Wet and Dry Fowl Pox - Graphic Pictures of Pus and Scabs

[Eggcessive]

Hello Ive been keeping chickens since last April. I had a really bad bout of Fowl pox last June and lost several young chickens and two baby turkeys.
I didn't know what it was.I wasn't a member here at the time.

My seven older pullets and one cockerel got a few black spots on combs but all were fine.
I bought 24 chicks in sept. and all the pullets are starting to lay now.

all of a sudden all three of my roosters and a few hens have the black spots on there combs and some look bad.
Is there something that looks like this thats not fowl pox?
Why did the fowl pox come back after so long. no chickens added since Sept.
None act sick and all are eating.
And lastly what should I do for these Chickens ?

I think that peck marks to the comb can sometimes resemble fowl pox. Sometimes it is good to look at more pictures of chickens to help diagnose it. Mosquitoes usually need to be active to spread pox, so I'm sure they are out in FL this time of year. If someone in New York during winter is wondering about pox, it is most likely peck wounds. Pox usually will start as a beige spot turning different shades of brown or black. There are different strains of pox as most viruses, and most say that once a chicken has one strain, they are immune to it afterward. Some links say that the pox virus may remain in the environment for a long time especially in warm climates. The 2 main types of pox are the dry type we see on the combs, wattles, and other parts of the body, while the more serious type if wet pox where yellow patches appear inside the beak and throat. Deaths are more associated with wet pox from not eating. Young chicks can have a hard time even dry pox. There is no treatment for dry pox. Do not disturb the scabs or the disease may be spread. Some do use betadine to help dry out the scabs. Separating chickens with obvious pox is one way to control the spread, but flies and mosquitoes can spread it easily. Secondary bacterial infections may be common in the eyes, and then an antibiotic eye ointment or eye drop may help. Vaccines are available, and in areas where the disease is prone, it might be a good thing to use. Here is some information to read:
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/#/disease/Avian_Pox
http://www.hyline.com/aspx/redbook/redbook.aspx?s=5&p=35
http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/how-to-easily-diagnose-and-treat-fowl-pox/
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/fowlpox/fowlpox-in-chickens-and-turkeys

 

[bald Rooster]

I am sure my chickens had dry and maybe wet poxs last june.
I didn't know what it was and I euthanized about 5 pullets and 2 Turkeys after I lost 3 pullets.
I still have 7 of my original chickens And I bought 20 pullets last September. All are starting to lay and Im pretty happy at this point
thanks for the reassurance .

 

[Eggcessive]

I am sure I my chickens had dry poxs last june. 
I didn't know what it was and I euthanized about 5 chickens and 2 Turkeys after I lost 3 hens. 
I still have 7 of my original chickens And I bought 20 pullets last September. All are starting to lay and Im pretty happy at this point
thanks for the reassurance .

I can't say for sure whether that is pox now or pecking marks, since it could be pox. Usually you will see pox scabs on ears or wattles as well as the comb.

 

[chickengr]

I am sure I my chickens had dry poxs last june.
I didn't know what it was and I euthanized about 5 chickens and 2 Turkeys after I lost 3 hens.
I still have 7 of my original chickens And I bought 20 pullets last September. All are starting to lay and Im pretty happy at this point
thanks for the reassurance .

It looks like pecking marks to me. wait a bit and see if it will grow or disappear.

 

[froggiesheins]

WOW this thread has been hopping for quite awhile must be alot of pox going round. I gotta see what all the fuss is about now.... I WILL actually read posts to see what is goin on too

 

[froggiesheins]

I clean it's water at least 2 times a day. Here are some more pics that i took just now:

OH CRAP that IS pox gone NUCLEAR! and fast forwarding I see that this poor little one did pass from this SO SAD Little one most likely started to have a secondary infection going on as well

AND some FYI: this poor little one had wet & dry pox....the cheese inside the mouth was the wet part...POOR BABY.......

 

[bald Rooster]

It's pecking.When these guys are doing there business with the hens A cockerel is running over and pecking them. I am going to separate him for awhile. He is instinctively protecting the hens,so I'm not sure if Im going to cook him yet.

 

[Eggcessive]

It's pecking.When these guys are doing there business with the hens A cockerel is running over and pecking them. I am going to separate him for awhile. He is instinctively protecting the hens,so I'm not sure if Im going to cook him yet.

That is good detective work. The white scratch-looking marks between the brown scabs is what made me think it was pecking. I'm glad you found the cause.

 

[Janpots]

I'd like to just mention pox can be treated around outer edges with zovirax 2% aciclovir to hold it from spread. Scabs should never be removed or treated with antifungal or antibiotic especially. Once they fall off they leave no scar. Cleaning with TCP those not too close to eyes helps deaden them & stop secondary infection, then re-applying cream. One of my birds (Wood pigeons) did have a little scarring but a bacteria was under one of the lesions going into the beak through the roof of the mouth into the ear. The same bacteria also causes issues in Chickens according to Peter Brown the Chicken doctor. Providing the bird is caught early on & the immune system massively boosted with no antibiotics given prospects are great. I would say the bird must be brought into the home for full time care. Always check the vent & watch out for canker. Treat all sores with TCP liquid neat as it also has a numbing agent. Yes it's strong but it works well & better than Betadine. Have lugols iodine for cleaning the choanal slit in upper beak. This is where infections gain entry hiding in there. Bird should be kept in a clean environment isolated where no pathogenic bacteria can get into the system & attack internally. This is because antibiotics, especially Baytril, usually end in the life lost. If you see wet pox in the beak (a white lesion a bit like our mouth ulcers) clean with lugols 5% & put on aciclovir. We did this to a young feral in India which had dry pox. One of a pair first one recovered but then discovered the white lesion in the beak of the second still recovering. It worked for the young woman very quickly & the second bird recovered too.

 

[casportpony]

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