Chicken pecks or pox?

[Aviary junkie]

Here is a picture of my chicken, on its comb there are black spots. How do I know if they are from getting pecked or does my chicken have early stage of pox?

 

[mypicklebird]

It is really hard to tell them apart when there are only a few spots. Not what you want to hear, but it could be either. Pox usually has a more of a white lump look, peck marks look more like black scabs (which they are) I suppose you can pick one off and see if it dissolves in water to blood. Time will tell- pox will spread, then go away in a few weeks. Peck marks will usually stay with the low birds in the pecking order, or the rooster's favorite hen.... a peck mark will also heal faster than a pox mark.