Rooster with Fowl Pox is finally eating!! YAY!!

[SLilyBelle1]

I have been so worried we'd never get out of this "funk."

I isolated the young rooster several days ago when I found him sitting in the nesting box, eyes "sealed" shut, and with lots of awful scabs taking over his comb. I'd noticed the scabs several days, but thought the others might be pecking him.

He has gotten steadily more lethargic, only drinking water when I dipped his beak in it. I had tried to get him to eat using egg and yogurt. He was totally uninterested.

During the daylight hours, I let him out to give him new scenery and to encourage him to live. One eye began opening some, but overall, he was very lethargic and subdued.

Last night, I allowed him out at the same time as the others were out. They went around him, but he just sat there. A while later, my daughter, who'd been outside and keeping an eye on him, noticed one of the others go over to him & start pecking him!!!! She ran in to tell me, and we ran to rescue him.

His comb was bleeding, and some of the scabs were gone. (So I guess that means if the other chicken wasn't already exposed, she is now.....) One of the large scabs that was over his eye (that hasn't opened in several days) was gone, and that eye actually looked better. He later opened it....

I put oil on his comb, and sprayed all around him with "Skin-So-Soft" to keep the flies, gnats & bugs away.

Each morning, I've prepared myself for finding him dead. However, this morning, I went out to find him pecking away at his dish of food! He's eating crumbles!!!!!

Maybe the light at the end of the tunnel has finally arrived.....

I sure hope so!

 

[tomhoogstra]

I have been so worried we'd never get out of this "funk."

I isolated the young rooster several days ago when I found him sitting in the nesting box, eyes "sealed" shut, and with lots of awful scabs taking over his comb. I'd noticed the scabs several days, but thought the others might be pecking him.

He has gotten steadily more lethargic, only drinking water when I dipped his beak in it. I had tried to get him to eat using egg and yogurt. He was totally uninterested.

During the daylight hours, I let him out to give him new scenery and to encourage him to live. One eye began opening some, but overall, he was very lethargic and subdued.

Last night, I allowed him out at the same time as the others were out. They went around him, but he just sat there. A while later, my daughter, who'd been outside and keeping an eye on him, noticed one of the others go over to him & start pecking him!!!! She ran in to tell me, and we ran to rescue him.

His comb was bleeding, and some of the scabs were gone. (So I guess that means if the other chicken wasn't already exposed, she is now.....) One of the large scabs that was over his eye (that hasn't opened in several days) was gone, and that eye actually looked better. He later opened it....

I put oil on his comb, and sprayed all around him with "Skin-So-Soft" to keep the flies, gnats & bugs away.

Each morning, I've prepared myself for finding him dead. However, this morning, I went out to find him pecking away at his dish of food! He's eating crumbles!!!!!

Maybe the light at the end of the tunnel has finally arrived.....

I sure hope so!

At this point I wish we were as lucky as you, in the last year ive had 2 hens mysterously die of an unknown illness. I think one had internal problems or she was depressed. The other stopped eating, closed eyes and died a few days later.

Make sure you keep on eye on the Rooster
Best of luck

 

[SLilyBelle1]

I'm so sorry you've lost chickens with no explanation. There seem to be a myriad of reasons and sicknesses these days. I just don't remember there being so many chicken viruses when I was younger & lived on a farm. My mother's chickens only died if something attacked them, or if they got into something that was poison, or if they stopped laying & she culled them! I never remember a single one of them EVER getting a swollen or infected eye, or sneezing, or getting egg bound, or anything like that! Of course, that was 30+ years ago....I wish there weren't so many things to worry about these days!

I took "Chocolate" (the roo) some scrambled eggs leftover from breakfast, and he pecked at them & ate some. He has a problem with aim because he still isn't opening one eye very much. He kept trying, though. I had begun to worry he might have the wet form of fowl pox, which would prevent him from eating. (I hadn't been able to get his beak open to look for that, though.) I am going to have to assume that since he is eating better, he probably doesn't have the wet form.

I am so ready for all of this to be cleared up! I sure hope no one else gets sick!!!