Is it really common for chickens to get ill??

I've been Reading lots of posts about sick chickens I personally have had two problems in three weeks. is it common for hens to get sick even the people on here who seem very clued up have today reported sick chickens I appriciate that people are more likely to post if they have a problem than if nothing is wrong. Basically can I look forward to years of worrying and antibiotics? does anyone have any chickens that are fine
 

the thing is that people generally don't need advise if their hens are well so this section makes it look like we all have sickly birds 
As Aunt Sally said it is generally just a very small proportion of birds that get ill, the best thing is to use preventative measures (regular worming, treat for mites and lice 2 or 3 times a year (if they are clear) and good animal husbandry 

You're right that we tend to post when we have a problem so it seems we all have sick chickens! I've had mine for a year now and have just added to the numbers. Touch wood, they've never been ill, had lice or red mite. I think I've been pretty lucky so far.

Well in a year I've never had a sick hen... I've had a cockerel with flystrike (*bork*) and two hens which mysteriously just upped and died without warning - but no sickness lol!

To answer your question - Yes.

The key to keeping them healthy is to buy good healthy stock to start with.  Many people who post on here have ex batts so they are not the best start if you want long lived healthy stock.   Getting ex batt chickens is an act of kindness and the reward is nursing them back to a more normal chicken lifestyle and some problems can be expected.  They often don't survive for more than a couple of years from retiring.  Their immune systems are usually irreversibly damaged and they generally are more susceptible to illness.

A good simple diet is important too.  Not too many treats.  Try to encourage an active foraging lifestyle by not over feeding high energy refined foods and giving them as much area to scrat about in as possible.

Next comes how they are kept.   A sanitory run and house and well designed accommodation with a low stress method of husbandry is important.  Keep parasites to a minimum by worming and treating for Red Mite.  Ocassionally changing their ground helps a lot too.

Don't keep adding new birds to old and risking introducing sickness.  If possible keep flocks of relatively the same age birds together.

Get it all right and your birds will have the best chance of living long and healthy lives but the odd loss is unavoidable.

HF