Sorry this is a little long, but I'm a bit wordy and don't know how to stop. Also, I want to provide as much information as I can to aid in any assistance I might receive from those who respond to this post. Thank you in advance!
My barred rock hen has lived in our smallish garden bathtub for most of her life. At first there were chicks of different breeds living there together. At about 2 months, give or take, they all lived in an outdoor coop for about 3 weeks. She has lived in the the tub again ever since. She'll be about a year old in October, and weighs around 5-6 pounds.
Her bedding is fine pine shavings. I use deep layering. About two months ago, it was all taken out, the tub cleaned, rinsed thoroughly, and new shavings were put in.
Her food and water are in the same containers she and the other chickens used as chicks, and are cleaned regularly with only very hot water.
Until the recent bedding change, "Mrs. Bok-bok" was laying eggs generally every other day, and occasionally every day for a few days in a row. Almost immediately after the bedding change, she developed black spots on her beak, and then another on one of her feet. She stopped laying eggs, and stopped squawking like she usually does when she's going to lay an egg (she and I "talk" several times a day). A few days, maybe a week later, she had a few scabs on her comb. I found out it was fowl pox, that it would heal on its own, and that it might be beneficial to give her iodine and ACV. So, she's been getting a couple drops of iodine and a teaspoon of ACV every few days in her water (which is when it is cleaned out and refilled).
The only way she could have gotten it, since she doesn't go outside, we almost never get mosquitos in the house, and anyway she lives in the back of the house, was from my husband; let me explain. The chicks Mrs. Bok-bok grew up with that made it are 3 roosters who live together in a coop outside. My husband exclusively takes care of them. On occasion, he will afterward pay attention to Mrs. Bok-bok without having yet washed his hands. They've all had fowl pox, too, and keep passing it to each other again.
The strange thing is, my husband hasn't done that since I figured out what had happened. Also, Mrs. Bok-bok recovered for a few days, and even laid a few eggs. Now, though, she's got those black spots on her beak and foot again. She hasn't gotten any more scabs, and she still isn't laying eggs or squawking. This has been going on for maybe 3 weeks.
Any idea what's going on? Or what I can do to help her?
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for any help you can offer!
My barred rock hen has lived in our smallish garden bathtub for most of her life. At first there were chicks of different breeds living there together. At about 2 months, give or take, they all lived in an outdoor coop for about 3 weeks. She has lived in the the tub again ever since. She'll be about a year old in October, and weighs around 5-6 pounds.
Her bedding is fine pine shavings. I use deep layering. About two months ago, it was all taken out, the tub cleaned, rinsed thoroughly, and new shavings were put in.
Her food and water are in the same containers she and the other chickens used as chicks, and are cleaned regularly with only very hot water.
Until the recent bedding change, "Mrs. Bok-bok" was laying eggs generally every other day, and occasionally every day for a few days in a row. Almost immediately after the bedding change, she developed black spots on her beak, and then another on one of her feet. She stopped laying eggs, and stopped squawking like she usually does when she's going to lay an egg (she and I "talk" several times a day). A few days, maybe a week later, she had a few scabs on her comb. I found out it was fowl pox, that it would heal on its own, and that it might be beneficial to give her iodine and ACV. So, she's been getting a couple drops of iodine and a teaspoon of ACV every few days in her water (which is when it is cleaned out and refilled).
The only way she could have gotten it, since she doesn't go outside, we almost never get mosquitos in the house, and anyway she lives in the back of the house, was from my husband; let me explain. The chicks Mrs. Bok-bok grew up with that made it are 3 roosters who live together in a coop outside. My husband exclusively takes care of them. On occasion, he will afterward pay attention to Mrs. Bok-bok without having yet washed his hands. They've all had fowl pox, too, and keep passing it to each other again.
The strange thing is, my husband hasn't done that since I figured out what had happened. Also, Mrs. Bok-bok recovered for a few days, and even laid a few eggs. Now, though, she's got those black spots on her beak and foot again. She hasn't gotten any more scabs, and she still isn't laying eggs or squawking. This has been going on for maybe 3 weeks.
Any idea what's going on? Or what I can do to help her?
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for any help you can offer!
