Newbie question about Fowl Pox

[MichelleG]

I just found out I have some chickens with Fowl Pox.
Is it safe to eat the eggs from a hen with this virus?
I have read up on it but none of the information mentions this.
I assume that if it were a problem it would be mentioned but wanted to ask anyway. Thanks.

 

[Dar]

I tried googling it with no luck but here is a bump for ya...

 

[keljonma]

I have never had this problem with our birds. And we don't use chemicals to treat our birds. Right now, I am looking for ways I would treat if our flock got fowl pox.

I got this information from another board I am on.... The original poster said her birds had lesions. This was the reply she got from the board moderator. The moderator had lost birds to fowl pox and this was her recommendation.

She does not say anything about eating the eggs, so I can't reply to that.

"Get online and order FishZole. Order it right away since it does take a while to get the meds when they have to be ordered. Put the bottle in the fridge and you will have it when you need it. You do not need a Rx to order it as a fish med and it is the same as Flagyl or Metronidazole. Give 250 mg in a gallon of water for 3 days.

It is endemic in the wild bird population. It can change to the wet form without you realizing and be passed thru the flock from bird to bird without any mosquitoes helping it along. It can kill a huge percentage of your flock while you are waiting to get the meds. The meds don't cost much and will keep in the fridge for years and years.

Watch the birds closely for signs of respiratory distress and/or eye discharge or swelling around the eyes. Also look inside their mouths and watch for yellow plaques forming inside the mouth. These will need treating immediately. Put all that are showing any distress in isolation, partly to keep them from infecting others, but also because they will havr a better chance of recovering if well birds cannot harass them. It is ok to put all sick birds in the same coop or holding pen.

They usually develop immunity to the virus after having it once, but it doesn't seem to pass along fully to the next generation. You will also probably get new birds from time to time that are not immune."

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i adopted a hen who turned out to have fowl pox. Luckily, i have her under quarantine. i ordered the vaccine from Murray McMurray Hatchery and will be vaccinating my other birds soon. Once a bird has fowl pox and recovers, they have lifetime immunity. Likewise, all birds vaccinated will also have lifetime immunity. Dry pox is not life threatening. They develop lesions on their wattles and combs. They dry up, or you can assist by dabbing iodine soaked q-tips on their sores. Wet pox, from what i have read, causes lesions inside the throat. You need to wipe these out with q-tips soaked in iodine several times a day or the lesions can cause the bird to suffocate.

From all i have read, i do not believe there is any problem with eating the eggs from chickens infected with fowl pox. You only want to be concerned about eating eggs from chickens who are currently being treated with medication. In that case, contacting the manufacturer of the medicine to obtain withdrawal times is a good idea.

i hope this helps. i'm not an expert, just someone who has recently come across this problem and passing along the inform i received from others.