Bug bites on chickens?

[welovechickens]

I noticed my Japanese Bantam has a scabbed spot at the front and back corner of her left eye. They look kind of like bug bites. She has another spot like that on the other side of her head, too. They look like mosquito bites that got scratched, and they scabbed over. She also has a small swelling on the edge of her upper left eyelid. The swelling is not red, and doesn't seem to bother her at all.

Overall she is happy as can be, eating and playing normally. Could this be some kind of lice or mites, or do chickens have trouble with mosquitoes or fleas like we do?

I haven't tried to take pics since she won't hold still, but if those would be helpful, I can get my mom to hold her still and see if I can get some clear pics.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

it sounds like fowl pox
I would put straight iodine on them and look to see if the other chicks have it

you may have to vaccinate for avian pox
when buying the vaccine make sure it is for chickens
and no you can't get the fol pox

look at this as a friend of mine gave me this info on this subject


Human chicken pox and avian fowl pox are not the same disease. They are caused by entirely different virus. There is no cross infection between humans and birds.

Human Chicken Pox is Varicella zoster see-
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/chic ... c-overview

Avian fowl pox is-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fowl_pox
any questions email me

 

[welovechickens]

Ick! It does sound like what she has....is there any treatment for it?

 

[welovechickens]

DUH, sorry! You said use iodine.

I'll try that....it won't hurt her if it ends up being something else, will it? And is iodine safe to use so close to her eyes?

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

well all I know is I have used it and the iodine should have a dropper or you may have a cotton swab to dip into the iodine and put it on the bite

no iodine is safe for chickens
it will heal the bites
email any questions

 

[welovechickens]

Thank you!

Will try it tomorrow - have to go to the store and get some iodine!

 

[bargain]

Go buy some fishzole....2 tablets per gallon in the water for 4 days - also you need to dip their face in this water. It treats aquarium fish. That's what I read on another board.

Ifeye swelling is bad you can use vet rx as well. You can also vaccinate for fowl pox and might want to if you have a confirmed case. It is born by mosquitos. Hope this helps,.

 

[Glenda Heywoodo]

also
yes to using VETRX as it is good for eye infections
you can get it from
Smith Poultry an Gamebird supplies Kansas