Fowl pox and toothpaste?!?

[MJ22]

I think my new chicks have fowl pox! They are separate from my flock but I don’t want them to suffer! I just saw online someone treated this with toothpaste?! Any thoughts??? They used regular Colgate. I of course have crest so I don’t know if there’s a difference! Thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

Fowl pox scabs should be left alone since disturbing the scabs spreads the virus. But some do coat scabs with betadine or iodine, to help dry them up, although that is not necessary. Scabs are usually healed in about 3 weeks. Dried up scabs dropped in the environment can become powdery and inhaled by other chickens to continue the spread. Here is a good article to read:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/fowl-pox-prevention-treatmen/

 

[MJ22]

Fowl pox scabs should be left alone since disturbing the scabs spreads the virus. But some do coat scabs with betadine or iodine, to help dry them up, although that is not necessary. Scabs are usually healed in about 3 weeks. Dried up scabs dropped in the environment can become powdery and inhaled by other chickens to continue the spread. Here is a good article to read:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/fowl-pox-prevention-treatmen/

Thanks! It’s a good read!

 

[ChristaleenSoto]

Fowl pox scabs should be left alone since disturbing the scabs spreads the virus. But some do coat scabs with betadine or iodine, to help dry them up, although that is not necessary. Scabs are usually healed in about 3 weeks. Dried up scabs dropped in the environment can become powdery and inhaled by other chickens to continue the spread. Here is a good article to read:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/fowl-pox-prevention-treatmen/

In my personal opinion, that's not a reliable article as it lies that fowl pox has no cure. I have been working with these birds and it does have a cure, and they never get sick again. The cure can be easily accessible for $3 dollars. The secret to cure fowl pox is to rip the scabs off, and coat the wound on the skin with clear nail polish. Make sure to repeat every few days. It will naturally fall off and cure itself with fresh new skin and feathers. I'm attaching a few images of a severe case I had of fowl pox before and after 3 months. This guy's fowl pox gave him coryza too. Cleared that up with terramycin ointment.

 

[dawg53]

That's not a really good article at all as it blatantly lies that fowl pox has no cure. I have been working with these birds and it does have a cure, and they never get sick again. The cure can be easily accessible for $3 dollars but they don't want you to know that. The secret to cure fowl pox is to rip the scabs off, and coat the wound on the skin with clear nail polish. Make sure to repeat every few days. It will naturally fall off and cure itself with fresh new skin and feathers. I'm attaching a few images of a severe case I had of fowl pox before and after 3 months. This guy's fowl pox gave him trichomoniasis too. Cleared that up with terramycin ointment.

I'm not going to discuss the article. How does nail polish dry after pulling the scab off when it's bleeding? They bleed like a stuck pig. I've dealt with fowl pox. You dont mess with the scabs unless putting iodine on them to shrink and kill the infective virus. Black shoe polish will prevent other birds from picking at the scabs.

The scabs themselves are very infective. With blood present, it's a great way for the virus to enter the bloodstream and it can and will infect internal organs as well as the esophagus, trachea etc.
When the scabs fall off on their own and if eaten, a bird will get wet pox. Dry fowl pox clears up in about 6 weeks on their own and birds are immune to that particular strain thereafter.

Your rooster had a severe case of fowl pox. If you had applied iodine or even nothing at all, the disease wouldve healed up and disappeared on its own in less than 3 months. Picking off the scabs increased healing time and you're lucky he didnt get wet pox. (I'd check inside his mouth just to be sure.)

Trichomoniasis (canker), is a protozoa. Terramycin, an antibiotic ointment wont treat it, period.

 

[ChristaleenSoto]

How does nail polish dry after pulling the scab off when it's bleeding? They bleed like a stuck pig. I've dealt with fowl pox.

Very true in some cases, like the one I pictured. I put a bit of pressure using a paper towel, and then apply the polish. It dries up immediately, and you have to apply it once a day.

The scabs themselves are very infective. With blood present, it's a great way for the virus to enter the bloodstream and it can and will infect internal organs as well as the esophagus, trachea

Very true as this happens when other chickens peck and wound the chicken even deeper below surface level, and if left as is, the virus will find it's way in and it will definitely cause secondary infections. To prevent this from happening I isolate any sick bird.

When the scabs fall off on their own and if eaten, a bird will get wet pox. Dry fowl pox clears up in about 6 weeks on their own and birds are immune to that particular strain thereafter.

This is also very, very true. You must dispose of all scabs when they are either picked off, or loose. If a case of dry fowl pox is superficial, like bumps on the comb and such, they will fall off on their own. But in some cases, the scab will get bigger and nastier to the point it will spread all over their faces and even inside their mouths, eyes and ears. Like the case I pictured. If left alone, the bird WILL die. I've had neighbors who stubbornly insist on leaving it alone and they end up burying the poor chicken. It's best to act soon.

Your rooster had a severe case of fowl pox. If you had applied iodine or even nothing at all, the disease wouldve healed up and disappeared on its own in less than 3 months. Picking off the scabs increased healing time

In my 2 decades of farm keeping (had 150 layers at one point), and my years studying pre-vet, I have never seen a severe case like this heal up on it's own. The coryza was taking over his eye, ear and mouth. He could barely stand, walk or eat. Fowl Pox will take over the bird's immune system if a severe case is left alone, cause secondary infections and it will eventually claim the host's life. I have seen how cases like these go when in the wrong hands....Meanwhile by picking off the scabs and applying all necessary medications, my bird started showing immediate response to treatment in less than one week. By less than one month he was running, jumping and crowing again. And by 3 months, such as you say, he already had new feathers over the area his scabs covered.

you're lucky he didnt get wet pox. (I'd check inside his mouth just to be sure.)

He did get canker. I put a glove on and removed the plaques, that was not a pretty sight

Trichomoniasis (canker), is a protozoa. Terramycin, an antibiotic ointment wont treat it, period.

You're right! I meant coryza for the eye and ear infection. Terramycin is my go to oftalmic ointment for when coryza is present. I'm sorry for that slip up, thank you for correcting me. I edited my post to fix that and a few things that might be misunderstood.

 

[dawg53]

I believe you are a bit misguided and I'm going to leave it at that. I've been playing the chicken game a lot longer than you.

I have a final comment about Coryza though. Coryza is a respiratory disease and spreads easily through a flock. Treatment is a sulfa drug in combination with an antibiotic such as Tylan or Baytril. Birds are carriers for life. It's best to cull them.

 

[ChristaleenSoto]

I believe you are a bit misguided and I'm going to leave it at that. I've been playing the chicken game a lot longer than you.

It's not a game at all. Its disheartening to hear such an expression as I'm not here for competition, I'm here to share the bits of experience I have learned through out almost 2 decades of treatment of things that HAVE worked and saved many pets, including mine and others. I have had this bird for a few years already, and culling it because "what ifs" despite all the flock being healthy, his bright red comb and strong crows say otherwise. If you have a commercial flock then I would agree with you, but I am specifically referring to pet birds and backyard chickens. Pets that serve no purpose for food, but instead for companionship. I've saved many chickens who were to be culled and are now living a healthy fulfilling life. It is my passion and it is why I am currently doing my best to become an official avian vet and not just a farmer. I wish you and your chickens all the best, and let's keep saving chickens throughout our lives!