Just can't get away from the Fowl Pox

[cowdogcadillac]

2 of my turkeys and 4 chickens have it. I just worked a bunch that are at another pen thru it and now my large group is crusting up. One hen even has her eye scabbed shut. I'm medicating the water with agrimyacin and feeding medicated crumbles to them too,also have coated scabs with iodine or no peck. My last bunch got thru it in about 2-3 weeks but they just had some on the nostril area and on some combs. Now it's horrible especially the turkeys. It's scabbed covered the head,throat and around the eyes. I keep my pens clean,dust them,spray them out, everything and wham,,pox. I haven't introduced a new bird in 4 months,and those were quarantined away for 2 months.I'm almost over it and ready to just start trapping hogs again and hunting turkeys instead of raising them.......very frustrated,,,,how about you?

 

[chiccrazed]

Hi Cowdog! Sorry Im brand new here.... I have more questions then I do answers but I came here for the same thing my Roo has what looks like Pox this is my story.

Ok my rooster is sick, I took him away from the hens he is in my bathroom right now so I can watch him but he has bumps on his face his comb around his beak around his eyes and one eye is closed. This happened last week he was fine one day the next I went out in the morning to scatter some feed out in the pasture and none of the chickens came out of the barn so I went in the barn to see what was going on and they were all perched up around him and he was like this. I google search info with no help at all but came up with some ??? pox maybe from mosquitoes?? and it said to apply Vaseline I did this and it was just getting worse. So I was worried he was going to die the other night he hadn't eaten for 4 days and both eyes swelled closed so I gave him a shot of B-12 and a shot of Penicillin and then sprayed him with a mane and tail spray that is used for mange fungal skin infections rain rot and few other things used for horses and dogs. Then next day (yesterday) the swelling went down and he can open one eye now, he is eating and drinking...but I'm still really worried about him. I don't want to blind him, but seem the spray is working so I spray him a couple times a day. All the Hens are fine I don't understand and don't know what it is or what to do for him.

So far this is working so if it helps you that's great if you have suggestions Im listening

 

[dawg53]

It sounds like you're going through what I went though about 4 years ago...a real pain in the neck. Looks like you're doing everything right though, not much else you can do but wait it out. I used to trap/hunt wild hogs many years ago, alot of fun and some scary moments. I'd keep one or two, cut them and pour the corn to them. Six months later it's off to the butcher and have sausage made out of them....good eating. Good luck and hang in there!

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Fowl pox is a virus transmitted mainly by mosquitos. The penicillin is excellent for secondary bacterial infections most likely what cleared his eye. You can put iodine on the nodules and scabs to help dry them out. The scabs will shrivel and drop off, they are infective with the virus and can contaminate the soil. I'd keep him seperated like you're doing. Try giving him plain yogurt mixed with scrambled egg to eat. The yogurt is a probiotic and the egg provides extra protein. It'll take a few weeks for it to disappear. There's a fowl pox vaccine that you can give your hens to prevent them from getting it. Your feed store might have it.

 

[redhen]

Could your turkeys have black head?

 

[cowdogcadillac]

Nah, been thru this before. This is Dry Pox. The vaccine works on birds that are not showing signs yet. Yup it's now a waiting game. Thing is one of the birds can be a carrier and never show signs. I buy a few new birds and the carrier who has not shown signs ever gives it to them. I'm just going to buy the vaccine. If anyone knows where I can get it in less then a 1000 bird size then I'm all ears.
Chickcrazed you are doing everything you can do. It's a waiting game. I swear if I'm not keeping raccoons and hawks from my birds it's this.I'll just work on a warm compress on the one birds eye and see if I can soften it up alittle.

 

[chiccrazed]

you can get the vaccine here reasonably priced http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/products.asp?CID=2&area=poultry&dept_id=473