Fowl Pox!

[Kfults]

i noticed my 6 mo cockerel had a white ashy comb, the next day Fowl Pox! It seems to have spread through my flock of 11 pullets too ( 6 mo old )
Only a couple are not showing signs of lesions on their combs....yet.
It seems to be in various degree of stages among them.
I researched the cutaneous form ( which it appears they have ) and I read it is self limiting and they should recover and only thing I can do is supportive care. I applied plain neosporin to the combs wattles ect to prevent secondary infection. I am going to add vitamins to their water. Tried to administer neutr-drencc directly, but they were not having it!
So far they are acting normal and eating drinking and free ranging.
They get a 20% protein feed and have ample coup space and their laying numbers are normal ( I know that may be reduced)
Any other suggestions?

 

[staceyj]

i noticed my 6 mo cockerel had a white ashy comb, the next day Fowl Pox! It seems to have spread through my flock of 11 pullets too ( 6 mo old )
Only a couple are not showing signs of lesions on their combs....yet.
It seems to be in various degree of stages among them.
I researched the cutaneous form ( which it appears they have ) and I read it is self limiting and they should recover and only thing I can do is supportive care. I applied plain neosporin to the combs wattles ect to prevent secondary infection. I am going to add vitamins to their water. Tried to administer neutr-drencc directly, but they were not having it!
So far they are acting normal and eating drinking and free ranging.
They get a 20% protein feed and have ample coup space and their laying numbers are normal ( I know that may be reduced)
Any other suggestions?

Just be alert to any who seem to be hesitant to eat. If the sores get in their mouths it’s painful.

Mine will take the nutridrench if I put it on bread which is something they never get unless I’m trying to get medicine into them.
I tear a slice into lots of little pieces on a paper plate and dribble drops of vitamins or whatever on it.
Then I hand feed it making sure everyone gets some.
There’s always lots of commotion over this RARE snack!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

i noticed my 6 mo cockerel had a white ashy comb, the next day Fowl Pox! It seems to have spread through my flock of 11 pullets too ( 6 mo old )
Only a couple are not showing signs of lesions on their combs....yet.
It seems to be in various degree of stages among them.
I researched the cutaneous form ( which it appears they have ) and I read it is self limiting and they should recover and only thing I can do is supportive care. I applied plain neosporin to the combs wattles ect to prevent secondary infection. I am going to add vitamins to their water. Tried to administer neutr-drencc directly, but they were not having it!
So far they are acting normal and eating drinking and free ranging.
They get a 20% protein feed and have ample coup space and their laying numbers are normal ( I know that may be reduced)
Any other suggestions?

Do you have any photos?

If you are dealing with Dry form Fowl Pox it will generally resolve on it's own. Try not to disturb the scabs any more than you have to. Iodine can help dry up the scabs.

If they are eating/drinking/acting normal, I would just keep an eye on them.

Here's some more tips https://the-chicken-chick.com/fowl-pox-prevention-treatmen/

 

[Eggcessive]

Could you post a picture or two of the scabs? Fowl pox scabs are infectious, so best not to disturb them. When they drop off in the barnyard, they can spread the disease over weeks or months. Some use betadine on scabs to dry them out.

If you have any weak or sick birds, look inside the beak and throat for any pale yellow patches that be the wet or diphtheritic pox, which is more deadly. It can affect the trachea, esophagus, and crop making eating very painful, or blocking the airway.

There is a pox vaccine available online from several stores, to vaccinate birds who have yet to become exposed with scabs.

Here are some articles for more info:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/fowl-pox-prevention-treatmen/
https://www.hyline.com/aspx/redbook/redbook.aspx?s=5&p=35

 

[Saaniya]

Increase ther vitamins
Clean the pox daily if it's wet then use
metrodinazole in water for prevent any secondry infection

Also do not pop any pox wait for at least 3-4 week it will go away on its own

Here in India we use Neem for any pox in human
U can clean them with neem oil mix in water it will help alot

 

[coach723]

Once your birds recover, they should be resistant to the particular strain they are infected with. I've found that since it's most commonly transmitted by mosquito's, preventing mosquito access to the coop has made a big difference. They are more likely to be bitten while roosting and stationary. If you cover all windows and openings with window screen (I just staple it inside the hardware cloth on all the coop openings) and take a square of it slightly larger than your door opening, cut in strips leaving an inch or two uncut at the top, and attach that over your door opening (may take them some time to get used to going through it - I folded up some strips and lowered more as they got comfortable going through it). That has helped immensely to keep the mosquito's out, and greatly reduced my incidence.

 

[Eggcessive]

Since pox is a virus, systemic antibiotics do not treat it, and can just lead to antibiotic resistance. But in some cases, there can be eye scabs that can cause secondary bacterial infections. Once the eye becomes affected, then oppurtunistic germs such as E.coli or mycoplasma can casue conjuntivitis with drainage or pus. An antibiotic eye drop or ointment may then be helpful, along with cleaning the eye with saline wash.

The window screens can be good to use, but in one of my small coops, it has to be brushed off often due to the dander and dust in that coop. If not the air circulation is cut down. The strips of screen over doors are a good idea that others use, especially in Florida and other tropical areas.