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Are these peck marks to the face?

HensInTheForest

Songster
Apr 1, 2022
258
523
196
Minnesota
Started about 2 weeks ago with just 1 bump over the eye in the golden

The golden has been pecked before and had to separate her for similar eye pecking . . .

Just want to make it's not something else before I separate . . .
 

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It's fowl pox. There are bubbles in the eye of the hen in the first photo. Bubbles in the eye are concerning and can mean several possibilities:
The golden was pecked in the eye or near the eye by another bird or she scratched herself due to the irritation of the fowl pox lesion near her eye.
Bubbles in the eye can be a symptom of Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG), a respiratory disease. However, there would be other noticeable symptoms if it were MG, such as; wheezing, sneezing, head shaking, rales. Other birds would be showing symptoms since the disease is highly contagious.
Another possibility is that there could possibly be debris in her eye; dirt from dust bathing, ammonia fumes from soiled bedding, pollen pesticide use and other environmental factors.

I recommend that you flush her eye liberally with saline solution, gently pat dry and apply either plain Neosporin or Terramycin Eye ointment in her eye as needed. Either will prevent bacterial infection in her eye.

Since fowl pox is a virus, there is no treatment. Mosquitos are the main vector for fowl pox. The virus will run its course in about 6 weeks. You can put iodine on the lesions to help shrink the lesions, avoid the eyes when using iodine. Eggs are safe to eat.
 
It's fowl pox. There are bubbles in the eye of the hen in the first photo. Bubbles in the eye are concerning and can mean several possibilities:
The golden was pecked in the eye or near the eye by another bird or she scratched herself due to the irritation of the fowl pox lesion near her eye.
Bubbles in the eye can be a symptom of Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG), a respiratory disease. However, there would be other noticeable symptoms if it were MG, such as; wheezing, sneezing, head shaking, rales. Other birds would be showing symptoms since the disease is highly contagious.
Another possibility is that there could possibly be debris in her eye; dirt from dust bathing, ammonia fumes from soiled bedding, pollen pesticide use and other environmental factors.

I recommend that you flush her eye liberally with saline solution, gently pat dry and apply either plain Neosporin or Terramycin Eye ointment in her eye as needed. Either will prevent bacterial infection in her eye.

Since fowl pox is a virus, there is no treatment. Mosquitos are the main vector for fowl pox. The virus will run its course in about 6 weeks. You can put iodine on the lesions to help shrink the lesions, avoid the eyes when using iodine. Eggs are safe to eat.
Thanks for the great info!

I saw the bubbles and already did the flush and terraM treatment. Will continue. I don't have any iodine I will go pick some up. assume I should dilute it. I see some people do iodine and some don't.

No wheezing/ sneezing from any of them they seem pretty happy.

I read the Chicken Chicks article on pox and 2 or 3 others. Poor things.

Run and coop is clean and 24 chickens have 3 acres to free range.

Sad mosquitoes can cause this much damage to them.

I will check the rest over tonight after dark.

Thanks again!
 
Last edited:
I agree with the others—it is definitely fowl pox a virus spread by mosquitoes. It lasts about a month. Scabs can dry up, fall off, become powdery, and inhaled by other chickens. Those may remain contagious for weeks. Most grown chickens tolerate pox and get well in a few weeks.
 

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