your veterinarian to have the individual evaluated to determine how to best support them and keep them comfortable.

Welcoming Elderly Individuals

While some older chickens will continue to thrive with the same care you provide to other chicken residents, some individuals may require something different, such as changes to their diet or living spaces. You can read more about caring for elderly chickens here.

Welcoming Individuals Who Are Obese

Depending on their previous living situation, a new large breed chicken arrival may be significantly overweight. In cases such as this, it’s important to work with an experienced veterinarian or avian nutritionist to determine the most appropriate diet to encourage healthy weight loss and to watch them closely for signs of other health issues that often occur secondary to obesity. These include bumblefoot, arthritis, and, if they are spending a lot of time lying down, hock1: the tarsal joint or region in the hind limb of a digitigrade quadruped (such as the horse) corresponding to the human ankle but elevated and bending backward 2: a joint of a fowl's leg that corresponds to the hock of a quadruped sores and keel sores. If a new arrival is already dealing with issues secondary to their weight, be sure to have them evaluated by your veterinarian and work closely with them to manage or treat the issue. Providing these individuals with living spaces that have extra bedding or cushioned substrates can help prevent pressure sores and slow their progression if they have already developed.

Welcoming Individuals With Injuries 

It’s not uncommon for sanctuaries to be contacted about chickens who are severely injured – possibly from a predator attack, transport accident, neglect, or abuse. Depending on the circumstances, a new chicken resident may arrive with deep wounds, broken bones, frostbitten digits, or bite wounds. Individuals arriving with these or other injuries should be evaluated by a veterinarian immediately. It’s important to note that bite wounds, even if they appear small, can be quite dangerous and almost always require antibiotic treatment.

Caring For Non-Ambulatory Chickens
Whether it is the result of an injury or congenital issue, it’s not uncommon for sanctuaries to be asked to take in chickens who are unable to stand or walk. In addition to immediate veterinary assessment, these individuals require specialized care. You can read more about caring for non-ambulatory chickens here.

Welcoming Hens From Large-Scale Egg-Laying Facilities

Hens rescued from large-scale egg-laying operations have unique care needs, some of which depend on the type of facility they are coming from. You can read more about the care these hens require here.  

Welcoming Survivors Of Cockfighting Operations

Survivors of cockfighting operations (and in particular those roosters who have been forced to fight) have unique health, care, social, and housing needs. Birds rescued from cockfighting operations are generally “game fowl,” a type of chicken that tends to be lean and muscular, more closely resembling their junglefowl ancestors. Roosters often have spectacular plumage with long tails. Hens also have longer tail feathers and tend to be smaller than most domesticatedAdapted over time (as by selective breeding) from a wild or natural state to life in close association with and to the benefit of humans hens.

The health needs of survivors of cockfighting operations may be significant and include concerns such as open wounds, scarring, past and present foot and leg injuries, eye injuries, keel injuries, dubbing (the cruel practice of cutting off the comba fleshy crest on the head of the domestic chicken and other domesticated birds, wattles, and sometimes earlobes, almost always without the use of anesthesia or analgesics), and pain from short and bluntly cut spurs. Due to the likelihood of past close confinement and poor care, they may also be ill from infections or parasitic infestation. Securing veterinary care for survivors as soon as possible is paramount. 

Both hens and roosters are quite athletically gifted and often are well-flighted and fast-moving, which necessitates special consideration when it comes to their housing, ensuring their security, and providing appropriate enrichment opportunities.

The unique social needs of these birds are also important to keep in mind. Remember, everyone is an individual, but with regard to survivors of cockfighting operations, there are some general considerations to observe. Many survivors of cockfighting operations have suffered significant trauma and may experience great fear at being handled by humans, which can make them reactive or skittish. In general, roosters who have been forced to fight should not be housed with other roosters, and often benefit from being kept out of sight of other roosters. However, these individuals still benefit from the company of other chickens, and often do best paired with a single hen (especially a game hen) or integrated into a flock of hens with no other roosters.

We plan on dedicating a series to the special care needs of survivors of cockfighting operations, so stay tuned to learn more!

