Is this fowlpox in my 2yo BR? (pics) What do I do?

[mbfarms]

This is Missy. 2yo BR. Started acting strange yesterday, and this morning I noticed her swollen eye and what look like black lesions. Is this fowlpox and if so, what do I do to treat her? I also have 8 other hens, a roo, and 3 peas. Would appreciate feedback about prevention for the others, too. The peas are separately penned.

 

[sourland]

It's very unlikely that it is fowlpox this time of year. It very well might be the resut of a peck from one of her flockmates.

 

[mbfarms]

It's very unlikely that it is fowlpox this time of year. It very well might be the resut of a peck from one of her flockmates

Thanks, sourland. She rules the roost, tho. No one pecks her without getting a whooping back. And yesterday she started acting unwell...hiding under a bush, not being human-friendly, tucking her tail. I thot she might be eggbound so I gave her a bath/blow dry (I know, right?) and a warm bed for the night. I noticed then that one of her eyes seemed closed most of the time. And today I see what looks like black spots and the eye is swollen. Do you see what looks like black spots in the pics?

 

[sourland]

I do see the small black specks and also the apparent discoloration in her comb. Any possibility of a spider or scorpion bite? I'm grasping at straws here.

 

[mbfarms]

sure, could be, I guess. i live in the desert so have spiders for sure and probably scorpions. would you think isolation and tlc are in order? any other suggestions?

 

[sourland]

Since she appears to be out of sorts to you, temporary isolation might be a good idea. I wouldn't go long enough to endanger her position in the pecking order or all heck might break out upon her reintroduction to the flock.

 

[mbfarms]

Ok, I think you are right. I think she's getting whooped by my young roo. Ugh.

 

[sourland]

Sometimes when a cockerel is taking over, he has to best the dominant hen. The problem lies in the fact that many then refuse to accept the hen and continue to attack her. I always had better luck adding mature roosters to my flocks. They seemed to better understand the rules. Are you planning on rooster stew?

 

[mbfarms]

You hit it right on the head. Thanks for your advice. All I lack in chicken keeping is a tiny thing called 'experience.'

 

[sourland]

You make up for that with common sense and observational skills.