Fowl pox?

[Jmc11]

I have attached two photos of the best pics I could get. I’ve got this spreading around my flock, it seems to be starting with swelling of one eye, yellow/crusty patches as you can see next to chickens mouth and on her wattle area. I’ve culled three chickens already due to how severe it got. Making sure they are hydrated, added some apple cider vinegar water, I’ve seperated these two now that I’ve caught it on them but I have a pretty large flock. I definitely see some signs of dry fowl pox on some others with black spots on their combs and faces. Not sure what else I could do, anyone have some insight?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

As long as it’s dry fowl pox there isn’t much you can do but wait for it to run it’s course. Wet fowl pox is a different story and I don’t have experience with it. Wet fowl pox will show up inside their mouth though and causes some pretty nasty issues with eating and drinking. Do you have pictures of the ones you had to cull?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have attached two photos of the best pics I could get. I’ve got this spreading around my flock, it seems to be starting with swelling of one eye, yellow/crusty patches as you can see next to chickens mouth and on her wattle area. I’ve culled three chickens already due to how severe it got. Making sure they are hydrated, added some apple cider vinegar water, I’ve seperated these two now that I’ve caught it on them but I have a pretty large flock. I definitely see some signs of dry fowl pox on some others with black spots on their combs and faces. Not sure what else I could do, anyone have some insight?

Where are you located in the world?

Can you open the beak and take some photos of the inside of the beak?

Do you notice a very bad odor?

I see some possible Dry Fowl Pox Lesions on the wattles, but it looks more like scabbing/injury on the comb.

The lesion or sore on the side of the beak is concerning, especially since you've already culled a few birds. Did they ever develop lesions that covered the eyes or was the severity due to buildup inside the beak?

It's important to know if you are dealing with Fowl Pox or Canker or possibly something else, treatment would be different for each, so more information along with photos may help us help you figure this out.

 

[Jmc11]

Where are you located in the world?

Can you open the beak and take some photos of the inside of the beak?

Do you notice a very bad odor?

I see some possible Dry Fowl Pox Lesions on the wattles, but it looks more like scabbing/injury on the comb.

The lesion or sore on the side of the beak is concerning, especially since you've already culled a few birds. Did they ever develop lesions that covered the eyes or was the severity due to buildup inside the beak?

It's important to know if you are dealing with Fowl Pox or Canker or possibly something else, treatment would be different for each, so more information along with photos may help us help you figure this out.


View attachment 4277463

I live in Arizona and mosquitos have been big issue this past year. I do have many hens with black spots I’m certain is dry pox. I had to cull other birds due to how severe the facial swelling became and deterioration of their eye. I tried antibiotic eye ointment and saline flushes no improvement whatsoever. One hen that we culled was having seizures and obvious neurological issues as well as 1 swollen eye/side of face. I have noticed it has only been one eye/side of their faces for all hens with this going on. I did not notice the sore on the side of mouth on the others I culled as I do on this hen however. Me and husband just found sores inside mouth I will upload photo. I have seperated her and we did a deep coop clean and whole new waterer for other chickens. She has been getting acv water and soft food this morning some cooked eggs which she was able to get down.

 

[Jmc11]

The best I could get, but you can see entire lesion going into mouth. So now I’m thinking canker? Does smell a little to me.

 

[Jmc11]

View attachment 4278035
The best I could get, but you can see entire lesion going into mouth. So now I’m thinking canker? Does smell a little to me.

Another update, did a spot check on everyone’s mouth now and it is definitely spreading throughout everyone. Not sure where to go from here white patches in different degrees in everyone’s mouths

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I live in Arizona and mosquitos have been big issue this past year. I do have many hens with black spots I’m certain is dry pox. I had to cull other birds due to how severe the facial swelling became and deterioration of their eye. I tried antibiotic eye ointment and saline flushes no improvement whatsoever. One hen that we culled was having seizures and obvious neurological issues as well as 1 swollen eye/side of face. I have noticed it has only been one eye/side of their faces for all hens with this going on. I did not notice the sore on the side of mouth on the others I culled as I do on this hen however. Me and husband just found sores inside mouth I will upload photo. I have seperated her and we did a deep coop clean and whole new waterer for other chickens. She has been getting acv water and soft food this morning some cooked eggs which she was able to get down.

