Avian Pox

[Angelique]

I've been so extremely stressed lately that sometimes I just feel like giving up. I own 3 pigs as well as 4 chickens and 2 turkeys. Seems like somebody's always sick.

I keep my chickens, pigs, and turkeys out at the farm behind my school. The past couple days my 2 poults had this scab looking thing above their beaks. Only one, so I figured it was just a wound from antagonizing each other that was healing. Today I go out and the Hen has 5-6 bumps all over her head. I look at the Tom, he's got about 3-4, and the 'scabs' are pretty big. Somebody who also owns chickens told me it looked like Avian Pox.(I guess a few in her flock have/had it) Now, I'm relatively new to Chickens. I got my two Barred Rocks in Late February. I'd never heard of Avian Pox, and the girl told me it was like Chicken Pox, but for birds. I've been reading up on it, and it sounds pretty serious. Also, I think my Barred Rocks might have it as well. One has a few small, black scab looking things on his comb. The other one has 1-2 near the end of his toe(though his doesn't seem to have progressed at all since I first saw them on his feet)

So I'd really like to hear more about it from people more knowledgeable about Avian Pox. Is it often fatal? How bad does it usually get? Is it painful for them? I heard there are antibiotics, but that they're extremely expensive, is that true? About how long does it last, and can they get it multiple times in their life, or only once?

Thanks

 

[Crystalchic]

There is a book called the chicken health hand book it is written by Gail Damerow
It has a lot of great information
I read that avian flue is also called dry pox and wet pox
I do not know the difference, someone more knowledgeable will have to jump in for a better understanding
Dry pox
it state that I am copying from the book, gosh i hope that this isnt plagiarism
common in some areas world wide especially in caged flocks
system/organ affected - skin
incubation period 4 to 14 days
progression spreads slowly (except when spread through mosquitos) last 3 to 5 weeks in individual birds
symptoms in birds of all ages excepts newly hatched chicks, raised clear or whitish wart-like bumps on comb and waddles that grow larger, turn yellowish, and later turns reddish brown, gray, or black bleeding scabs fall off to form smooth scars. sometimes scabs spread to eye lids, unfeathered areas of head and neck, vent area, feet and legs retarded growth or weight loss (sores around eyes inhibit feeding, drop in egg production
mortality 1 to 2 %
resembles wounds due to fighting
my book says there is no treatment but to isolate the infected bird in uncrowded housing, remove scabs mouth and eyes so birds can eat, prevent secendary infection with 300m oxytetracycline (terramycin) powder per gallon of drinking water for 3 days followed by vitamin supplement in water.. infected birds naturally recover in 2 to 4 weeks immune but some remain carriers and may become reinfected during molt and other times of stress. thourally clean housing after out break to remove all infective scabs
when i get back from finding trouble some where i will tell you what my book says about wet pox

 

[NancyDz]

I believe wet pox is a respiratory infection that dry pox can develop into.

My friend's flock got it a few years ago. I actually just last week helped her
vaccinate all her birds for it , then went home with the leftover vaccine and
did mine. We get it here due to all the rice fields ...


It's real easy to vaccinate for, its more common for birds to get it in the fall but
since my friend had it in her flock she vaccinates twice a year , once in spring, once in fall.

The vaccination is just a two prong needle type thing and you dip it in the vaccine and
puncture their wing right near where it attaches to their body, puncture through and in about
a week, if it took, you should see a small scab there. She buys the vaccine online. I can find out where... she treated her birds as stated above I believe when they had it.

The vaccine is made by Fort Dodge and is called Poxine... its recommended for Turkey and chicken.



Nancy

 

[Lollipop]

Angelique , take a deep breath and relax. Somehow Crystal has confused avian flu with fowl pox. Most of what you describe sounds like it could be fowl pox and that is not a serious afliction.

The scab on the toe isn`t the same thing, so delete any concern over that, except maybe some antibiotic ointment.

Fowl pox is treatable by injection through the wing web and the stuff is available at most feed stores. It`s transferred by mosquito bite and generally just runs it`s course and everyone gets well. I inject all my birds at the first sign of it and it`s quite common during mosquito season. The syrum is less than $10 and will treat 150 birds. The type you describe is the dry kind and it`s much less stressfull on the birds than the wet kind which infects their throats on the inside and causes breathing and eating problems.

So there you have it. Locate the vaccine and get someone to help you vaccinate every bird over 2 weeks of age. It`s easy, cheap, and the worst of it is ugly chickens for a few weeks. Cheer up........Pop

 

[NancyDz]

The pamphlet that comes with the vaccine says to only vaccinate healthy birds.

Actually, from what I know about Fowl Pox... Crystal's description is right on.... there is definitely a wet and dry version of it... scabs and sores can be on any soft areas .

Nancy

 

[Crystalchic]

Today I go out and the Hen has 5-6 bumps all over her head. I look at the Tom, he's got about 3-4, and the 'scabs' are pretty big. Somebody who also owns chickens told me it looked like Avian Pox.(I guess a few in her flock have/had it) Now, I'm relatively new to Chickens. I got my two Barred Rocks in Late February. I'd never heard of Avian Pox, and the girl told me it was like Chicken Pox, but for birds.

please correct me if i am wrong. i am learning as well. When i looked up avian pox it told me to see pox dry/wet
the book that i am referring to is called the chicken health hand book does anyone else have this book? it is written by ail Damerow
I think that what the girl thinks that her bird has is avian pox, the way that i am reading this book it says to go to pox, then it has dry pox and wet pox
am i miss reading something

 

[Crystalchic]

my books says that POX (DRY) is also called avian pox, chicken pox (has nothing to do with human chicken pox), cutaneous pox fowl pox, sore head (sometimes mistakenly called "canker")

 

[Angelique]

Quote:
Thank you, your post is incredibly helpful ^^
So far two of my chickens don't show any symptoms, but if it's as contagious as I've been reading, then they probably have it too. I'm hoping they all just have the dry pox and not wet. I'll check inside all their mouths tomorrow just to be sure. And I can probably make a run to the feed store tomorrow. I don't think I need to vaccinate them now(You're only supposed to vaccinate the healthy birds, correct?) except for the two who aren't yet showing symptoms.
The Cockerel with the scabs on his comb doesn't look too ugly, but the wart looking things on the Turkeys are a little gross xD

Edit:
Does anyone know if it's possible for them to get it from Wild birds? We've got quite a few small birds, maybe finches(annoying little pests) that are always flying into the barn and eating and drinking from my bird's feed and water. I shoo them whenever I see them in there, but they're very persistent and they usually come back after 10 minutes or so. Is it likely that they can give my birds diseases?

 

[NancyDz]

It can take a long time to heal.. I would vaccinate the birds that arent showing signs yet or it could last months in your flock. Only vaccinate chicks older than 6 weeks and if they are under 12 weeks, you will need to vaccinate again at 12 weeks.

Turkeys at 8 weeks and not within 21 days before slaughter.


Good luck!

Nancy

 

[Crystalchic]

I read that avian flue is also called dry pox and wet pox
I did not mean to say avian flu that is a typo
i mean to say avian pox. that is just a typo
the rest of the information is correct from the book that I have