Is this fowl pox?

[MHallum]

Hi everyone, I have a 8 month old pullet that might have fowl pox? I first noticed her eye having bubbles day before yesterday. I separated her into a unused chicken tractor. I flushed it out several times and the bubbles continued all day yesterday. This morning I didn't see anymore bubbles coming from the eye but her eye lids do seem a little more swollen. If its fowl pox it looks like she could have one of the pox on her bottom eyelid and that may be the cause for swelling and runny eyes? Thoughts? If it is fowl pox it just must be a mild case. You can see from the photos attached. I had noticed these same spots/scabs on some other hens but I figured it was just from the rooster and pecking since they weren't bad and a few of them had it.

No nasal discharge
No fowl small around head
Not lethargic
No sneezing
No coughing
No diarrhea
No Mites
No rattling or gasping when breathing
May have a slight decrease in appetite. Kinda hard to tell. Since I have her separated shes not as active. But I let her out of the chicken tractor and she ran over to the fence to try and get with the other chickens.

I was reading about MG and Coryza. I looked in her mouth. Seems normal. I also smelled in her mouth for a fowl oder related to Coryza. It didn't smell good but probably normal. I did introduce a new 1 year old rooster about a month ago I purchased from a breeder. But I have also hatched out a bunch of other chicks I've added to the flock this year.

One reason I am more concerned is a few a days ago I noticed another pullet of the same age gasping for air. I figured it was possible gapeworm. I wormed her and separated her right away. The next morning she was dead. But they don't have the same symptoms at all. Possibly just coincidence? Thanks for any help!

 

[nchls school]

Yes, it could be pox; going by your description and the picture.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Looks more like healing Peck wounds to me.

 

[Eggcessive]

The second picture looks a bit more like fowl pox scabs. Sometimes it is hard to tell it from peck wounds. Pox is a virus spread by mosquitoes and lasts several weeks. There is no cure, but where the scabs are near eyes, I would watch for infection, and apply some Terramycin eye ointment or plain Neosporin ointment to the eye twice a day.

 

[MHallum]

The second picture looks a bit more like fowl pox scabs. Sometimes it is hard to tell it from peck wounds. Pox is a virus spread by mosquitoes and lasts several weeks. There is no cure, but where the scabs are near eyes, I would watch for infection, and apply some Terramycin eye ointment or plain Neosporin ointment to the eye twice a day.

Thanks everyone.

Eggcessive, yeah, that is what had me puzzled. I haven't hardly had a sick chicken until this all of a sudden. Both birds so it just made me a little nervous that is could be something more serious. I have applied Neosporin a few times a day. I will keep an eye on her. Do Fowl Pox go away in the winter usually? With no biting bugs or mosquitoes? Thanks again!

 

[Eggcessive]

Usually the mosquitoes are gone in winter, but pox can slowly spread through the flock by dropped pox scabs that dry up and become inhaled in powder form. Scabs are contagious when disturbed or when they fall off. Some people dab Betadine on the scabs to help them dry out. Once a chicken suffers from fowl pox, they are immune to it afterward. There is a vaccine which can be given to unaffected birds, and may take a couple of weeks to cause immunity. Here is some reading:
http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/fowl-pox-backyard-flocks

 

[MHallum]

Usually the mosquitoes are gone in winter, but pox can slowly spread through the flock by dropped pox scabs that dry up and become inhaled in powder form. Scabs are contagious when disturbed or when they fall off. Some people dab Betadine on the scabs to help them dry out. Once a chicken suffers from fowl pox, they are immune to it afterward. There is a vaccine which can be given to unaffected birds, and may take a couple of weeks to cause immunity. Here is some reading:
http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/fowl-pox-backyard-flocks

Thanks again Eggcessive, I have about 100 young pullets that are a couple months old. I might go ahead and vaccinate those so when I put them with the older birds it doesn't spread throughout the whole flock of young birds.

 

[chillst1]

I am currently going through fowl pox too. Several of my pullets got bubbly eyes , especially the ones that had pox legions near the eye. One of my hens died suddenly like the one you described. I think this is due to wet pox which has a higher casualty rate. They can get both wet and dry depending on where the virus affects them.

Not sure where you are from, but here in Georgia fowl pox has been awful for a lot of people.

Best of luck.