Fowl Pox

[gagirl02]

Here are two pics of my chicken that I have diagnosed with fowl pox. Please let me know if I am wrong. These have looked like this for about 2 weeks. I was catching her twice a day and putting iodine on the black spots. I did check in her mouth and didn't see any sores, so this is dry pox. I stopped doing that because it was stressing all 6 of my chickens. The only way to catch them was to use a fish net on a pole but I was having to chase them in the pen to catch her. They stopped laying eggs because of the stress. I've read on here that this will take it's course in about 6 weeks. I now have two more with this. Since I've stopped chasing them the eggs have returned. The chickens look fine and act fine otherwise. I want to make sure I'm doing the right thing and that this is indeed fowl pox. TIA

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Could be pox, it doesn't look severe enough though. They look more like peck marks. Either way they should heal up. Do you have a rooster that might be grabbing her comb? I wouldn't bother treating either one. They should heal up without any intervention.

 

[gagirl02]

I do have a dominate cockerel. I have seen him hold one of my hens down by pulling on the feathers on her head behind the comb. She's missing some feathers there. So those black spots are peck marks? Dang. They started out on one hen, then about a week later on another, and one appeared today on another hen. I look at them several times a day. That's why I thought they might be fowl pox We do have a bad case of mosquitos since Hurricane Matthew came in a couple of months ago. We are treating the chicken yard and our yard for those bad boys. I hope it's nothing more than pecks. Thank you for helping me on this.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I can't be sure one way or they other. When I've had birds with pox the lesions are usually bigger and cause swelling, they often look like they were beat up and many end up with eyes swollen shut. It is possible it's just starting. See how it goes, pox will continue to get worse for about 2 weeks before it begins to improve, so you should know in another week or so.

 

[gagirl02]

thank you. It is so hard to tell by the pictures. I've seen some pox pictures that looked like human chicken pox but on a chicken with pus and some pictures looked similar to mine. So, I'll have to fly by the seat of my pants so to speak until it either gets worse or better. I just don't want to lose any chickens. I've become so attached to them. Thanks again for your help.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It isn't usually deadly, the wet pox can be because they can't eat, but the dry is mostly a cosmetic thing unless both eyes swell shut. Most will eat and drink like nothing is wrong with the dry pox. I get attached too, chickens are so endearing.

 

[CluckyKatie27]

Can anyone tell me if this is fowl pox? Its only on the one chook. If so how can i treat it?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Looks like it could be, can't be definite. If its pox it will get worse before it gets better. It will run its course in about 6 weeks. There is no treatment. It's usually spread by mosquitos and sometimes direct contact.

 

[jessg84]

I have noticed black small black spots on my BO's comb for about a week. She is acting normal, eating normal, and laying normal. Is this fowl pox or possibly something else? One of my chickens had similar spots this fall that resolved on their own and I never thought much of it. I don't think it is from pecking. I only have 4 hens and I have never seen them peck at each other.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

To me it doesn't look like fowl pox because the lesions are usually bigger than that. They look more like old wounds to me. Do you have a rooster?