My hen has a poisonous reaction to something! Help!

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

We have a hen, she was broody and is now raising chicks. Two days ago, she was free ranging in our neighbors yard, and when I took a look at her, she had scabby rashes all over her face and some on her legs. One of her chicks (maybe more, haven’t seen them) also has the scabby bumps. They’ve gotten worse. Advice? I have a tractor supply and an ace hardware nearby.

 

[yakitori]

Could it be fowl pox?

 

[HeatherKellyB]

@Overo Mare @Wyorp Rock @azygous @Eggcessive
@LaFleche @JacinLarkwell @aart

Just wanted to tag some folks to help. Your poor hen and chicks are pitiful. Have you checked for lesions inside the mouth or down the throat? How are they acting? Are they eating and drinking OK? How's the weather in your area? Lastly, does your neighbor have any problems with your birds being in their yard?

 

[azygous]

I bet you have plenty of mosquitoes, huh?

Yes, as @yakitori mentioned, it's very likely fowl pox. It's spread by mosquitoes. Iodine can help dry up the lesions and hasten healing, but pox just needs to run its course. It's sad the baby chicks are getting it, too. Use a Q-tip to dab Betadine or plain iodine on the sores.

 

[Banana01]

Fowl pox is a viral disease for which there isn't really a direct medication to treat the outbreak.

I just had a sweet baby die in my arms today from fowl pox, it blocked her trachea and caused respiratory failure. She had outbreaks around her eyes, nostrils, and beak. Pretty bad when they get around the face and eyes. Cause blindness, stunted growth, and other illnesses. Your baby has one below her eye. The mother hen is scabbed and will survive. Coconut oil will help the scabs heal.

Lots of decisions for you to make for your flock because it's highly transmissible between birds. Me personally, I let my hens and babies stay together and I have never lost an adult to fowl pox, but I lose quite a few weaker young babies.

I change out their nests and they keep their babies seperate from the flock. Coop cleanliness has helped a little, but I still see outbreaks although they sometimes go away and don't return.

 

[Banana01]

I'm sorry for the baby because it looks like it is around the eye and on the top of the beak, those are the worst places for the pox to appear, externally. Internal pox are grave. Definitely do what azygous said and try the iodine. I also will get some and try it on mine.

The mother hen is probably going to be fine, as long as you see her eating. I had a hen get an outbreak while sitting in her eggs broody, and she was clear by the time the eggs hatched. But she did pass it to the babies. The scabs look scary, but coconut oil will keep them from getting infected and improve their healing. Scabbing is a good sign that maybe the virus is gone dormant and you may never see the hen get pox again, but she is a carrier and can transmit the virus is my understanding.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We have a hen, she was broody and is now raising chicks. Two days ago, she was free ranging in our neighbors yard, and when I took a look at her, she had scabby rashes all over her face and some on her legs. One of her chicks (maybe more, haven’t seen them) also has the scabby bumps. They’ve gotten worse. Advice? I have a tractor supply and an ace hardware nearby.View attachment 2708917View attachment 2708918

I bet you have plenty of mosquitoes, huh?

Yes, as @yakitori mentioned, it's very likely fowl pox. It's spread by mosquitoes. Iodine can help dry up the lesions and hasten healing, but pox just needs to run its course. It's sad the baby chicks are getting it, too. Use a Q-tip to dab Betadine or plain iodine on the sores.

I agree, looks like Fowl Pox. Do look inside her beak for any pus or lesions.
Iodine on the scabs can help dry them up, but take care not to disturb the scabs since this will cause them to spread more.

You can also sanitize the drinking water with 1 teaspoon 1% Iodine or 1/2 teaspoon 2% Iodine per gallon of water, this can also help reduce spread through shared water.

Ensure that your hen is eating well - chick starter if she's with her chicks would be best. A little scratch as a treat, but make sure to provide a source of grit at the appropriate sizes for both her and the chicks.

Also, you may want to edit your title, since this is not poison - it's a virus from mosquitoes.

 

[micstrachan]

I agree, looks like Fowl Pox. Do look inside her beak for any pus or lesions.
Iodine on the scabs can help dry them up, but take care not to disturb the scabs since this will cause them to spread more.

You can also sanitize the drinking water with 1 teaspoon 1% Iodine or 1/2 teaspoon 2% Iodine per gallon of water, this can also help reduce spread through shared water.

Ensure that your hen is eating well - chick starter if she's with her chicks would be best. A little scratch as a treat, but make sure to provide a source of grit at the appropriate sizes for both her and the chicks.

Also, you may want to edit your title, since this is not poison - it's a virus from mosquitoes.

Wow, Melody, I never knew about iodine in the drinking water. Good info! We have lots of mosquitos, but have not had fowl pox. This is good info, just in case.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes that is fowl pox, and you have received good info on treatment.

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

I bet you have plenty of mosquitoes, huh?

Yes, as @yakitori mentioned, it's very likely fowl pox. It's spread by mosquitoes. Iodine can help dry up the lesions and hasten healing, but pox just needs to run its course. It's sad the baby chicks are getting it, too. Use a Q-tip to dab Betadine or plain iodine on the sores.

Fowl pox is a viral disease for which there isn't really a direct medication to treat the outbreak.

I just had a sweet baby die in my arms today from fowl pox, it blocked her trachea and caused respiratory failure. She had outbreaks around her eyes, nostrils, and beak. Pretty bad when they get around the face and eyes. Cause blindness, stunted growth, and other illnesses. Your baby has one below her eye. The mother hen is scabbed and will survive. Coconut oil will help the scabs heal.

Lots of decisions for you to make for your flock because it's highly transmissible between birds. Me personally, I let my hens and babies stay together and I have never lost an adult to fowl pox, but I lose quite a few weaker young babies.

I change out their nests and they keep their babies seperate from the flock. Coop cleanliness has helped a little, but I still see outbreaks although they sometimes go away and don't return.

Yes that is fowl pox, and you have received good info on treatment.

Thank you everyone. I do have MANY mosquitoes in this season… especially with all the humidity. I’ll separate her and her chicks, and see what I can get from the farm store.