Black spots on combs

[HenPecked_bychildren]

My girls are so young. Not even 30 weeks! What exactly is fowl pox and what can I do or expect? Are their eggs still okay?

 

[Karrie13]

Here is a link to a page about Fowl Pox that has some good information.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-diseases-AvianPox.html

Are you sure your girls have fowl pox?

 

[TyrannosaurusChix]

are they scabs or nodules

scabs.. from pecking or some injury

nodules or warts-- fowlpox

 

[dawg53]

Fowl pox causes nodules and scabs. Nodules form first, then scabs. The scabs will dry up and drop off and are highly contageous, scabs can reform too. It's a tough virus for chickens to get and it takes time to go away. Eggs are safe to eat unless fowl pox vaccine has been given and/or antibiotics have been give to prevent secondary infections. Fowl pox vaccine can only be given to unaffected chickens. Fowl pox is not contageous to humans.

 

[Jenski]

HenPecked, can you post some photos? It would help us help you figure out what exactly is going on . . .

It could be dots from popping each other on the head or even from running into the pen. . . dirt . . . stuck-on goo from overly active feed sessions . . . lots of things - - including fowl pox. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Good luck, and please keep us posted!

 

[Echoinghills]

Some of my chickens have little black spots also, but i believe it is from being pecked/grabbed...it is like a scab on them. Mostly roos will have it when the other roos are picking...then sometimes an occasional hen may have it on her comb also, if the roo got too rough with her. Not all my birds have it...mainly just the VERY active breeding ones, the occasional hen that 3 roos tried to get at the same time, so i didnt get worried when i seen it. Post pics...

 

[HenPecked_bychildren]

I will try and post pictures tomorrow. At first I thought it was just injuries, until I noticed that more and more of them seemed to be getting it and even my broody girls have it now and I know they aren't being pecked at.

 

[Oven Ready]

Do you also (or have you previously) kept Turkeys?

There is a disease called BlackHead, though it's mostly a disease of Turkeys, chickens can get it too, you'll need to search this forum or the internet for pictures, but they don't get a Black Head.

The parasite/worm causes them to have increased levels of deoxygenated red blood cells (blood cells not carrying oxygen as they should) and these appear initially as a darkening of the extreme end of the comb, slowly moving down the comb. It looks basically like they are short of blood. As the extremities lose color first it looks like spots as the tiny lumps and protrusions on the combs have the smallest blood vessels nearest the skin. Think of someone turning blue when suffocating, it's sort of like that.

It is treatable with metronizadole (Flagyl).

Here is a link to a not very good Wikipedia article - the links at the bottom of this article maybe more productive Wiki Black Head Disease

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Sounds like pox. It is primarily spread by mosquitoes, but can also be spread by other biting bugs and close contact (things like pecking each other). I always recommend separating the birds showing signs from those who are not. Spray the coop, run and yard thoroughly for mosquitoes. Spray or hang a mosquito repellant around the coops; sprays need to be daily.

Treat lesions with iodine, neosporin, camphophenique and/or listerine. All help prevent infection, the iodine helps dry the lesions. If any develop lesions in their mouths, swab daily with listerine. Some treat with a prophylactic dose of antibiotics to prevent secondary infection.