Questions about the fowl pox vaccine

[Beachcomber]

I posted earlier asking if my pullet had fowl pox and since then I've been reading everything I can find about it...
Was wondering if any of y'all have experience with the fowl pox vaccine?
According to UF IFAS, the vaccine should be administered between ages 12-16 weeks.
My flock is about 23 weeks old.
I also read that it should be given at least 4 weeks prior to laying.
I was wondering if the reason for that is because it will contaminate eggs?
I don't mind discarding eggs for several weeks if that's the case.
It also says to be given only to healthy birds.
If my flock has already been exposed then does that mean their immune systems are already battling the virus & maybe the vaccine would complicate matters?
Has anyone given the vaccine to an older flock that has already begun to show mild signs of the lesions?
Do y'all think the vaccine would help very much or would it be better to let nature run its course?
My chickens are beloved pets & I want to do what's best for them!
Thank you!

 

[Sarahh_Janeyy]

I had this same issue- I had gone to the vet for a different reason and he told me we should vaccinate because pox is definitely in our area (Florida, like you). But he didn't tell us the timeline. I did a lot of research- you can vaccinate your flock at any time (but yes, vaccinate healthy birds, not infected ones). If they are younger you have to booster them (You can give it to them as early as 6 weeks I think, but then have to booster just before point of lay as you said). But you should give them the vaccine yearly to maintain effectiveness.

So from what I read, if you have 20% infection rate or less in your flock, you should still vaccinate your flock. The way it transmits is when a mosquito feeds on a chicken with an open lesion and then feeds on another chicken. If you have a heavy load of mosquitoes near you, your chances of them all getting it is going to increase- but still, just because a few are infected doesn't mean they all are. Some may be able to fight off the infection (nature take its course) but any uninfected should benefit from the vaccine.

You won't get sick from eating the eggs, avian pox does not affect humans. They say 4 weeks prior because it can cause a drop in egg production, and presumably people with flocks have them for eggs (not necessarily targeted for backyard chicken owners). I gave the vaccine to my flock after they had already begun laying. You can get the vaccine on valleyvet and it's fairly inexpensive. It's not difficult to administer but it is a bit intimidating for someone who has never done it. I found that poking the 2 prong stabber through the wing webbing to be way more difficult (lots of resistance) than I imagined.

This is what we used: https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=FCB66D44-434E-4806-9038-6E09BEFC176F

If you have chickens that are unaffected, I think it would definitely help to vaccinate them. The ones who have it, just give them supportive care and separate them from the healthy birds if you can. Hopefully they will recover, but they might not. :/

I hope this helps!! Good luck!!

 

[Beachcomber]

I had this same issue- I had gone to the vet for a different reason and he told me we should vaccinate because pox is definitely in our area (Florida, like you). But he didn't tell us the timeline. I did a lot of research- you can vaccinate your flock at any time (but yes, vaccinate healthy birds, not infected ones). If they are younger you have to booster them (You can give it to them as early as 6 weeks I think, but then have to booster just before point of lay as you said). But you should give them the vaccine yearly to maintain effectiveness.

So from what I read, if you have 20% infection rate or less in your flock, you should still vaccinate your flock. The way it transmits is when a mosquito feeds on a chicken with an open lesion and then feeds on another chicken. If you have a heavy load of mosquitoes near you, your chances of them all getting it is going to increase- but still, just because a few are infected doesn't mean they all are. Some may be able to fight off the infection (nature take its course) but any uninfected should benefit from the vaccine.

You won't get sick from eating the eggs, avian pox does not affect humans. They say 4 weeks prior because it can cause a drop in egg production, and presumably people with flocks have them for eggs (not necessarily targeted for backyard chicken owners). I gave the vaccine to my flock after they had already begun laying. You can get the vaccine on valleyvet and it's fairly inexpensive. It's not difficult to administer but it is a bit intimidating for someone who has never done it. I found that poking the 2 prong stabber through the wing webbing to be way more difficult (lots of resistance) than I imagined.

This is what we used: https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=FCB66D44-434E-4806-9038-6E09BEFC176F

If you have chickens that are unaffected, I think it would definitely help to vaccinate them. The ones who have it, just give them supportive care and separate them from the healthy birds if you can. Hopefully they will recover, but they might not. :/

I hope this helps!! Good luck!!

Thank you so much for the informative & thoughtful reply!

Not sure if you know the answer to this...I only have 2 pullets showing virtually no symptoms, just a couple of tiny lesions on their combs. A couple of weeks ago I did notice a tiny scab on a different pullet but assumed it was just a pecking order bump. I'm not certain which birds have already had or actively have fowl pox. Should I vaccinate them anyways? I really do want to vaccinate them all, but I'm nervous about compromising the immune systems of birds already trying to fight off the virus.

 

[Sarahh_Janeyy]

Thank you so much for the informative & thoughtful reply!

