avian pox

[chichichickapea]

thanks Jak

 

[dawg53]

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.

Chicks CAN be stunted with reduction in feather growth.
http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/content/view/20/43/

 

[buildingmyark]

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

Unless you want your chicken to become more weak and dehydrated from not eating and drinking...They can't eat if they can't see the food. This was what I was told to do by my friend who is a poultry vet for Mississippi State University. I take what she's says about chickens as the gospel.

 

[chichichickapea]

dawg53, that is an excellent article....glad to see you are not a gator

 

[buildingmyark]

Dawg is so smart about all of this!

 

[jak2002003]

Unless you want your chicken to become more weak and dehydrated from not eating and drinking...They can't eat if they can't see the food. This was what I was told to do by my friend who is a poultry vet for Mississippi State University. I take what she's says about chickens as the gospel.

Yes I agree with you if the scabs are stopping the chicken seeing. But this is very rare, usually the spots are on the comb and wattles.

Good you got friends in hight places!

 

[chichichickapea]

Took 2 chickens to the vet this am....the one with the bad eye and the roo who has it the worst. Waste of time, I knew more about fowl pox than the vet. He did give me some more eye ointment. Suggested I contact the Rural Developement Center on Monday....they have a poultry division and they should be knowledgeable on the subject.

Cleaned my coop today and everything in it!! It is cleaner than my bedroom! Dumped out all their feed---washed all feeders and waters in soap and water and bleach. Bleached the floor. Went on a mad killing spree with my fly swatter!!!!!!!!! It made me feel better, even if it did not kill a lot of flies. I did spray some fly spray around while I had my chickens locked out.

Put out DE then fresh bedding. Went back to pine chips...had been using a forage blend but I think the flies liked it.

My chickens free ranged all afternoon.....they are spoiled rotten....most of them want to stay in the run or the coop, and I have to keep running them out.

Forgot to add that I also put out fly bait/lures in milk jugs and hung 8 fly strips, trying to get them under control....I think it is probably from biting flies more than mosquitoes...hunch.....

Interested in talking with the guy Monday. We are very lucky to have a part of the University of Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station here and the Rural Development Center...both are great resources in varying areas of agriculture, ranging from turf grass development, blueberries, pecans, switch grass, peanuts, entymology, fisheries, dairy, cotton, etc. I just need the chicken man...

 

[chichichickapea]

Unless you want your chicken to become more weak and dehydrated from not eating and drinking...They can't eat if they can't see the food. This was what I was told to do by my friend who is a poultry vet for Mississippi State University. I take what she's says about chickens as the gospel.

she has one eye open and is eating good, in fact she opened the bad eye a little bit today for the first time...

 

[buildingmyark]

That's really good news! Just keep her eating and hydrated and she will definitely make it through this. Also, keep an eye on her poop. That will help you better identify if she's getting enough to eat/drink.

 

[welasharon]

If you pick them off you can leave an open area for infection to set in. I would not pick it off. Mine have had them on the beaks and have managed okay. There were a couple who stopped eating but I hand fed them scrambled egg mixed with cottage cheese until they started eating on their own. The ones whose eyes have swollen shut I used warm compresses to try to help them. Teh one silkie wound up with limited eyesight before I figured out what to do to help her. The fowl pox has been much worse this year as have the mosquitos. I have not heard of flies carrying the fowl pox.