Fowl Pox? Need help identifying what's wrong please!

Hi everyone,
About 3 weeks ago, I posted a pic of one of our Golden Laced Wyandotte's (6 months) with a lump that was scabbing over. Someone posted that it was possible it was Fowl Pox. Since then, she has been perfectly fine and started laying her first eggs.

Here is the pic that I posted of our GLW:



About a week ago, our 9 month old barred rock hen (Rocky), got a lump on the right side of her face and she instantly became lethargic and started keeping an eye closed....barely moving and hardly eating. I didn't panic at first but then she started to get worse (more lumps on the right side of her face and even a couple of lumps on the left side of her face) and then basically not eating or drinking. Additionally, the first lump - continues to get bigger. During this time, we moved her into our garage in her own "home" and have been giving her probiotic water and both cottage cheese and yogurt. I've tried mixing in scrambled eggs and mash but she won't touch those. She just stands around listlessly or lays there. Occasionally she gives a little cluck.

I've checked to make sure she wasn't egg bound. I've looked for mites, worms, etc. and don't see anything wrong other than the lumps and her comb is kind of ashy looking.

Is this Fowl Pox and if so, what can I do for her? We don't want to lose her and there are no chicken vets that I know of, although I am reaching out and trying to find someone to see her. Here are some pics of Rocky:







Thank you for any help!!!

Wow...so sorry about Rocky...she looks like she's miserable.

I don't know anything about fowl pox myself, but I would try to get a hold of Eggcessive (I think I spelled that right). She (I think it's a she) is very knowledgeable on a variety of chicken ailments and I think she could probably give some suggestions.

The only thing I can think of personally would be some rare type of worm...but I am certainly no expert. Keep looking for vets, and I hope she gets better!

~Gresh~

Thank you Gresh!
I'll try to find Eggcessive to get some help!

Sounds good. If you can't get a hold of Eggcessive (something I seriously doubt you will have a problem with since she's an active member), try contacting users with high forum rankings such as "Flock Master." These people are usually indeed flock-masters and know a thing or two about the ups and downs of the poultry keeping.

God bless!
~Gresh~

Thank you again so much! I sent a pm to Eggcessive so hopefully I'll hear something soon. I also found a vet that can see us in the morning. Fingers crossed!!!

So glad you found a vet that would see her! So many people do not have that luxury. I am very fortunate to have a vet nearby that takes care of farm animals and treats my poultry quite successfully.

Keep us posted on what Eggcessive and the vet say!

~Gresh~

Cyclonechick, I remember answering your original post about the GLW being possibly pox. The barred rock could have pox, but it doesn't look typical. Those bumps look like they could be little puss-filled abscesses or cysts, possibly from pox or pecks. The comb has that large puffy area on the right side of her comb. Have you seen other cases of simple fowl pox (you can Google for pictures?)I don't have any experience with anything except a simple pox scab or two, but Casportpony has had much experience with both dry pox and wet pox. She also has experience with Mareks and many other diseases. I would probably feel of the bumps to see if they are soft or hard, and try to lance one to see if you can squeeze out any pus. If you get just blood, then it might be cystic instead of abscess. Pox can form abscesses. Thank you for contacting me-- sorry that I don't have positive answers.

Thanks everyone for the advice and support. I'm very sad to say that when we went to the vet this morning, while she did think that Rocky had fowl pox, all of her lethargic behavior and not eating was due to a mass that she found (could feel) over her crop. I thought it was her breast bone it was so hard and figured because of not eating, she had lost some weight. Well, the mass was hard as a rock and the size of a small pear. The vet tried to pull fluid out of it to see what it was and she was only able to get a little bloody liquid. The vet said that she would need surgery because anything this large was not going to go away and since it pushed on her crop, she really wasn't able to eat. Because of the very high cost of surgery, I didn't have an option to help Rocky other than having her humanely euthanized. Horrible morning.

Sorry for your loss.

I'm sorry to hear about your hen. I wish I could have been of more help.