Possible pox?

[jrossetti]

One of my layers has a white spot on both sides of her comb, one side has black spots on it, see photos:

I first noticed it about a month ago and just figured it was a side effect of the dry air (averaging 25-30% humidity the last few weeks, except when it rains), I was looking at her today and noticed the spot was significantly larger than it used to be. At first I thought it was a fungus, but then I found the Fowl Pox page here and it looks more or less the same. I'm just looking for a second opinion for the forums. Any input?

She doesn't have any other symptoms, and egg laying frequency has not dropped. Her sister may have a spot on her comb too, but it's so insignificant, it might just be dry or not, it's hard to tell. There's no other spots on either chicken.

If it is the pox, can anything be done? Should I be concerned about anything? I also have 2 8-week-old pullets in a separate cage, should I keep them separated from the hens?

Thanks for any input!

 

[chuckzoo]

It looks/sound like pox, but I am no expert, although one of my hens got pox and it was a lot worse that your pic. I used tincture of iodine on a cottonwool swab, just touching it to the lesions to help dry them up. Although I understand it is contagious, my other hen never got it.

When the lesions cleared up I cleaned their coop and run and destoyed all the bedding and sprayed a 10% bleach solution while they were out free ranging. I have heard of other solutions that you can mist in the air but can't remember right now, I will go back and have a look to see what the solution is called.

The good news is that it simply runs its course and once they have had it they are immune.

 

[dawg53]

you say your hen had it for a month. normally fowl pox only lasts for a month then it disappears and your chickens are then immune to it. chuckzoo is correct as far as looking much worse, treatment, as well as coop cleanup/sanitizing. the scabs appear yellowish in color on the comb and wattles,dry up,then drop off onto the ground.the scabs are highly infectious/contageous too. have the scabs been in the same place on the comb for the whole month? if so, i dont think it's fowl pox because the scabs form just about anywhere and everywhere on the comb and wattles. if it's not fowl pox, it could be where she might be getting pecked by others or maybe a fungus of some sort.

 

[jrossetti]

Thanks for all the great input. I'll try a fungicide on it (I have some athlete's foot cream), and see if that clears it up. It can really only be a fungus or the pox, and either way I'm not too concerned since she doesn't have any other symptoms.

Thanks for all the help!