Roosters comb is sick.

[chickarzan]

My 1 year old White Leghorn rooster's comb has developed spots that start out yellow and become black and crusty. I have some pictures I'll post. Can anyone tell what is wrong a is there a cure?

 

[BantamLover21]

Your rooster appears to have the dry form of Fowl Pox, which is a viral disease spread by wild birds, flies, and mosquitoes. There is no treatment for the actual disease, but to prevent secondary infection (which is often more dangerous than the disease itself), treat the affected birds with an antibiotic, such as Terramycin (sold under names such as Oxytetracycline and Tetroxy HCA-280). Terramycin can usually be purchased at livestock supply stores. The dosage is 2 teaspoons powdered Terramycin per gallon of drinking water for 7-14 days. During treatment, do not give probiotics, dairy products, or Apple Cider Vinegar.

Fowl Pox will usually run its course in a flock (almost all birds in a flock become infected) in about 3 weeks. However, keep in mind that your birds have the more mild version of Fowl Pox, the dry form. But Fowl Pox also comes in a wet form, which may often follow infection by the dry form. In the wet form, bumps form in the mouth and upper respiratory tract. If the bumps become large enough, the bird dies from suffocation. As with Dry Fowl Pox, there is no treatment for Wet Pox. Fortunately, the wet form of Fowl Pox is less common than the dry form, and your rooster and flock are unlikely to become infected by it.

 

[Wyandottes7]

He appears to have Fowl Pox, which is a disease caused by a virus (its not related to Chicken Pox in humans). Fowl Pox does not have a treatment, and runs its course in about three weeks. It isn't usually deadly in the dry form, which your bird appears to have. However, it can be deadly if it progresses to the wet form, which causes lesions and scabs in the throat as well.

Fowl Pox is quite contagious, so keep him isolated from other birds. The main carriers of Fowl Pox are mosiquitoes, flies, and other flying insects. To reduce the spread of the disease, treat your chicken area for flying insects. This will eliminate most of the carriers.

Keep him as stress-free as possible to prevent a secondary bacterial infection. Give electrolytes and probiotics, and make sure that he eats and drinks. You might want to put him on a course of antibiotics. Oxytetracycline like Duramycin, Terramycin, and Tetroxy HCA-280 is a good antibiotic, as it is broad-spectrum. Make sure that you don't give probiotics, yogurt, apple cider vinegar, or other dairy products while using antibiotics, as they will interfere with the success of the antibiotics.

The scabs may get bigger, and cover more of his face. They may block his vision, making it difficult for him to see to eat and drink. To make him more comfortable, mix together some vaseline with sulphur (I believe that sulphur can be found at garden stores, but I'm not sure). Put this mixture on the scabs, and they will soften so that you can remove them. Without the scabs, he will be able to see to eat and drink, and the sulphur will help repel flies.

Birds that recover from Fowl Pox will be immune, but can still pass the disease to others. To prevent Fowl Pox in the future, you might want to vaccinate. The Fowl Pox vaccine is relatively easy to find, and easy to give. You can buy it at http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies....d34279a8d4fc77a34e81&keyword=fowl+pox+vaccine.

I hope this helps! Your rooster seems like a pretty boy.

 

[chickarzan]

Great, Thanks for the quick responses.