Adhere To A Quarantine Policy

While the specifics of what each new arrival needs in terms of things like diet or housing may vary, one universal truth is that all new arrivals must be quarantined to prevent possible disease spread between the new resident and others. Quarantine is critical for all new residents of any species, even if they appear healthy and even if you know exactly where the individual came from! Quarantine procedures protect the rest of your residents (and the humans who care for them) from infectious diseases that may not be producing clinical signs in a healthy-looking arrival – an entire flock could easily be infected and possibly even killed by certain infectious diseases. You can read more about quarantine protocols here.  

If you’re taking in a group of chickens that were living together previously, you can probably quarantine them together since it’s likely that any infectious diseases one has, the others have already been exposed to, and staying together may put the new residents more at ease. However, if an individual seems very ill or is behaving oddly, they should be isolated from the others and evaluated by a veterinarian. Additionally, if the group includes a mix of mature large breed males and females, they should be separated to protect females from injury by being mounted by large males. Regardless of breed type, whenever you welcome a group of individuals, it’s important to monitor them to ensure that the current social dynamics are safe – just because they came in together and were living together previously, doesn’t necessarily mean they get along well. If anyone appears to be getting picked on, find a way to split the group to reduce tensions while avoiding anyone having to live alone unless absolutely necessary.

Enrichment Can Help!
Companionship for flock animals such as chickens is very important to their health. While quarantine must be given priority for new residents, it’s important to also consider their mental well-being during this time. An enrichment plan can go a long way in reducing stress, boredom, and loneliness for a quarantined individual, and we’ve got multiple resources that can give you ideas about how to do this. We suggest starting with our resources on social enrichment and chicken-safe enrichment.

Be Careful With Those Eggs!
If you typically feed eggs back to any of your residents, we recommend waiting to do so with eggs from quarantined residents until you have gotten the all-clear from your veterinarian.

Evaluate The New Chicken’s Health

When welcoming a new resident to your sanctuary, you must assess their overall health to ensure you are addressing any issues as soon as possible. This is accomplished through initial observations, an intake evaluation, ongoing observation, and possibly a veterinarian’s assessment of the individual, especially if the new resident shows any signs of concern or is part of a pending cruelty case. Diagnostic testing also plays an important role in evaluating the new arrival’s health and will be discussed later on.

Veterinary Examinations For New Arrivals
If a new arrival is showing signs of concern, you should consult with your veterinarian to determine the best course of action, which may be to have them seen immediately or to schedule an upcoming exam and closely monitor them in the meantime. But what about individuals who are seemingly healthy or who have minor issues that you are properly trained to manage on your own? If possible, it’s beneficial to schedule a time for them to be examined by your veterinarian as well! In addition to potentially catching health concerns you were not aware of, your veterinarian will be able to gather information specific to the individual that may come in handy later on (for example, baseline blood work). If you routinely use Suprelorin implants for your hen residents, a veterinary evaluation will also give your veterinarian the chance to determine if a new hen is healthy enough for implantation now or if it should be administered at a later date. Additionally, seeing the new resident and understanding their history will help your veterinarian make specific recommendations regarding their care, which might include a slight alteration to your typical intake procedures.

Initial Observations

Whenever you welcome a new resident to your sanctuary, it is crucial that you spend some time observing the individual upon arrival to determine any immediate needs they may have. If you or your staff picked up the individual and transported them back to the sanctuary, this observation process will actually begin before the new resident sets foot on sanctuary grounds. Through thoughtful observation, you may be able to identify signs of concern that warrant immediate veterinary care or further assessment on your part. This part of the intake process will also help determine if an intake evaluation (described below) should happen immediately or if you can wait for the new resident to settle in a little bit. In instances where you are taking in multiple new residents, your initial observations can help inform the order in which you perform intake evaluations, prioritizing individuals who appear to require more immediate assessment.

In addition to observing new arrivals for signs of concern, this is also a good time to consider your current plans in terms of their care, diet, housing, etc., and whether or not these plans need to be adjusted based on your initial observations.

