Fowl pox and molting same time

[dunnmom]

I tried asking about fowl pox in my local thread, but it's crickets in there these days. I have 6 hens, 4 of which visibly have dry fowl pox. I started them on a low dose of antibiotic powder in their water (2 tsp. pennchlor 64 to 2 gal. water), and garlic and extra probiotics in their food to try to help head off any secondary infection they might get.

Now all of a sudden, I have tons of feathers in the coop and run which tells me at least one of them is molting.

My questions are, could the molting be caused by the pox, or antibiotics? I ask this because most of them molted in winter last year. Also, is there a chance that the molting could cause complications with their pox?

Thanks in advance for any and all responses!

 

[Eggcessive]

Unfortunately, this is the big season of fowl pox, a virus carried by mosquitoes, and for those chickens who were hatched in springtime, it is time for molting as well. Molting can be hard on some chickens, so the pox may have an added effect. If you see any scabs around their eyes, I would use some Terramycin eye ointment in the eyes twice daily. Make sure that all are eating and drinking, though mine don't eat much while molting. Some chooped eggor liver, or canned tuna are usually welcomed.

 

[dunnmom]

Mine seem pretty spry for being sick/molting, but I know they could get worse if it goes into the wet pox. They're eating well and still running around so far. I did notice a change in their behavior before the egg supply dramatically dropped. More cranky than usual, running away from me instead of squatting when I reach down toward them. That was my first clue that something was off.