Repeat Fowl Pox vaccine

[Big A Chickens]

Hi and

So glad you joined us!!!

 

[math ace]

I can help out here...

YES, it is necessary to re-vaccinate with the adult version of poxine. It is safe to use after the age of 6 weeks of age.

You have two age groups - day olds and 6 week olds. As soon as the day olds reach the 6 weeks of age, I would vaccinate everyone with the poxine.
The older group will be 12 weeks old at that point.

When you have a ongoing break out, you do want to vaccinate everyone with the baby vaccine chic pox no matter how old they are - even adults. Let me clarify, EVERYONE that is NOT showing symptoms of the disease, This is done because the older ones could of been exposed and may be starting to deal with the fowl pox already...
So, you didn't have a choice but to use the chick pox vaccine first.

Here is when the transmission occurs...when the young cockerels start picking on each other. So make sure there is plenty of space and plenty of things to keep the youngsters busy. At 12 weeks of age the picking shouldn't be too bad. However, by 15 weeks those boys will be working on establishing the alpha cockerel. This is why fowl pox typically hits and spreads with younger jerk boys that are trying to establish their manliness.

Order extra vaccine because everyone will need to be revaccinated with the adult vaccine, poxine, in one year.

Here is a link for you to look at,,,,

http://www.sweeth2o.us/FowlPox.html

 

[crazypolishchic]

Glad to know that. Everything I head read before told me that once they have the Pox they are immune and won't have it again. Thanks!

 

[math ace]

That is correct - Once they have the Fowl Pox, the disease not the vaccine, they are suppose to have an immunity to it.

Think about the vaccine like you would the flu vaccine. Every year the disease mutates and a new vaccine is made to match the suspected to strains... OR think about the Vaccine like you would the tetanus vaccine where it needs a booster....

Bottom line, for what ever reason, chickens given the fowl pox VACCINE will need an annual vaccine. I confirmed this with an university of Florida professor. He said it wasn't crucial that it was a year to the date... There is a little room to play with the annual vaccination. I waited and gave mine at 16 months this year so that I wasn't giving it to the birds in the middle of summer.

 

[Fox]

That is correct - Once they have the Fowl Pox, the disease not the vaccine, they are suppose to have an immunity to it.

Think about the vaccine like you would the flu vaccine. Every year the disease mutates and a new vaccine is made to match the suspected to strains... OR think about the Vaccine like you would the tetanus vaccine where it needs a booster....

Bottom line, for what ever reason, chickens given the fowl pox VACCINE will need an annual vaccine. I confirmed this with an university of Florida professor. He said it wasn't crucial that it was a year to the date... There is a little room to play with the annual vaccination. I waited and gave mine at 16 months this year so that I wasn't giving it to the birds in the middle of summer.

What should I do in my situation. I have a T shaped pen, with three flocks two divided down the lower portion of the T and one flock that would be at the top of the T. They share a coop, but are divided, screening between them and an upper floor. My regular layers are on one side, then two Silkie flocks, divided by color are the other two. My layers got Dry Pox... nearly all of them, but there may have been a couple that were spared. None got sick, and all are mostly recovered. My Cochin, also in that pen, got in bad in her eye, had a white lesion in her mouth, but now I'm thinking that might not have been Wet Pox like I thought. It was totally gone when I swiped it away. That said she still has bubbles coming out of the eye that had the pox mark on it. In my white Silkie pen I have found one hen with bad sores on her eyes (https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/newestpost/709981) but no mouth lesions. That was yesterday. Today I see one with two sores one on each side of the beak, but in the mouth what appears to be two yellowish bumps. I used a Q-tip and got a bit of one out... both were small. Will be adding pictures to the thread above soon. It was much different than what I swiped out of my Cochin. I am thinking this is more like Wet Pox. I did not see any spots on her comb on this one. I had thought to let the Pox run it's course. I've had my flock here for 4-5 years and we've never had it. I thought if they got it, then they would be immune and we'd be done with it. But I have the two that can't see well from poxed eyes, in crates and now the one I think that has the Wet Pox crated, and I'm running out of places for them. Plus, if I keep them crated over grass, then my guineas which roam at will could carry it into the chicken runs since they also go in there whenever they want to. So my problem is who do I vaccinate? How would I keep tract of those already healed from the Dry Pox from those that might never have gotten it in the layer pen. The Silkies I think would be easier, but not for my layers. And now I'm reading that I'll have to vaccinate every year on every chicken to protect them? I didn't really want to vaccinate in the first place and now if I do, this one be a one or two time thing, but a yearly thing. I also don't know how Wet Pox is starting in one pen when I've had Dry Pox in the other. So much to research and try to understand... thanks for any help you have to offer.

 

[math ace]

When my birds got it... Some got the dry version, some got the wet version, some got both....

I would think that you should NOT vaccinate any bird that is the same pen with an effected bird.

 

[Fox]

When my birds got it... Some got the dry version, some got the wet version, some got both....

I would think that you should NOT vaccinate any bird that is the same pen with an effected bird.

Thanks... there is only one pen that had no effected birds, but then my layers started flying over the fence for some reason this week. Trying to do their part for exposure I guess. I talked it over with Mom and she doesn't think we should vaccinate due to not knowing for sure which were already infected or not and then having to repeatedly vaccinate. I'm just hoping and praying this won't get really bad. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[math ace]

You can use triple antibiotic ( WITHOUT the pain killer in it) in their eyes and on the scabs on their face. That will help. Use a NEW QTIP on each bird so as not to spread the virus. I would put the birds on an antibiotic immediately. There is NOTHING that can be done for fowl pox but allowing it to run its course. HOWEVER, the secondary infections are what will end up killing a bird. Those with the dry pox will not be endanger as much as those with wet pox.

Good luck and I hope you don't lose too many birds...

 

[Fox]

You can use triple antibiotic ( WITHOUT the pain killer in it) in their eyes and on the scabs on their face. That will help. Use a NEW QTIP on each bird so as not to spread the virus. I would put the birds on an antibiotic immediately. There is NOTHING that can be done for fowl pox but allowing it to run its course. HOWEVER, the secondary infections are what will end up killing a bird. Those with the dry pox will not be endanger as much as those with wet pox.

Good luck and I hope you don't lose too many birds...

I have the two with really bad eyes on Sulmet. Do you think that is enough or should I use something else? I have Penicillin. My Tylan50 is expired. I have put the ointment on too... and use the Vetericyn spray which is antiviral and antibacterial.

 

[math ace]

I thought Sulmet is used to treat Coccidiousis. I don't think it is not a general antibiotic for things like respiratory issues resulting from a secondary infection from wet pox....

I used tylon50 or duramycin during my fowl pox outbreak with my vet's blessing. I would think penicillin would be ok, but I don't know what dosage to use.