Identification
Every resident at your sanctuary is a unique individual, and sanctuary personnel should be encouraged to learn each individual’s name and to recognize them without needing to rely on leg bands or other types of temporary identification. When taking in a group of chickens, it’s important to think about how to best facilitate the process of your team learning who is who. Every individual will have their own unique characteristics, so it may be helpful to take lots of pictures and write out thorough descriptions for staff and volunteers to refer to while learning everyone’s names. However, if the new arrivals look very similar, additional identification may be needed to make it easier for folks to quickly distinguish them from one another and to ensure information about each individual is added to the correct record.

You might consider fitting residents with leg bands (ensuring they fit properly and are not too tight or too loose) or making your own leg bands using different colored cohesive bandage wrap. While caregivers or volunteers are learning names, they can at least refer to the leg band to communicate any observations or concerns (for example, if a caregiverSomeone who provides daily care, specifically for animal residents at an animal sanctuary, shelter, or rescue. notices that a chicken whose name they do not yet know is sneezing, they can look at the color and/or number on their band and then refer to a posted list or resident database to figure out the name of the chicken resident). When using leg bands, they should be checked regularly to ensure they are not becoming too tight. It’s best to avoid putting bands on growing individuals, but if you must, be sure to monitor them closely and replace them before they get too tight.

Different styles of metal and plastic leg bands can be found through online suppliers, and your local feed store will likely also carry at least one type. When using plastic leg bands, we find that it is best to use broad, flat bands or zip tie style bands rather than thin corkscrew bands, as these have sharp ends that can cause injury if the band slips over the foot or above the hock. Thin metal styles can bend and break, resulting in sharp edges, so if you opt for metal bands, a thicker metal band may be safer long-term.

Prioritize An Intake Evaluation

It’s important to perform an intake evaluation on all new residents. Ideally, we recommend that new arrivals either be seen by a veterinarian or have an intake evaluation performed within 24 hours of arrival, though some individuals may need even more immediate assessment. An intake evaluation includes conducting a full health check to evaluate their overall health and to learn more about the individual, as well as to gather important information for their permanent record. Be sure to follow quarantine procedures while conducting the intake evaluation. To learn more about the intake evaluation process, including how to prioritize assessing and addressing a new resident’s needs, check out our resource here! If, for whatever reason, you are unable to perform a full health evaluation shortly after their arrival, you will need to closely observe new residents for signs of concern and take steps to address those concerns appropriately.

An intake evaluation is conducted in much the same way as a routine health checkThe Open Sanctuary Project uses the term "health check" to describe health evaluations performed by caregivers who are not licensed veterinarians. While regular health checks are an important part of animal care, they are not meant to be a replacement for a physical exam performed by a licensed veterinarian. – you should systematically check the individual’s entire body, looking for any signs of concern and providing any necessary treatments. While there are a variety of issues you may find during a new chicken resident’s intake evaluation, there are some health challenges that are especially common in new chickens. These include:

• Respiratory Illness – Depending on the circumstances of their intake, it can be very common for a new chicken to come to the sanctuary with a respiratory illness. Watch closely, both during the intake evaluation and during the quarantine period, for any signs of respiratory illness such as discharge from the nareseither of the pair of openings of the nose or nasal cavity, swelling of sinuses, swelling around the eye, discharge from the eyes, sneezing, open-mouth breathing, audible breathing (wet, raspy, squeaky, etc.), extending their neck and gasping for air, and labored breathing, which may include tail bobbing. Chickens with respiratory illness may look dull and tired with puffed feathers, their head may be tucked, and they may have a poor appetite. Work closely with your veterinarian to determine the cause of the respiratory illness to ensure appropriate treatment.
• Reproductive Issues – Reproductive tract diseases are very common in female chickens, but breeds commonly exploited in large-scale egg-laying facilities are especially prone to these issues. It’s very important to look closely for signs of reproductive issues, such as a distended abdomen or the passing of “lash eggs.” Hens showing signs of reproductive issues should be evaluated by a veterinarian. They can use diagnostic imaging to determine the cause and extent of the issue as well as appropriate treatment options.
• Mobility Issues – You should assess the chicken’s mobility by watching them walk and looking for any abnormalities in their gaitA specific way of moving and the rhythmic patterns of hooves and legs. Gaits are natural (walking, trotting, galloping) or acquired meaning humans have had a hand in changing their gaits for "sport". or shifting of weight when standing. When checking their legs, pay extra attention to their feet and joints (especially their hocks), feeling for any heat, swelling, or crepitus (popping or crunching). While chickens of any breed can develop mobility issues, these can be particularly common in large breed chickens. Be sure to work with your veterinarian to evaluate any heat or swelling of feet or legs and any mobility issues to determine the best course of action. 
• External Parasites – Checking for external parasites should be a part of all resident health evaluations, but it is especially important for incoming chickens. Lice and mite infestations are very common in new chicken arrivals, and new residents could easily spread these parasites to other residents if they are not addressed before discontinuing quarantine. 
• Internal Parasites – Just as external parasites are very common in newly rescued chickens, internal parasites are also quite common. In addition to submitting a fecal sample (discussed more below), be on the lookout for any concerning signs of internal parasites, such as bloody feces.
• Frostbite – While frostbite will be very unlikely in certain climates, if you live in an area where temperatures dip below freezing, you may find that new residents arrive with frostbite or signs that they had frostbite in the past. Be on the lookout for discolored or swollen areas on their toes, feet, comb, and wattles. Depending on how recently they developed the frostbite, toes may be red and swollen, and affected areas of the comb or wattles may be paler than normal. Affected areas may then turn purple or even black and become hard and cold. Be sure to have the individual evaluated by a veterinarian to determine the best course of action. You can read more about frostbite here.

