4 chickens dead within 2 weeks

[summerb123]

Hi! I have a serious problem! my chickens are dieing first was a young Leghorn hen, then a Easter Egger chick, then another Easter Egger chick, then another Easter Egger chick they have (dry form) fowl pox. my question is why should they die if the desease isn't life threatening? second question how can i treat it and prevent anymore deaths? and last question how do i prevent it again and prevent spreading to another flock?
Any help apprecaited!
~thanks Summer

 

[Eggcessive]

Where you live is probably an area where pox vaccine would be a good idea. It has to be given to chickens who have not been exposed. Dry fowl pox is usually not that serious unless they get a secondary bacterial infection in the eyes or elsewhere. But they can also have wet pox or the diphtheritic form which causes lesions in the mouth, sinuses,throat,trachea, esophagus, and crop. That can be very painful and they can die of dehydration and starvation. Young chickens are especially affected. Here is some good information to read:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/195/fowl-pox/
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/poultry/fowlpox/fowlpox_in_chickens_and_turkeys.html
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2015/07/fowl-pox-prevention-treatment.html
http://www.hyline.com/aspx/redbook/redbook.aspx?s=5&p=35

 

[summerb123]

another question all of them have it...after they recover when will be a good time to vaccine them and what is it called and were can you find t?

 

[Eggcessive]

Try Googling fowl pox vaccine, and there are several online sites that sell it. It comes in a 1000 dose amount that has to be used within a short amount of time. The vaccine is really not that expensive, but requires a cooler and ice packs, which can add to the price. Most chickens that recover from pox will be immune to that particular strain afterward. I would contact your state vet or local poultry extension agent to fimd out if their are more than one strain of pox in your area. It might be possible to only have to vaccinate any new chickens or chicks added to the flock.

 

[summerb123]

Try Googling fowl pox vaccine, and there are several online sites that sell it. It comes in a 1000 dose amount that has to be used within a short amount of time. The vaccine is really not that expensive, but requires a cooler and ice packs, which can add to the price. Most chickens that recover from pox will be immune to that particular strain afterward. I would contact your state vet or local poultry extension agent to fimd out if their are more than one strain of pox in your area. It might be possible to only have to vaccinate any new chickens or chicks added to the flock.

ok thanks! i will find out! we plan on getting more EE chicks in the next couple of weeks when we finish are new coop along with some Black Copper Marans or Blue Copper Marans too and don't want them to get suck so i will get the vaccines done on them