Is this Fowlpox or something else, should I be worried? (pictures)

[AWickedChicken]

The past week or so I've noticed my chickens', roosters' particularly, combs and waddles have been turning black like almost burnt looking. I have pictures of four roosters and one hen from tonight and from November sixth, if anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it! We have five roosters and eleven hens of different breeds, I wasn't able to tell if they all have it or not but these five let me hold them long enough to look and get pictures.

Craster aka Chicken (Red-sex link rooster)

November 6th(left) December 2nd(right)

Deadpool (Rhode Island Red rooster)

November 6th(left) December 2nd(right)

The Joker (Rhode Island Red rooster)

November 6th(left) December 2nd(right)

Ghost (Bantam rooster)

November 6th(left) December 2nd(right)

Nymeria (Red sex-link hen)

November 6th(top left) December 2nd(top right and bottom)

 

[chickens really]

Where are you located??
Looks more like frostbite to me!?


Cheers!

 

[AWickedChicken]

We're located in Ohio, as far as I can tell it hasn't been cold enough out for them to get frost bite yet, and they stay inside the coop at night.. as far as I can tell there aren't any black spots on their feet just their combs and heads but thank you! I will look into frost bite more!

 

[wild chick]

Same question here. I got Wyandottes for their cold hardiness. My Gold roo has black spots all over his comb and shakes his head a lot. The silver has one TINY black dot on his comb. None of the hens have black on their combs. All of them were born June 20, so just under 6 months. They are in a coop at night but free range in the day. Low temp so far is 12, but it warmed to 30's as soon as the sun came up. Winter hasn't begun yet. If this is frostbite on flat combed breed, what gives? Is it fowl pox? The free chick (Egyptian Fayoumis) with the order just died on Thanksgiving rather suddenly - I thought it was crop related. Now seeing this Gold roo getting black spots makes me wonder if it was something else. No illness signs right now, just black spots. Opinions? I'm a newbie, need all the help I can get.

 

[junebuggena]

Same question here. I got Wyandottes for their cold hardiness. My Gold roo has black spots all over his comb and shakes his head a lot. The silver has one TINY black dot on his comb. None of the hens have black on their combs. All of them were born June 20, so just under 6 months. They are in a coop at night but free range in the day. Low temp so far is 12, but it warmed to 30's as soon as the sun came up. Winter hasn't begun yet. If this is frostbite on flat combed breed, what gives? Is it fowl pox? The free chick (Egyptian Fayoumis) with the order just died on Thanksgiving rather suddenly - I thought it was crop related. Now seeing this Gold roo getting black spots makes me wonder if it was something else. No illness signs right now, just black spots. Opinions? I'm a newbie, need all the help I can get.

Can you post some pics of your coop? If you're getting Wyandottes with frostbite, I'm betting the roosts are right in a draft or there isn't enough ventilation above roosting level.

 

[wild chick]

Junebuggena, First photo is when I was still building it, before chicks arrived. It is 8' x 7'. There are two hardcloth vents at each peak, which is way above the highest roost. I only have the people size door which is 6' x 2'. After the chicks were feathered out and free ranging late this summer I was leaving the door open (it is completely fenced with predator-proof top) but I began closing it again around the 1st of October when the temp got into the high 30's at night. There is 6 - 8" of pine shavings on the floor up to the top of the concrete blocks. The last picture is what they look like when I close the door at night. One hen wants to be on the top that isn't a roost. The wavy plastic that lets light in has that foam filler so no drafts come through also. The window has been closed for 2 months now, just the vents at the roof peak are open. The black spots on Leo started a few weeks ago as did the head shaking. Thanks for your input!

 

[junebuggena]

I'd open up the soffits to help draw in more fresh air.

 

[wild chick]

Junebuggena, The screens at the soffits are not closed off. Just hardcloth screen (that's what it's called here, I call it rabbit cage wire). So air from one to another cross ventilation as high as I could make it. And how much difference does it make if the chickens come out of the coop at 7 a.m. and it's 20 degrees? They come running out when I open the door, no matter how cold. Still no comments for A Wicked Chicken, who started this thread, or me on whether these roosters look like frost bite or fowl pox? Anyone?

 

[chickens really]

Anyways............Your pics could also be frost bite?? You totally decline the idea......So look into Fowl pox for your Birds.........



Cheers!

 

[wild chick]

Just trying to learn from folks who've been there & know what they're looking at. This is my first chicken flock in my life but I'm not new to animals & am pretty observant. I'm trying to give all the info I can so you guys with experience can offer suggestions. If frostbite & fowl pox looks the same I'm just trying to decipher which it might be. Everyone is healthy looking and happy, so I guess I should just quit worrying. Onward and forward & Cheers.