Dry pox question

[Hopeful homesteader]

My chickens have had dry pox for a week and a half now, blisters are only coming up on combs and wattles and they aren't very large, no behavior changes or anything so I'm guessing this is a very mild case. From the time the first blister appears, how long can new blisters come up? I was under the impression that all the blisters come up in the first week or so and the remaining 2-3 weeks is just healing while the scabs fall off. Also, how long is the virus contagious in the dirt? I have no way of clearing out my yard but can't seem to find an answer on that one. All the cockerels are 11 weeks old, my husband arranged for them to go last week but I cancelled that as soon as I noticed the pox, how long before it's safe to rehome them?

 

[All4Eggz]

@Eggcessive

 

[Eggcessive]

The scabs pop out after the mosquitoes bite, and spread the fowl pox virus. It also is spread from open scabs to other parts of the body or other birds, so do not disturb scabs. When the scabs dry up and fall off, they can become powdery and that can be inhaled weeks to months later to again spread pox. Pox lasts about a month usually. The less common wet pox, which causes yellow plaques inside the beak, throat, and trachea, can last longer.

There is a fowl pox vaccine available. Most chickens who have fowl pox are immune to it in the future.

 

[Hopeful homesteader]

The scabs pop out after the mosquitoes bite, and spread the fowl pox virus. It also is spread from open scabs to other parts of the body or other birds, so do not disturb scabs. When the scabs dry up and fall off, they can become powdery and that can be inhaled weeks to months later to again spread pox. Pox lasts about a month usually. The less common wet pox, which causes yellow plaques inside the beak, throat, and trachea, can last longer.

There is a fowl pox vaccine available. Most chickens who have fowl pox are immune to it in the future.

So in a year from now, is it likely there would still be the scab powder that's contagious in the dirt? I'm thinking for in the future, I don't want to bring in new ones if it's still in the dirt. From what I've read, pox isn't common in my state, we just had an unusual amount of rain this summer that brought mosquitoes. After a month they're ok to rehome?

 

[Eggcessive]

You could rehome them when they are healed from all of the scabs. But I would say that they had pox earlier. Rehoming cockerels is a real pain when you hatch chicks. That is why I stopped hatching years ago, since no one wants them, even for butchering. Before hatching chicks make sure you can give them away. After a year, especially if you have some freezing weather, I think the scabs probably would not be infectious. But you can do some reading about it. Here is an old book where on page 7, they discuss this:
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/downloads/pv63g0588