avian pox

[chichichickapea]

I read an article that suggested biting flies and biting insects.....

Scared to vaccinate any of my flock due to the incubation period being 5-10 days....it could kill them if I vaccinated and they were already getting it.

My oldest birds will be 15 weeks tomorrow and have not had it to the degree the younger ones (13 weeks) have. Some of the younger ones are getting spots on their feet and legs now. The one with the bad eye is looking better and kept her eye open most of the day. My splash rooster who looked the worst still does not look too good....his comb is still blanched out and just looks ratty....he was so gorgous last week before he got this. His comb was vivid red. Oh well, more rain today......

Will try to take some updated photos tomorrow evening to show the progression.

I also dumped out their dust bathing pan yestereday and washed and refilled with dirt from the garden and DE....did not have any sand.

 

[welasharon]

Did not know that. I don't vaccinate mine. I live in North Florida and it has been bad with all this rain. I haven't lost any but there are some who have to the wet version. I have been fortunate enough not to have any with that.

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

Avian pox is only fatal to the young and the old. The dry form rarely causes death and once they recover they have a life long immunity. That's why most people don't vaccinate for it. The wet form effects the mucus membranes of the eyes and mouth and forms a coating on the throat that if you don't remove it, by swabbing it with a q tip, can obstruct the airway.

I haven't heard that effects the legs and the feet. Usually it's just the wattles and combs. It is spread specifically by mosquitoes. Hope that helps

 

[buildingmyark]

If they can manage okay, then definitely leave them alone. One of mine got to the point where she was trying to eat, but everytime she went to peck and grab the food she missed. When I picked the scab off, the area underneath had healed. I coated the area with betadine just in case. She was already on an antibiotic, so that also prevented any infection.

 

[chichichickapea]

http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/avian/Fowlpox.pdf

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12150_12220-26362--,00.html

 

[welasharon]

Interestingly enough, my birds that did not have regular combs...like the polish...had the bumps on their legs also. My mom had a seabright that had knots all over her actual head as well as her beak and legs. She was the worst I have ever seen but she is 8 years old so I think that made it worse. She came from New Hampshire and had never been exposed. I think she must have had some in her ears as well as she was dizzy and would stumble and shake her head frequently. When the one on her beak came off it left a huge hole in her beak.

 

[buildingmyark]

http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/avian/Fowlpox.pdf

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12150_12220-26362--,00.html

There ya go! Good info.

 

[chichichickapea]

Update: Talked wiith a Dr. Anderson yesterday (Poultry Specialist) he told me I should go ahead and vacciate my birds and that it would not kill them. He said it might even shorten the duration of the illness for those who have it.

I asked him if transmission was primarily thru mosqitoes because we have a lot of flies/biting flies.....he told me biting insects, yes flies and he thinks gnats too. Many of you are fortunate to live above the gnat line but alas, I am not..........

My flock is actually looking better. The splash that had the worst case of bumps on his comb especially, he only has a few now compared to a couple of days ago.....his comb is still not as read as it was. But none of them act like they feel bad. When I get home from work, they are standing by the run door like kids waiting to get out for recess!!! I open the door and they tear out into the yard.....geez, chickens!

 

[Barbara Inman]

I also have black spots and some grey spots on afew hens. We live in the southern part of florida and have had lots of rain. I use pine shavings and clean out the coop daily. The coop is beside a creek that is full.So what do I do about the biting insects? any one have a suggestion?

 

[Barbara Inman]

I am new to this page,and just starting out with chickens.I have 29 hens and 1 rooster. They just started to lay in Aug.2012 and were up to 25 eggs aday. Now we are down to 15 aday. Some of the hens have black spots and afew have grey spots on their combs. I think it is Pox. Some say to vac/don't vac. What is you feed on the matter? Are the eggs safe and what should I do to the creeks around the coop?