A great source book for all chicken owners is "A chicken health handbook" by Gail Damerow. Great reference for chickens.
This is what it says on Pox: (picture looks just like your girl with scabbing ect)
Common in some areas worldwide , especiall in confined flocks in cold weather.
incubation is 4-14 days
systems affected- skin
progression- slow, lasts 3-4 weeks in individual birds
symptoms are as your girls shows: birds of all ages except newly hatched chicks, raised or clear bumps on comb/wattles that grow larger and turn yellowish then become brown, grey or black bleeding scabs that fall off to form scars with scabs sometimes all over the head, neck and unfeathers ed areas.
Mortality is 1-2 percent.
Lab can confirm
cause: virus that affects wide variety of birds. can survive months on scabs and feathers of infected birds.
transmission is through skin wounds of all types, mosquitos, mites and wild birds.
no treatment available except vaccination of newly hatched chicks. Isolate infected birds, remove any scabs impeding on seeing and eating, prevent secondary infection via Terramycin for 3 days. Infected birds naturally recover in 2-4 weeks and are immune but can be carriers and may show signs again if under stress. Thouroughly clean housing/pens of scabs to prevent re-infection.
No human health risk and not the same as human "chicken pox".
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