Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Missa Chickabee]

WOW. I have been calling Boaz my 'Dufus Roo' for awhile now. I sent off that last post before I realized that your forum name has dufus in it.
I

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

OK - Old Timers! Bryan brought home some almost grown silkie chicks because I wanted some to set eggs next spring (in case I bomb out with the incubator). I have put them in cages in the back yard because something just didn't look right about them, and I didn't want them around the others until I could give them the once over for lice, mites, or what have you. One little hen kind of "gags"
for lack of a better word. Not exactly a cough. So I caught her up this morning and looked under her wings, around her comb and eyes and legs and vent. No bugs, but she has something growing in the mouth and throat, and even out one nostril. It is yellowish and spongy. At first I thought it was just packed feed because I could clean it out with a q-tip, but on closer inspection, a couple of the others have it too. I'm thinking these birds need to go see their maker, but does anyone have an idea what this might be?

I will be very cautious about cross contamination w/ our other birds, for sure!

Thanks,
Brie

I'm not an OT but I have had experience with this. It sounds like Fowl Pox. There are two different kinds. Wet which effects the mucosa of the throat, eyes and nasal passages. This is the most lethal form as it can obstruct breathing. Dry which effects the face, comb wattles and feet. Both forms are only fatal to the young, old or those with a compromised immune system. It is a virus similar to Chicken Pox that people get. It is spread by mosquitoes. It is self limiting and once they recover they have a life long immunity. There is an inexpensive vaccine available from Jeffers Livestock.

 

[gardendufus]

WOW. I have been calling Boaz my 'Dufus Roo' for awhile now. I sent off that last post before I realized that your forum name has dufus in it.
I

LOL, the 'dufus' part of my name was no accident and I take pride in it. It is a part of almost every screen name I have since "Aargh" seems to be taken more and more before I get t a site.

 

[Beekissed]

Gloved? That's not what I heard....

I heard that!!

Leave y'all alone for a few days and my name is being impugned! Tsk! Tsk!

 

[therapydoglady]

I'm not an OT but I have had experience with this. It sounds like Fowl Pox. There are two different kinds. Wet which effects the mucosa of the throat, eyes and nasal passages. This is the most lethal form as it can obstruct breathing. Dry which effects the face, comb wattles and feet. Both forms are only fatal to the young, old or those with a compromised immune system. It is a virus similar to Chicken Pox that people get. It is spread by mosquitoes. It is self limiting and once they recover they have a life long immunity. There is an inexpensive vaccine available from Jeffers Livestock.

Thank you so much for this information. I looked it up and it sounds awful. I did order vaccine, tho I'm not sure it'll help the one little hen. We'll see. Had girded myself up to dispose of them in the morning when the kids went to school, but may wait for the vaccine and see what happens.

Someone on this thread, (bruceh or loanwizard ?) said silkies look like aliens...they do!

Brie

 

[stonykill]

Someone on this thread, (bruceh or loanwizard ?) said silkies look like aliens...they do!

Brie

I know I have said that many times

 

[normanack]

Someone on this thread, (bruceh or loanwizard ?) said silkies look like aliens...they do!

Brie

Well, they're not chickens. Who knows what's hiding under all that fluff?

My very "special" Silkie, who can't find food under her beak and wouldn't last two seconds in the wild, is probably an alien mastermind planning on taking over the planet. Because nothing can be as stupid as she certainly appears.

And the other chickens know. Despite her appearing to lack a brain, none of them ever attack her, and none of them will sleep near her on the roost. They fear and respect her.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm going to try something I've never done and thought you all would be interested....I'm going to nurse sickly, weak birds back to their former health. Here's the thread link:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-horrors-anyone-want-to-follow-their-progress

 

[bruceh]

I'm going to try something I've never done and thought you all would be interested....I'm going to nurse sickly, weak birds back to their former health. Here's the thread link:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-horrors-anyone-want-to-follow-their-progress

no way bee !!!! your gonna what ?

 

[bruceh]

I know I have said that many times

yep it is loanwizard. me i call them dust mops