Another update, did a spot check on everyone’s mouth now and it is definitely spreading throughout everyone. Not sure where to go from here white patches in different degrees in everyone’s mouths

Oh, I'm sorry!

I'm going to tag in @dawg53 and @Eggcessive to take a look and offer suggestions too.

So, the ones you culled, did have lesions on the eye(s) and facial tissue (wattles/combs) as well as inside the beak.

It may be Wet Form of Fowl Pox (Diphtheritic Form), but if there's a bad odor then probably Canker.

For Wet Pox you can try painting the lesion with Iodine, I'm not sure if it will help.
It may be better to try Acidified Copper Sulfate or Metronidazole for the whole flock since you are seeing lesions inside everyone's beaks. These 2 *treat* Canker. Fowl Pox is a virus, but often there can be secondary infection so these 2 may help with that too(?)

If you lose another, it would be good to get testing/necropsy through your state lab to find out what this is exactly, so you can give the best treatment option. Both Fowl Pox and Canker are contagious, but Canker makes the birds carriers for life and the condition can be chronic and would need to be managed, while with Fowl Pox, most build resistance after they recover and birds don't become symptomatic or pass it on.



You can find Metronidazole and Acidified Copper Sulfate at Jedd's.
https://jedds.com/products/metronidazole-20?_pos=1&_psq=metroni&_ss=e&_v=1.0

https://jedds.com/products/acidified-copper-sulfate-animal-science?_pos=1&_psq=aci&_ss=e&_v=1.0

https://poultrydvm.com/condition/canker

 

[Jmc11]

Oh, I'm sorry!

I'm going to tag in @dawg53 and @Eggcessive to take a look and offer suggestions too.

So, the ones you culled, did have lesions on the eye(s) and facial tissue (wattles/combs) as well as inside the beak.

It may be Wet Form of Fowl Pox (Diphtheritic Form), but if there's a bad odor then probably Canker.

For Wet Pox you can try painting the lesion with Iodine, I'm not sure if it will help.
It may be better to try Acidified Copper Sulfate or Metronidazole for the whole flock since you are seeing lesions inside everyone's beaks. These 2 *treat* Canker. Fowl Pox is a virus, but often there can be secondary infection so these 2 may help with that too(?)

If you lose another, it would be good to get testing/necropsy through your state lab to find out what this is exactly, so you can give the best treatment option. Both Fowl Pox and Canker are contagious, but Canker makes the birds carriers for life and the condition can be chronic and would need to be managed, while with Fowl Pox, most build resistance after they recover and birds don't become symptomatic or pass it on.



You can find Metronidazole and Acidified Copper Sulfate at Jedd's.
https://jedds.com/products/metronidazole-20?_pos=1&_psq=metroni&_ss=e&_v=1.0

https://jedds.com/products/acidified-copper-sulfate-animal-science?_pos=1&_psq=aci&_ss=e&_v=1.0

https://poultrydvm.com/condition/canker

Yes I agree I think it’s either wet pox or secondary infection. I have metronidazole from Jedds on its way hoping it arrives tomorrow. I will have to look into necropsy testing I have never had to do anything of the sorts , I was able to clean some of the chickens mouths last night that had some patches just starting and they easily wiped off with qtip if that makes sense? My chicken I originally posted we will most likely cull today as she is no longer eating and becoming more and more swollen, don’t want her to continue to suffer. But the patches on the other chickens seem to be scattered: side of mouth inside, tongue, roof of mouth. Not sure if these things help indicate canker rather than wet pox. Or maybe even thrush? Regardless I will be trying the medication and hope for the best.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes I agree I think it’s either wet pox or secondary infection. I have metronidazole from Jedds on its way hoping it arrives tomorrow. I will have to look into necropsy testing I have never had to do anything of the sorts , I was able to clean some of the chickens mouths last night that had some patches just starting and they easily wiped off with qtip if that makes sense? My chicken I originally posted we will most likely cull today as she is no longer eating and becoming more and more swollen, don’t want her to continue to suffer. But the patches on the other chickens seem to be scattered: side of mouth inside, tongue, roof of mouth. Not sure if these things help indicate canker rather than wet pox. Or maybe even thrush? Regardless I will be trying the medication and hope for the best.

I hope the medication helps.

Here's a link to your state lab. If you decided to take or send the body, refrigerate it, don't freeze it. Also if you do get testing, let us now what you find out.

I'm very sorry that you're dealing with this.

https://azvdl.arizona.edu/