buff orpington hens

[dianeschickens]

got them as pullets, they started to lay in July. it has been raining here every day for month's. the mosquito's are terrible. My girls have the pox on their combs and it is moving to other parts of the face. what can I do to stop it from covering the face completely. will the plaque fall off or will they be there for life?

 

[TTracy]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/avian-pox-how-to-treat-your-chickens-for-avian-pox

 

[BantamLover21]

got them as pullets, they started to lay in July. it has been raining here every day for month's. the mosquito's are terrible. My girls have the pox on their combs and it is moving to other parts of the face. what can I do to stop it from covering the face completely. will the plaque fall off or will they be there for life?

Fowl Pox is a viral disease spread by mosquitioes and flies, so its no wonder that your hens have it. There is no treatment for Fowl Pox itself, but to prevent secondary infection, I would recommend putting your hens on a broad-spectrum antibiotic like Oxytetracycline (sold under names like Terramycin, Duramycin, Tetroxy HCA-280, etc.). You can usually find that antibiotic at a livestock supply store for a moderate price ($9-$15). The Oxytetracycline dosage is 1 teaspoon powdered Oxytetracycline per gallon of drinking water given for 7-14 days. Don't give probiotics, dairy products, or apple cider vinegar during treatment.

One thing you could try if the scabs are making it difficult for your birds to see is this: Mix some Vaseline with powdered sulfur (I believe you can find this at a garden store). Put this mixture on the scabs on the face. It will cause the scabs to soften so that you can remove them gently, and the sulfur will help repel flies/mosquitoes.

Watch out for the wet form of fowl pox (it appears as bumps in the mouth and respiratory tract), as that form can cause death by suffocation. In most cases, Fowl pox will run its course in 3-6 weeks, at which time the scabs will disappear and fall off.