Fowl Pox

[GabbyC96]

I've been doing quite a bit of research and I've come to the conclusion that a few chickens in my flock have fowl pox. They are all acting normal and eating, they just have the scabs. I'm going to be putting iodine on every one that has scabs tomorrow and I wanna know a little more about this illness.

1. Is it really like chicken pox to where if they get it they will be more immune?
2. What's the window of recovery like? I have about 16 chickens.
3. Is there anything I can give them to help it go away?

Any information would be helpful! Thanks in advance!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

There are different strains of Fowl Pox, but generally once they have Fowl Pox they will have resistance.
Window of recovery for Dry Form of Fowl Pox is several weeks if uncomplicated. Sometimes Fowl Pox can turn into Wet Form (diphtheritic form) which causes lesions inside the beak, trachea, eyes, etc. This is more dangerous and can cause secondary infection and may need treatment with antibiotics (antibiotics will not treat Fowl Pox which is a virus, but the lesions may cause infection).

There is nothing that you can give them to make it go away. Fowl Pox is a virus, mainly spread through insects like Mosquitoes. It will need to run it's course. Iodine may help dry up the scabs of Dry Form Fowl Pox, but scabs should not be disturbed.
Keeping water stations cleaned and sanitized may be helpful.

If your affected birds are eating/drinking and acting normal, I would just keep watch for any further symptoms that would be of concern.

 

[GabbyC96]

There are different strains of Fowl Pox, but generally once they have Fowl Pox they will have resistance.
Window of recovery for Dry Form of Fowl Pox is several weeks if uncomplicated. Sometimes Fowl Pox can turn into Wet Form (diphtheritic form) which causes lesions inside the beak, trachea, eyes, etc. This is more dangerous and can cause secondary infection and may need treatment with antibiotics (antibiotics will not treat Fowl Pox which is a virus, but the lesions may cause infection).

There is nothing that you can give them to make it go away. Fowl Pox is a virus, mainly spread through insects like Mosquitoes. It will need to run it's course. Iodine may help dry up the scabs of Dry Form Fowl Pox, but scabs should not be disturbed.
Keeping water stations cleaned and sanitized may be helpful.

If your affected birds are eating/drinking and acting normal, I would just keep watch for any further symptoms that would be of concern.

Thanks! I feel like a terrible chicken mom I don’t even know how they got it! The coop stays very clean!

 

[coach723]

The most common cause of fowl pox is mosquito bites. So if you are in a place where there are mosquito's that is likely the cause. Other biting insects can also carry it, but mosquito's are most common. If you put window screen over all your coop openings it helps reduce the incidence, they are bitten more while stationary on the roosts at night when the biting insects are most active. You can cut a piece of screen slightly larger than your door opening and then cut in 1.5 to 2 inch strips that hang down (leave them attached at the top- not cut all the way), so the chickens can still go in and out, but it also helps keep the mosquito's out. I attach mine with screws and washers so they can be replaced or taken down for the winter, no frames, just attached over the existing hardware cloth.

 

[GabbyC96]

Thanks! I live in a small town called Santa Fe, Tx, and the mosquitos have been bad here with all the rain we got from Imelda! Guess I'm going to Home Depot later to get some screen!

 

[Georgey]

Hi Wyorp Rock, what if my chicken never get the fowl pox virus, should I be worried when they get older? I have a batch of 100 two week old chicks and I use a mosquito net. And is there a stage when fowl pox is not a threat?

 

[sealer39]

Here is a vaccine that can be given to chickens. I plan to give it to 10 of mine when they get old enough.
https://www.jefferspet.com/products/fowl-pox-vaccine-1000-d

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi Wyorp Rock, what if my chicken never get the fowl pox virus, should I be worried when they get older? I have a batch of 100 two week old chicks and I use a mosquito net. And is there a stage when fowl pox is not a threat?

As mentioned there is a vaccine so you may want to look into that - I don't know where you would find it in Kenya. Do you have a department of Agriculture you can contact to find out more?
As for what stage (how old they are) it can happen at any age - if birds have never had Fowl Pox, they can get it. It's mainly spread through insects. Once they recover they are resistant.

 

[coach723]

Thanks! I live in a small town called Santa Fe, Tx, and the mosquitos have been bad here with all the rain we got from Imelda! Guess I'm going to Home Depot later to get some screen!

Ugh!! Just outside of Houston, I bet the mosquito's are awful! Hope you guys dry out soon!

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are a couple of good articles about fowl pox:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/fowl-pox-prevention-treatmen/

http://www.poultryhub.org/health/disease/types-of-disease/fowl-pox/