Rhode island Red waddle turning black on the tip

[Biren]

I have like 30 Rhode Island Reds about 7 months old. The tip of the red waddle is turning black and kind of crusty and puffy on one of the birds. Otherwise the birds seem healthy. ???

 

[chickenwing225]

maybe another chicken is pecking at it

 

[Biren]

ok could be another chicken pecking it and then it kind of scabbed up. Thanks I'll just keep monitoring the situation. Not an emergency right now. Thanks.

 

[obe10]

is it cold where you live? my chickens will get frost bite in the winter i put vaseline all over there combs an wattles to prevent this it looks purple and black and if it is frost bite there is nothing you can do. it never bothered my chickens it just went away in a few days. also it could just be a scab from another chicken picking on it. a picture would help me identify it.

 

[threehorses]

I suspect this is fowl pox.

does it look like this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-diseases-AvianPox.html

Only, you're seeing it on the tips?

If so, it's a virus. You shouldn't treat with antibiotics as they will not help and only will hurt. However, you can and should dot all the scabs with iodine. On the ones near the mouth and eyes, use neosporin ointment and monitor carefully. If you see any birds without the "dry pox" (the scabs) who are lethargic, check their mouths inside and rule out cheesy stuff on the roof of their beaks. If you see the cheesy bits, then it's "Wet pox" which is more serious.

The article above outlines some information.

From my experience, the sooner you can remove the scabs the better. Also from my experience they're nearly impossible to remove. You can try dotting them with the antibiotic ointment (after the iodine dots) to try to soften them. Or a dot of hydrogen peroxide (again after the iodine) if they're not near the eye. But otherwise continue to dot the sores every other day or less, monitor for any secondary infections.

It's very important to boost these birds' immune systems so that they heal better. Give them their best clean fresh laying feed. Vitamin A and E are very helpful to healing. You could mist "Fortified Wheat Germ Oil" (marketed for horses, read the label for A, D, E fortification) onto their feed daily for a week and then thrice weekly for the following three weeks of infection. The A will help combat any problems with the sores hitting their mucus membranes (eyelids, mouth, nostrils). The vitamin E helps reduce inflammation and heal through anti-oxidants. Boosting their nutrition in this way can be very helpful to full healing.

Expect it to run for four weeks. It's spread via insect vector (biting bugs like mosquitoes) and scabs. Once some in the flock have it, they all are exposed. Some will not show symptoms. Using the immune booster will reduce symptoms and thus damage d.t. the sores. All birds will be immune once they're over it. They then will shed their sores which are also infective. If you use bedding, discard the bedding once they're all through if possible.

Watch carefully for pecking as you know how chickens are. give them something else to pick at - granite grit and a hung cabbage head for example.

I hope this helps. Please let me know how I can be of any further assistance. Thanks!

 

[Biren]

Yes, I now suspect avian pox. I live in Florida, warm and humid, lots of mosquitos. I have about 50 chickens, I only see the "scab" formation on one bird so far on her waddle. The article on backyardchickens helped the most. I'll keep monitoring, boost their immune.

Eggs still good to eat? I read the meat is fine, just cut around it. Thanks guys.

 

[threehorses]

The eggs should be fine. The virus doesn't effect humans at all. I'd think twice possibly about feeding them to other birds though cooking should fix that. I hadn't thought about that aspect really.

Yes, I'm on the Gulf coast, so you're here in the south where pox effects us most. If you continue to do large flocks, it might be worth it for you to vaccinate new young birds with the pox vaccine in the future just to avoid costs of treatment or loss. The birds that get pox are thereafter immune to pox and some will only get one or two scabs. So I wouldn't worry about this flock yet. I had some that didn't get any symptoms but might be immune in with birds that had it. Sometimes I suspect you just never see the symptoms but get all the benefits of the following immunity.