Fowl Pox?

[familypendragon]

Hi All-

All six of my hens have fowl pox now.  It is dry pox and they are all through the worst of it.  They're in their 3rd week.  Most of them had eyes swell shut for a day.  One both eyes for a day and clearly felt really sick.  She didn't try to get back to the coop at sundown, I had to carry her in.  It hasn't been any big deal at all, except that most of them stopped laying.  Our leghorn and one of our buffs kept laying.  I'll post again when they're completely done losing the scabs.

Speaking of laying, my cream legbars that were born in Feb laid pullet eggs every day for a few months, and have not laid in about a month.  It's possible they already had the fowl pox virus and that's why, but they have seemed completely normal throughout.  The days aren't noticeably shorter yet here, so I really don't think that's it.  Ideas anyone?

Thanks-

That is good to hear! My situation went from bad to worse. I started a separate thread as I am not sure its all the same disease https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/831100/5th-chick-dying-in-my-hands-right-now-help

 

[colleen318]

Hello...
Late yesterday, I noticed that one of my hens had a closed eye and another one have dark blisters, on her comb. I live in Southern California and although, it is not cold for some, the past couple of mornings have been around 39F. I believe that they have Fowl Pox and am wondering if I should take one of them to the vet. I have 4 chickens and two look infected. Also, they are still laying eggs, should I throw those eggs away?
Thank you.

 

[jenpetrovich65]

Hi Colleen!
Here's what I know.. mine recently went through this, and Hi there, I am in so Cal too! if it is fowl pox, you don't have to take them to the vet, it will pass on its own, and is a virus anyway.

it is not communicable to humans, so touch and eggs are ok.

it took my girls a good three or four weeks to fully shake it. they seemed to have one day when they felt really horrible. otherwise no problem.

 

[jenpetrovich65]

also, someone else mentioned giving them a little extra protein to help them through. mine go nuts over yogurt.

 

[casportpony]

For extra protein I use turkey/gamebird crumbles, scrambled eggs, mealworms and crickets.

-Kathy

 

[colleen318]

Thank you, so much for the information.......Jen and Kathy! I feel much better. I called Blacksmith's Corner, this morning and they said that they have some crumbles and such. So, I'm headed over there tomorrow.

 

[casportpony]

Thank you, so much for the information.......Jen and Kathy! I feel much better. I called Blacksmith's Corner, this morning and they said that they have some crumbles and such. So, I'm headed over there tomorrow.

Check the date code and make sure it hasn't been sitting too long.

-Kathy

 

[Thomas127]

I think my chicken has fowl pox at first I thought it was just the hot weather but now I think it's fowl pox tell me what you think.

 

[Thomas127]

I have 2 chickens is it worth separating one of them so the other doesn't get fowl pox?

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like fowl pox, only a giant sized scab. My few chickens who have had it, only had a single small pox scab for about a month, and I never separated them. If I saw a really bad case, or had any with wet pox, I would separate them. Here are 3 good link s about pox:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/avian-pox-how-to-treat-your-chickens-for-avian-pox
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/disease/510
http://www.wcsv.org/education/diseases/avian-pox/