Sick chicken help. Canker or wet fowlpox?

[Just chicken]

I noticed Queenie was having respiratory problems about four days ago. About the same time I noticed some of my other chickens were getting the black warts on their combs. I didn't realize it could possibly be the same thing. But now I'm wondering if this is canker in Queenies mouth? Besides the sores on her mouth she does have a few black spots on her waddles but not on her comb. Her comb is droopy but still good in color and when I let her out of her quarantine area she runs around checking out the yard happy as can be. I can tell she's lost quite a bit of weight but she does seem still very spry. Any advice and opinions would be greatly appreciated. This is my first flock of chickens and I've had them since February. Way more work than I ever realized

 

[Eggcessive]

I would think this is wet fowl pox that Queenie has. Mostly because they have dry fowl pox already. But I haven't seen wet pox or canker before. I would try to find more pictures of each. It would be strange to have both diseases on the same chicken at once. Here is a link for canker:https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/783723/canker-and-swallen-chicken-face

 

[Eggcessive]

I think I might go ahead and treat for canker with fishzole. Here is another good picture of canker, note post #3:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/690374/abscess-in-chickens-cheek-and-mouth-canker-remedies

 

[Just chicken]

Thank you so much for your input. I'm hoping the local feed store has the meds for canker when they open tomorrow. I also need to check TSC... maybe they would have it. I had just called them to see if they have the vaccine for the fowlpox to give the girls that aren't showing symptoms and they don't.

 

[casportpony]

I have one like that, and like you I suspected canker, so I treated her with metronidazole, then Nystatin in case it was yeast, but those didn't make a difference. This has been going on for a long time and she would have died months ago if I hadn't been tube feeding her.

After talking with an avian pathologist at UD Davis who said he had only seen two cases of chickens with canker in the last 10 years, I now suspect wet pox and I'm looking into that right now.

-Kathy

 

[dawg53]

I dont see any warts on Queenies wattles or comb. Wet pox and/or canker can cause respiratory problems. Also the inability to swallow food. Is there a bad odor coming from her mouth? If so, it's canker. Treatment for canker is metronidazole. It can be bought online as "Fishzole."
Dosage is one 250mg tablet once a day for 5 days. Canker is a protozoa spread through contaminated waterers/feeders. Infected birds are carriers. To keep canker in check, put acidified copper sulfate in their waterers each month for them to drink. Dosage is 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of water for 3 straight days. Then discard and provide them freshwater. More is NOT better when using copper sulfate.


If there isnt an odor, it could be wet pox. You'll have to try and remove the lesions, then swab the area with iodine put on q-tips. If the lesions arnt removed (wet pox only,) she could eventually suffocate or starve to death from not being able to swallow feed.
As for your other birds that have the dry pox, it'll go away on its own in time, usually a month more or less. They will be immune to that particular strain of fowl pox thereafter.

 

[casportpony]

Thank you so much for your input.  I'm hoping the local feed store has the meds for canker when they open tomorrow.  I also need to check TSC... maybe they would have it.  I had just called them to see if they have the vaccine for the fowlpox to give the girls that aren't showing symptoms and they don't.

TSC does not carry the medicine for Canker (metronidazole, Flagyl, Fish-Zole, Meditrich) 'cause it's banned for use in food animals. The AAAP Avian Disease Manual says that treatment is 30mg/kg once a day for five days, but I know that people have given much more.

-Kathy

 

[dawg53]

Fishzole: 30 ct is cheaper.
http://pet-healthcare.revivalanimal.com/search?w=fishzole&asug=
Copper Sulfate: Dosage is the same.
https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/acidified_copper_sulfate.html

 

[Just chicken]

Dawg if you look in the picture on the left waddle in the back just below my thumb you can see one of the black "warts" She only has maybe 2 and none on her comb. This is what got me thinking about the canker as I read. I will be ordering the Fishzole tomorrow if I can't buy it locally. I originally thought it was a respiratory illness and started treating her with tetracycline. I kept noticing the dark spots inside her mouth but thought it was dirt she was having trouble getting out of her mouth due to congestion. It wasn't until this morning when I decided to rinse her mouth and was scrapping at the "dirt" that I realized it was sores. I feel like such a bad chicken mommy

I'm so frustrated. This is my first time with chickens and I thought I was taking good care of them. I have a nice little coup and covered area for them and let them free range in the after noon when I get home from work. I clean their area well and give them fresh water daily. I've had them since Feb and we already had Cocciodiosis which cost me $120 at the vet. My girl Cleo did make it though I'm proud to say...

 

[Just chicken]

TSC does not carry the medicine for Canker (metronidazole, Flagyl, Fish-Zole, Meditrich) 'cause it's banned for use in food animals. The AAAP Avian Disease Manual says that treatment is 30mg/kg once a day for five days, but I know that people have given much more.

-Kathy

Thanks!