Not sure if you know the answer to this...I only have 2 pullets showing virtually no symptoms, just a couple of tiny lesions on their combs. A couple of weeks ago I did notice a tiny scab on a different pullet but assumed it was just a pecking order bump. I'm not certain which birds have already had or actively have fowl pox. Should I vaccinate them anyways? I really do want to vaccinate them all, but I'm nervous about compromising the immune systems of birds already trying to fight off the virus.

I am not sure what the answer is- we had a similar concern about one of our hens but decided it looked more like pecking order than pox. I don't think any of ours got pox but we definitely agonized over it and knew we wouldn't feel better about it until we vaccinated.

It's hard being a newbie >_< I read that it's slow moving- but then what does the "beginning" of a lesion look like? I just saw this post and I think the pics might be helpful- I wish I had seen it when I was looking it up, anyway: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-pox.1406686/

I think if it is a tiny lesion and it could go either way, I'd still vaccinate them all. (That's what we ended up doing). But I'm not sure how much an impact this vaccination has on a healthy bird vs one with the beginnings of an infection.

I guess the thing to consider is- if you only have 2 birds that don't look infected, does that mean the rest are infected? (How many total?) At this point you might want to just try to ride it out and hope they all pull through okay. As long as it's dry pox I think there is a fairly good chance they will fight it off as long as they are healthy otherwise.

Definitely not an expert here. :/ Maybe someone else will chime in!

 

[Beachcomber]

I am not sure what the answer is- we had a similar concern about one of our hens but decided it looked more like pecking order than pox. I don't think any of ours got pox but we definitely agonized over it and knew we wouldn't feel better about it until we vaccinated.

It's hard being a newbie >_< I read that it's slow moving- but then what does the "beginning" of a lesion look like? I just saw this post and I think the pics might be helpful- I wish I had seen it when I was looking it up, anyway: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-pox.1406686/

I think if it is a tiny lesion and it could go either way, I'd still vaccinate them all. (That's what we ended up doing). But I'm not sure how much an impact this vaccination has on a healthy bird vs one with the beginnings of an infection.

I guess the thing to consider is- if you only have 2 birds that don't look infected, does that mean the rest are infected? (How many total?) At this point you might want to just try to ride it out and hope they all pull through okay. As long as it's dry pox I think there is a fairly good chance they will fight it off as long as they are healthy otherwise.

Definitely not an expert here. :/ Maybe someone else will chime in!

Thank you again for another helpful answer!

I feel darned if I do, darned if I don't!
I have a total of 15, 14 pullets & 1 roo, in my flock. They are all bright & active & eating & drinking well. No signs of distress or lethargy.
I'm second guessing myself trying to remember if others have had bumps or scabs that I overlooked that could've been fowl pox lesions.
If only I had known then what I know now?! I definitely would've vaccinated them when they were younger!

 

[Sarahh_Janeyy]

Thank you again for another helpful answer!

I feel darned if I do, darned if I don't!
I have a total of 15, 14 pullets & 1 roo, in my flock. They are all bright & active & eating & drinking well. No signs of distress or lethargy.
I'm second guessing myself trying to remember if others have had bumps or scabs that I overlooked that could've been fowl pox lesions.
If only I had known then what I know now?! I definitely would've vaccinated them when they were younger!

How many out of those 15 are showing active lesions? It sounds like if you had a pox infection in your flock by the time they got through it you would have definitely seen the lesions- if it isn't super apparent then maybe it was just pecking order stuff? Hoping for the best!

 

[Beachcomber]

Only 2 have lesions that I can see...
A Buff Orpington & a Black Minorca, both 23 weeks old.

 

[Sarahh_Janeyy]

If only 2 out of 15, I would vaccinate.

"Additionally, as avian pox is a slow-spreading disease, vaccination can be useful in limiting the spread of the infection if it is administered to birds when 20% or less have lesions. "
Source: https://extension.umd.edu/sites/ext... and Preventing Avian Pox in Small Flocks.pdf

Here's several other resources you may or may not have read- you can try to call your local extension office and ask them for advice.

http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/fowl-pox-backyard-flocks
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vm021
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/ext... and Preventing Avian Pox in Small Flocks.pdf

 

[Beachcomber]

If only 2 out of 15, I would vaccinate.

"Additionally, as avian pox is a slow-spreading disease, vaccination can be useful in limiting the spread of the infection if it is administered to birds when 20% or less have lesions. "
Source: https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/articles/FS-979 Recognizing and Preventing Avian Pox in Small Flocks.pdf

Here's several other resources you may or may not have read- you can try to call your local extension office and ask them for advice.

http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/fowl-pox-backyard-flocks
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vm021
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/articles/FS-979 Recognizing and Preventing Avian Pox in Small Flocks.pdf

Thanks yet again for all your help!

I'm pretty sure that I am gonna vaccinate the rest of the flock.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is some info on the vaccine:
https://valleyvet.cvpservice.com/product/view/basic/1506010