Ongoing Observation

Some health conditions may take time to manifest outward signs. Therefore, in addition to evaluating their health upon arrival and during their intake evaluation, it’s important to continue to closely monitor new residents for signs of disease. While all residents should be observed closely each day, extra attention should be paid to new residents during their quarantine period to ensure any potential issues are caught and addressed as soon as possible and before quarantine is discontinued.

Incoming Testing

If you have not already done so, work with your veterinarian to determine appropriate incoming testing protocols for new chickens you welcome to your sanctuary. While individuals showing signs of concern may require additional diagnostics, there may be certain tests your veterinarian recommends for all incoming chickens. At a minimum, all new residents should have a fecal sample submitted to check for internal parasites. If parasites are detected, your veterinarian will be able to recommend treatments based on the fecal results. To verify that treatment was effective against internal parasites, be sure to submit another fecal sample 10-14 days after treatment. Because of the growing issue of drug resistance (including resistance to antiparasitic drugs), it’s important to work closely with your veterinarian to determine when treatment is necessary.

Your veterinarian may recommend including other tests in your incoming procedures based on the specifics of your region. Be aware that certain disease confirmations may require an official report to your local government. When establishing incoming testing procedures, you may want to have a conversation with your veterinarian about what a positive result would mean for the individual and the sanctuary.

Incoming Vaccines

Based on our conversations with the sanctuary community, it seems regular prophylactic vaccination of chicken residents is rare. Instead, vaccination is more commonly used in response to a disease outbreak. We always recommend working with your veterinarian to determine which, if any, vaccinations are recommended for your residents. If your chicken residents have received vaccinations in the past, be sure to ask your veterinarian if new arrivals should be vaccinated as well and to create incoming vaccine protocols for new arrivals. 

When discussing potential vaccines with your veterinarian, make sure you understand both the benefits and risks of vaccines before using them at your sanctuary – some vaccinations will cause residents to test positive for certain diseases, which could have devastating consequences depending on the situation and disease in question.

---

Establishing and following appropriate intake protocols can make a world of difference when it comes to ensuring the health and safety of your residents. If you haven’t already, be sure to consult with your veterinarian regarding the incoming protocols your sanctuary should adopt.

Ready To Introduce The New Chicken To Others?
Once the new chicken has completed quarantine and gotten the all-clear from your veterinarian, you can begin introducing them to other chickens. You can read more about conducting chicken introductions here!

SOURCES:

Chicken Care | Farm Sanctuary

Potential Chicken Health Challenges | The Open Sanctuary Project

Large Breed Chicken Care Considerations | The Open Sanctuary Project

Non-Compassionate Source?
If a source includes the (Non-Compassionate Source) tag, it means that we do not endorse that particular source’s views about animals, even if some of their insights are valuable from a care perspective. See a more detailed explanation here.