Chicken with black moles on face

[gagirl02]

Here is a pic of a 5 month old hen I got this past Saturday. I didn't notice the moles until Monday. I just checked on her and her eye is now shut because of the mole. Anyone know what this is could be?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Could be fowl pox.

 

[Chickassan]

Can you get a look inside of the beak?

 

[gagirl02]

I can look in her beak tomorrow morning. I have an appt at 4 with the vet. Since you mentioned FP, I did a little research and I do believe you are correct. Like I said earlier, I just got her and two other birds this past Saturday. Two are 5 months and one is 8 months. The 8 months one is laying eggs and is sneezing a little bit. The two 5 months are both sneezing, with one sneezing and coughing. They are eating but you can tell they are tired. They just lay around all day. I do have them separated from my established flock until 30 days is up. But like my vet has told me, all it takes is a bird that eats from their pen and then flies into my other chickens' pen and they will be infected, too. They get hydro-hen 3 in 1 in their water every day and VetRX rubbed on their beaks and under their wings 2X daily. Thankfully, after reading about FP, it will go away. Thank you so much for response.

 

[dawg53]

You're dealing with fowl pox AND some type of respiratory disease with your newly acquired birds. It's the respiratory disease that's dangerous, not the fowl pox.

Your vet is correct and I can assure you that poultry respiratory diseases can be spread very easily to your healthy flock ie; on your person, clothing, shoes etc.
If I were you, I'd cull the sick birds right away before your existing flock is exposed. Then bury them deep far away from your pens or incinerate them.

 

[gagirl02]

Dawg53 - thank you for your help. I just checked on the girls this morning. Toupee, still has one eye closed due to the FP. She didn't sneeze once while I was out there and didn't shake her head. White Eyes, the older one is fine. Golden, the sickest one seems much better today. She only sneezed once and didn't shake her head. The last two days was constant sneezing and coughing. I put ground herbs in their feed too, basil, clove, garlic, thyme, that someone else shared that they use when they get sick birds and have success with. Im going to give it today before I make the decision to cull. Thank you for responding. If we do cull, I'll have my husband bag and take the bird off the property.

 

[dawg53]

Just for your information regarding respiratory diseases, and you may already know this: Birds may look or seem okay after a while with or without the use of antibiotics or herbals. That's because they become carriers for life and will spread the disease to healthy birds. They become "Typhoid Mary's" in other words.
If they are stressed, symptoms will reappear and are still carriers. Good luck with your decision.

 

[gagirl02]

I did take her to the vet just because this is my first experience with fowl pox and I wanted to make sure it was dry pox and not wet. The vet said dry for now. It could go wet later and if it does he will give antibiotics to keep from getting any secondary problems. He didn't suggest I cull them. I may be making the biggest mistake but I'm going to take a chance with these girls. I hope and pray I'm not wrong. I will let you know how this goes. I hope I don't have to come back and say that you were right.

 

[dawg53]

The vet is right about secondary infections from fowl pox. Antibiotics wont treat fowl pox itself, because it is a virus and this is just for your information. As far as wet pox goes, you can actually see lesions in the mouth, maybe the upper esophagus as well. Birds cant swallow feed due to the lesions and can starve to death. Checking inside their mouth occasionally and observing them if they are eating normally will help determine if they have wet pox.
Dry pox isnt a cullable disease, wet pox can be but that's not the issue right now.

The sneezing, coughing, head shaking and tiredness are the concern. Good luck and keep us up to date.

 

[gagirl02]

I can't thank you enough for your help. Toupee has her eye open today. It's been closed for almost 2 days due to a pox next to the lid. The vet opened it yesterday so she still has it open. I'll be honest - I'm not a "farm girl". Culling is not something that comes easy to me at all. I grew up in the "city" and only ever had a dog and cat. My husband on the other hand is a real farm boy (although he logged when I met him), so culling isn't something he enjoys but he is better at it than me. Their chickens survived the best they could and taking a chicken to the vet would never have been an option, but he understands my temperament. Thank you for not berating me for not culling the sickest one. I just hate the thought of giving up on her. But I will keep you posted. Thank you again.