Is this pox?Please help!

[chickybaby78]

One of my roosters has these bumps and black stuff on his comb and wattles.One of my hens that's is hatching eggs today has bloody sores all on her face.If it is pox should I go ahead and remove chicks when they are through hatching and take care of them myself?I hate to remove the chicks away from their mother if I don't have to.I am new to all this so any help would be appreciated.I do live in central Fl. so we do have alot of mosquitoes this time of year.

 

[horsejody]

It looks like the pictures didn't work.

 

[chickybaby78]

Ok now they are working.

 

[horsejody]

It doesn't look too bad. Possibly bug bites or peck marks? Are they acting sick?

 

[chickybaby78]

no they are not acting sick.the roo just developed these white little bumps and then the hen has all those bloody sores and she is sitting on eggs that I hear chirping this morning so I didn't want the baby's to get it if that's what it is.

 

[horsejody]

I wouldn't worry about it if they aren't acting sick. However, I would try to keep the bugs unfer control. Maybe you could rub a little vaseline on their faces and combs to keep the bugs from biting.

 

[Pine Grove]

Fowl Pox for sure..........

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
Agreed.

You can pick those scabs off and paint the place underneath with a q-tip dipped in iodine. Use a fresh q-tip end for each spot. Throw the scabs away in a bag; mosquitoes and scabs are how pox spreads.

It's not a big deal (usually), but it can stress a bird out. we have it HORRIBLY here this year despite our lack of mosquitoes!

You'll want to give supportive treatment as with any ill bird: make sure they stay hydrated, make sure they are in less heat since this is summer (they're more easiliy heat stressed), make sure they continue to eat.

You can supplement with beta carotene (which turns into vitamin A only in the amounts a bird needs), cod liver oil (just 2 drops from a capsule per bird per day), or wheat germ oil (1 teaspoon per 2 cups of food, mixed in very well). The emphasis is vitamin A, but vitamin E will also help. If you give beta carotene, give half a capsule per bird per day and also give one 400 IU vitamin E capsule per bird per day. Slit the end of the oil cap and squeeze into the beak. That will help with healing.

Here's a lovely page on it from our own beloved BYC!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-diseases-AvianPox.html

 

[chickybaby78]

well she had 2 chicks hatch and they have already been with her so will it more then likely kill the chicks?

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
It can stress them. I wouldn't worry terribly about it killing them. And at this point, they might actually get an immunity to it without developing the symptoms.

It just takes one bug bite for the virus to happen. Once one bug bite occurs, the scabs we see are from the virus - not continued bugs. So once you see it, more bugs will just be annoying - not necessarily continue the illness. Additionally, the disease is spread via the old scabs that drop off. The scabs can remain a vector (method of spread) for months, some people say years.

If your babies get it, just make sure that they continue to receive the best water and food and support just like any other immune fight they're going to have as babies. Hopefully if they get it early they'll just survive without symptom and you'll never have to worry about it again.