Sick Chickens

I think chickens must have something in common with people. We had some very cold days here and the chickens selected to stay in their barn. They have a large barn and barn yard, and a heated/insulated room within the barn. Its heated only by a heat lamp, which prevents their water from freezing but its quite warm in comparison.
As soon as the temperature reached 20 degrees, they were all out in the mucky muddy melting snow and crud, literally. Their feet were constantly yucky, and yet I hated to trap them up. As the ground dried out, so did they.
Consequently, like humans, they got sick. We so often get sick when the weather turns warm because we turn out quickly to enjoy it and shed too many of our layers. My chickens, one by one, had runny eyes and noses and some of their eyes were crusty and swollen from this. I did lose 2 of them, but not since I medicated them. I purchased a jar of teramyacin and crushed 1/2 pill and put it in their water daily. I went down three times a day to help the sickly ones to the water, they would drink if I took them to it but otherwise kind of sat around quietly breathing. Nothing more. I could hear how congested they were, and some of them couldn't see.
After 3 days, there are a few stuffy nostrils left, but that's about it. All eyes are clear and clean, and noses are no longer shedding green.
Granted, I worry more when a goat is sick than when it is a chicken. I do like my chickens, but they are not my friends like a goat is. Also, they cost a lot less! I know that sounds so callused but its simply the truth about livestock. However, we do go through almost 5 dozen eggs some months, I would love it if all of my chickens were in prime health so that I can have THEIR eggs.
That being said, be sure to feed your chickens good dry layer feed, we keep ours in a huge air tight barrel. Its best to put their feed and water in a feeder/waterer that they cannot poop in or climb in. They do like to have free choice grit and oyster shells, this helps digestion and egg shell strength. Its also good for them to have clean wood chips, monthly is enough around here to muck out their room because they range the entire north barn and chicken yard which is quite large. They can be well socialized, my kids carry them around. This makes it easy to put them up for safety at night, my children taught them to follow us to the call "bird, bird, bird" and they come right in for an evening snack of cracked corn which they all love.
I am sure other people raise chickens differently, but this way works for us. So if you are having any sick chickens try some antibiotic (if you know for sure they need it, don't just hand it out...) and if they are listless, try some extra space! Happy chickens make good layers.