I can't get rid of chicken pox?!?

[cloverdalehens]

My chickens first showed signs of avian pox in September of last year. It got bad for about a month and then went away; however, every once in a while they show signs of it again. It never gets as bad as it got last year but I don't understand why it keeps showing up. I've cleaned the coop out and sprayed it with bleach several times but it just keeps coming back. They all seem to be doing well but I don't want this added stress on them as they're starting to molt (i have no clue why now but i guess it was their choice).

thanks for any help you can provide!

Cody

 

[Megan Amber]

Are you sure it's chicken pox? They are not supposed to be able to get it again. Unless of course it's never really going away. When mine got it last summer I put calamine lotion on all the sores and they healed right up. I also made them oatmeal with vinegar and poultry vitamins to boost there immune system.

 

[cloverdalehens]

I'm pretty sure. It's little black spots on their combs. Sometimes they blister up but it never gets real bad. I did the calamine lotion thing too and put iodine on them to dry them out and avoid infection. I think I may try some apple cider vinegar to boost their health. Any other suggestions? Have you ever heard of it going on for months on end? I thought it would just work its way out.

 

[Megan Amber]

I have not however I don't doubt it. I know that the actual scabs that fall off the birds can spread the disease and that if they fall on the ground they are "good " for months. When my guys got it we dug out the coop and sprayed everything down with an antifungal/bacterial spray. I'll have to go find the name of it. We bought it at a Re-Store. I advise the AVC. You can put Neo-sporin on it too. I hope this is at least a little help!

 

[dawg53]

I'm pretty sure. It's little black spots on their combs. Sometimes they blister up but it never gets real bad. I did the calamine lotion thing too and put iodine on them to dry them out and avoid infection. I think I may try some apple cider vinegar to boost their health. Any other suggestions? Have you ever heard of it going on for months on end? I thought it would just work its way out.

Can you post pics of the infected combs please?

 

[dawg53]

I have not however I don't doubt it. I know that the actual scabs that fall off the birds can spread the disease and that if they fall on the ground they are "good " for months. When my guys got it we dug out the coop and sprayed everything down with an antifungal/bacterial spray. I'll have to go find the name of it. We bought it at a Re-Store. I advise the AVC. You can put Neo-sporin on it too. I hope this is at least a little help!

Keep in mind that fowl pox is a virus. Antifungals/antibacterials are useless against a virus. However, an antibiotic could be used against a secondary infection such as a bird scratching open a nodule causing infection. Neosporin could be used to prevent or treat the bacterial infection in that instance, but it wont treat the fowl pox itself.

 

[cloverdalehens]

 

[dawg53]

I dont see any evidence of fowl pox at all. Little black spots could be from hens pecking combs, insect bites, possible injury from getting comb caught in chicken wire or something similar. Here's info on fowl pox with pics:
http://ultimatefowl.com/wiki/index.php?title=Fowl_Pox

 

[Megan Amber]

I second Dawgs opinion. That doesn't really look like Fowl Pox. My guys have that too , reasons stated above along with previous frostbite and over all blemishes.

 

[Zrcalo]

OP, if your chickens had pecking scabs like those you shared, chances are you've never had pox at all.