Should I cull or wait it out? (Fowl Pox) PLEASE HELP!

[DragonEggs]

some of my flock has contracted fowl pox. Only a few of them are showing symptoms of the dry, only 2 of them have it bad (one a serama roo whos comb and waddles are covered with it) the other is a very young old english chick (I think pullet) who has it REALLY BAD, it's ALL OVER her face! Shes got it all over her barely developing comb, around her earlobes, on her cheeks and it's starting on her eyelids. her right eye has a huge sore on her bottom lid but her eye seems fine otherwise. Today I noticed a sore on her left eye that had her eye almost fused shut! I sterlized an exacto knife really good then sliced it till her eye opened all the way. There was no bleeding and her eye seems just fine. Shes eating and drinking just fine but I'm really worried that it's just gonna keep getting worse. I already had one little pullet get the wet pox and die and so far no one is showing signs of having the wet pox. I'm really not sure what I should do. Should I cull the little one before the pox gets real bad or just wait it out and see? It's already been about 3 weeks since I first saw signs of the pox and it only seems like the ones who have it are getting worse not better. Advice would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!

 

[MikasGirl]

I don't know much about fowl pox, I know there is two kinds and that is about it, but I found a topic on fowl pox here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=352050 I don't know if this will help, so I'll go look through some more stuff!

Edited: I found another link,https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=346015

 

[Lollipop]

Dry pox is seldom, if ever fatal. Just wait it out, they will recover.........Pop

 

[MikasGirl]

Okay, from what I've read, there is no treatment. But, my "Chicken Health Handbook" (I know I'm a dork) says that you should (this is for the dry version of pox) "isolate infected birds in uncrowded housing; remove scabs around mouth and eyes so birds can eat; prevent secondary infection with 300mg of oxytetracycline (terramycin) per gallon of drinking water for 3 days followed by vitamin supplement in water" it also says that after the outbreak you should thoroughly clean your coop to get rid of any scabs that may have fallen off. I hope that makes sense... What I got from it was to get those scabs off of your birds' faces and to treat them with Terramycin. I don't know if this is correct, I'm no expert, but I thought I'd try to help anyway. Good luck!

 

[DragonEggs]

Thanks for the advice!

I have been mixing gatorade and vitamin water and have been giving them that to drink instead of regular water. Where could I find Terramycin? I've also been giving them scrambled eggs, oatmeal, and protein enriched soy milk tea (one of those crazy health drinks with tons of vitamins and stuff). I've incresed the amount of fruits and vegetables I give them as well. The dogs are pretty mad at me right now because the chickens have been getting ALL the leftovers, everything from bits of steak (which I cut up into TINY pieces) to leftover soup and cereal, just everything! Ive been putting iodine on the sores but it doesn't seem to be helping. I was planning to buy some chicks and increase my flock but theres NO WAY I'm introducing new birds now, not until this is over with!

Ugh, how long do my babies and I have to suffer through this?

 

[MikasGirl]

In my book (wow, I feel totally geeky right now) it said that the period of time they have pox is about 2-4wks. Good luck!

 

[welovechickens]

It is very hard to see them covered in scabs, but most likely they will be fine.

This is my little Japanese Buff Bantam when she was feeling her worst with the dry pox:

See where underneath her eye is swollen? She got a huge lesion there a couple days later and it looked horrible!

I babied her a lot (That was easy because she LOVES attention!) and fed her wet mash and soft fruits and yogurt. I also gave all 3 of my chickens 7 days of Duramycin in their water, to head off any possible respiratory infections. My other two birds had a much milder case....my SLW only had one scab on her leg!

The good thing is, once they've had it, they won't get it again.

Hope your birds start feeling better quickly!

 

[DragonEggs]

Thanks for the advice and reassurance. Its probably one of those things that just LOOKS worse than it actually is and I'm suffering from PMS (Paranoid Mommy Syndrome).

Thats almost EXACTLY what my little pullets face looks like!

BTW, I wish I had a chicken book (but then again, thats what you guys are for) so don't feel too bad!

 

[welovechickens]

It's so sad, isn't it? I need to get a picture of Baby's face now so you can see how she healed.

 

[Pollitollito]

For Fowl pox use Vaseline on the place it has the pox and the next day there gone! after that use topic antibiotic and electrolite/ vitamin n water