Hey all, My 10 chickens are doing well and seem mostly happy and healthy - they are about 5 months old and I recently got 3 eggs! Anyway, I noticed that my speckled sussex hen, Hot Toddy has black stuff on her comb. From looking at other pictures, it looks like probably scabs. But I wanted other trained eyes to have a look? My australorp Oprah also seemed to have a little black stuff on her comb - but not as bad looking as this. Scabs or should I get some anti fungal stuff? I'm a newby so help is appreciated. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6623146&l=3f169d9a39&id=768099119 http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6623158&l=bfedbb02e4&id=768099119 Thanks! -Lee
I couldn't really tell for certain with those pics, but I think what you are looking at is fowl pox. Do a search here on BYC and you'll find lots of info. on it. Good luck to you.
looks like fowl pox to me.....my flock just went through it; took about three weeks to clear. If it progresses to a "wet pox", meaning inclusion of mucous membranes, it can be a big deal...but even then it may resolve on it's own. I would suggest taking EXTRA special care that they have great nutrition and super clean water for the next few weeks. It took about three weeks for my flock to shed it. and I didn't lose one chicken, or even loss of production. There is no cure...it just runs its course and they won't get it again. The cause? Mosquitoes...... It's very common in Texas. DD
You don't really have to do anything about fowl pox; it is a virus and that's why there is no treatment. A lot of people put something on the black scabs, like Betadine. What can also happen is the lesion can get a secondary infection. I had one hen who had black lesions all over her head and they did get infected, and the others started pecking her head.
I don't know if it's pox or not because of the picture quality, but I am thinking it's not. Pox normally shows up all over the fleshy areas of the face, so your hen either has a very mild case of it or she has something else. Your girl looks like she may have peck marks on her and not pox. Either way, a little wound dressing would not be a bad thing. Neosprorin, Blukote or Bag Balm- any of these would work to protect the wounds from infection. Good luck.
