Frostbite or pox?

[aubpick]

Hi all,
I just got 2 beautiful roosters last night. They are currently in my secondary coop to get a look at my ladies before intoducing but when I went to see them this morning, I noticed these spots. I immediately thought they were pox but the previous owner is sure it's frostbite as they showed up just after our big long freeze. I haven't had any signs of pox within my flock and don't want to introduce if possible. I'm thinking better safe than sorry either way but was hoping to get a more definitive answer here. Thanks in advance!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

To me, that looks like pox, since I usually see frostbite on the tips of the comb first. Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Hi all,
I just got 2 beautiful roosters last night. They are currently in my secondary coop to get a look at my ladies before intoducing but when I went to see them this morning, I noticed these spots. I immediately thought they were pox but the previous owner is sure it's frostbite as they showed up just after our big long freeze. I haven't had any signs of pox within my flock and don't want to introduce if possible. I'm thinking better safe than sorry either way but was hoping to get a more definitive answer here. Thanks in advance!

Hi and

! I have flock roosters and since I hatch my own eggs, I often have several roosters around (or in a rooster pen when they start harassing the ladies)...that looks to me like it could actually be pecking injuries (scabs). Were the two roosters housed together, and does the other one have any similar marks on his comb? If the other one doesn't, it may just be because he was the dominant roo.

In case you haven't seen it, this link has good photos of pox: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/avian-pox-how-to-treat-your-chickens-for-avian-pox. The lesions look more raised in the pox photos to me.

With frostbite - and I have roosters with large combs - the damage typically appears on the tips of the comb, rather than the middle or bottom.

You could test the pecking injury theory by wetting a paper towel and rubbing one of the spots on the comb: if it's blood, it should leave some rusty coloration on the paper.

 

[Gray Farms]

Looks like a healing injury to me as well. Not frostbite for sure, it would be on the tips 99% of the time.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome to BYC

I agree with the others, looks like pecking injury with possibly a little Favus (the white "stuff").

Fowl Pox is "usually" more raised. Apply some triple antibiotic ointment, vetericyn or iodine to the black scabs and work in some anti-fungal cream to the white portions of the comb.

It would be wise to keep the new birds quarantined for several weeks so you can monitor their health and see if you can get the comb healed up. This time period will allow them to become accustomed to you while you check them over for any signs of illness, lice/mites or worms that they may have.

Beautiful rooster, keep us posted

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/12/quarantine-of-backyard-chickens-why-and.html
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2016/08/biosecurity-for-backyard-chickens.html

 

[aubpick]

Thanks for the quick replies! I agree that it's not frostbite. Doesn't make sense. Could favus be both the white and black? Here is a pic of the other side. It's more crusty

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks for the quick replies! I agree that it's not frostbite. Doesn't make sense. Could favus be both the white and black? Here is a pic of the other side. It's more crusty

As far as I know Favus shows as white chalky-like deposits on the comb. It is a fungal infection - you can apply anti-fungal cream (Lotrimin, Tinactin, etc.) .

For the scabs, try to treat those as well and get them to heal up. Depending on how gentle this rooster is may let the hens pick at the scabs. My rooster has a small cut on his comb and will let 2 girls pick the scab, it's been a bear to get it to heal. Just when I think it's healed completely, I look out and there they are picking at his comb and he just quietly stands there. One day I think they will eat him

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

As far as I know Favus shows as white chalky-like deposits on the comb. It is a fungal infection - you can apply anti-fungal cream (Lotrimin, Tinactin, etc.) .

For the scabs, try to treat those as well and get them to heal up. Depending on how gentle this rooster is may let the hens pick at the scabs. My rooster has a small cut on his comb and will let 2 girls pick the scab, it's been a bear to get it to heal. Just when I think it's healed completely, I look out and there they are picking at his comb and he just quietly stands there. One day I think they will eat him

That takes "tolerant" to a whole new level!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

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[aubpick]

Ha. Thats crazy. Boys are doing well. The lavender finally let me pick him up and the black picked right off! Thank goodness. They are very interested in their new ladies. Such a good introduction now that I feel ok that they aren't diseased. Thanks for the help!