avian pox

chichichickapea

Chirping
7 Years
Apr 18, 2012
199
2
83
Last night, I noticed something on the combs of several of my roos and examined them closely after they got on the roost....it was black and tan wart like bumps and it is on their wattles too. At first I thought mites??? But examined their legs closely and they all look fine, nothing on them or under the feathers. I am new to chickens, only since May...so I came in and did a search on BYC. After a lot of reading, I think they have avian pox. I live in South Georgia, it has been very wet here the last few weeks, we had lots of mosquitoes already (we have our yard sprayed once a month for mosquitoes). Other things have come together for me now....for the last couple of weeks, I had noticed several diffferent pullets with "spots" on their combs, but it would only be a couple....I thought someone had pecked them.



This is my splash Isbar, Scatman, he has it the worst of anyone so far.

This is my best picture (clearest), this is Bullet, my Cream Legbar....notice how it sticks out from the back of his comb like warts.



 
That definitely looks like dry fowl pox. Alot of people down south have had alot of trouble with it this summer. There's really not much you can do. The warts will scab over and fall off in a couple of weeks. If there are any warts that are around their eyes, nostrils or mouth they may interfere with them being able to eat.

Just keep a close eye on their mouths (lesions) and their eyes (any bubbling/foaming), which would be the wet form of pox.
 
OMG I just jumped on to ask about the same problem!! I live in northern Florida, and we have had a lot of rain, and we are LOADED with mosquitos. Is that what causes this? What do we do if they do get them around the eyes and or mouth and nose? I am also new to chickens (March). This is all new to us too. wow
 
That definitely looks like dry fowl pox. Alot of people down south have had alot of trouble with it this summer. There's really not much you can do. The warts will scab over and fall off in a couple of weeks. If there are any warts that are around their eyes, nostrils or mouth they may interfere with them being able to eat.

Just keep a close eye on their mouths (lesions) and their eyes (any bubbling/foaming), which would be the wet form of pox.
Yeah, that was what I figured the dry...so far everyone has acted like they feel ok. But, I have one more question, I have had 2 pullets and 1 roo in the last 6 weeks that just all of a sudden had one eye closed, thought someone had pecked them and I doctored them up with a antibiotic opthalmic ointmen, the roo got getter in 3 days, the first pullet would get better for a couple of days, then worse, after treatment, better then worse, the third time she was better and I gave her away with 20 other chicks because I was thinning my flock....thought she would do better in a smaller flock (of mostly Salmon Favs) so probably less would pick on her. But, now I remember that she had a black dot over her eye....the guy I gave her to ended up putting her down, but says all the rest are fine. I do have a Welsummer now that I have been treating her eye for 3 days...she doesn't have any black bumps...yet.
 
Also, should we NOT be eating the eggs????? oh my gosh!!!
I don't think you can get anything from their eggs, but they might not lay much for a few days to a couple of weeks. That isn't an issue for mine, they haven't started laying yet...my oldest is 14 weeks
 
OMG I just jumped on to ask about the same problem!! I live in northern Florida, and we have had a lot of rain, and we are LOADED with mosquitos. Is that what causes this? What do we do if they do get them around the eyes and or mouth and nose? I am also new to chickens (March). This is all new to us too. wow
Yes, mosquitos carry the virus, but it is also transferable through the direct contact of the birds, contaminated feeders/waterers, and possibly a few other ways.

You shouldn't eat the eggs if you have been treating with antibiotics. Fowl pox is not transferable to humans.

If they get them around the eyes/mouth (*and it is interfering with them getting enough to eat) then once a scab forms, I would just gently try to scrape them off. They need to be crusty - (I hate that word), otherwise it will bleed.

I've read that you can use a q-tip with betadine to help the sores heal faster/prefent further infection. I'm not sure if this helps or not, but it couldn't hurt.
 
Fowl pox is a virus, giving chickens an antibiotic to treat it is useless unless there's a secondary infection. Otherwise the eggs are safe to eat, fowl pox is not transmittable to humans. We had storms yesterday evening, seems like almost every day now. Dispose of standing water as best as you can. Spray bug spray on you early in the mornings and evenings. There have been several cases of West Nile virus in Jax and and surrounding areas, it's expected to continue to rise due to all the rain.
Once fowl pox passes, the chickens will be immune to that particular strain. Most of my birds have been through it awhile back and are fine.
 
Fowl pox is a virus, giving chickens an antibiotic to treat it is useless unless there's a secondary infection. Otherwise the eggs are safe to eat, fowl pox is not transmittable to humans. We had storms yesterday evening, seems like almost every day now. Dispose of standing water as best as you can. Spray bug spray on you early in the mornings and evenings. There have been several cases of West Nile virus in Jax and and surrounding areas, it's expected to continue to rise due to all the rain.
Once fowl pox passes, the chickens will be immune to that particular strain. Most of my birds have been through it awhile back and are fine.
Did it stunt the growth on any of yours???

I live out in a rural area, so only have so much control over standing water (on other people's property).....and we have gotten a lot of rain here in South Georgia in the last few weeks. I use DE in my coop, but is it safe to spray pesticides around the coop??? If so, what do you use?
 
Don't worry about Fowl Pox! Don't treat the birds with antibiotics - fowl pox is viral so they will do not good.

You can still eat the eggs no problem! We can not catch fowl pox!

The chickens will probably stop laying, or lay a lot less eggs when they have this disease as they put energy into fighting off the virus not making eggs. Once they are better they will start laying again.

Do not pick off the spots or scabs. Leave nature to run its course.

The disease does not seem to cause the bird to feel very ill. They don't even scratch at the spots of scabs so it can't itch too much.

Once they recover they will be immune to it in the future - at least the strain that they have caught - which is probably the most common strain in your area.

They will not get stunted or suffer any long lasting health issues after this disease. Just make sure they have access to good quality diet and clean water (you can add vitamin to the water if you like).

Don't worry ......... they will be back to normal in no time at all.
 

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