Fowl pox + newly hatched chickies - what to do?

[Dudu]

Dear all,

I just joined the forum the other day after reading it for a week and gaining some truly invaluable information.

I will be posting an introduction later on but let me say the most important thing, I am NEW new to chickens and poultry, a world in which I quite unexpectedly find myself after more than 20 years already spent in showing and training dogs (gundogs).

I'm looking for some advice as maybe some of you have been in this situation before. We seem to have fowl pox (the dry form, it seems, started about 2 weeks ago) on our small farm, and one of the (few so far) affected hens is just now having babies. She is doing well, we're treating her lesions on her head with iodine and she's otherwise fine, but the question is now what to do with her babies, as they can potentially get it too? Would you separate them from her or keep them with her? My partner, whom I have to thank for my introducion to these animals, has had his flock for some years now but he had never encountered chicken pox in it. We are also trying to contact a knowledgeable vet that could give any recommendations, but would appreciate advice from the members here who may have been in this situation before.

Also, if I understand correctly, right now would be the time to vaccinate all of the healthy birds, has anyone done it this way and what happened? (I'm asking because if e.g. there is a disease outbreak in dogs, it's way too late to vaccinate anyone, but I'm guessing it's different in birds?)

I do apologise for my ignorance in these matters which I am more than willing to repair, as it appears that I will be spending a LOT of my time now among these amazing animals.

Thanks a lot in advance for any comments and thoughts,
Irena

 

[Matt A NC]

There are 2 vaccines. One for young birds and another for adults. If you have chicks on site then you do the first for everyone and then 3 months later follow up with the adult vaccine.

I vaccinated to stop an outbreak of wet form pox 3 years ago. After vaccinating I didn't lose anymore birds. Pox is not normally very common here and I have not had to deal with it or vaccinate any new birds since.

Supposedly, from the company that makes the vaccine, it takes a week for the vaccine to 'take'. Any bird infected will not benefit from it, but it does no harm either. Any bird infected but not yet showing symptoms can suddenly start showing symptoms quickly. I did not have that happen but it is what they told me.

Matt

 

[Dudu]

Thank you Matt, good to know!

Was the thinking to separate the newly hatched chicks from their infected mother the correct way to go? Would it make sense to vaccinate them now and put them back to her (even only after a week)?