I purchased 6 Buff O chicks 2 weeks ago, and forgot to inoculate them for Fowl Pox, they are 4 weeks old and show no signs of fatigue. Now it seems that 3 of them have skin conditions that reflect that they have it. I talked to a local vet and described the dark colored spots on the comb and near the beak, one small chick has the left eye swollen shut and discolored. He thought that it was FP, and said sometimes they survive. I asked an local farm supply store owner and they said the chicks eventually die. Now feeling really stupid and do not know what to do. Would really like some advice or imput from the forum. The chicks are located in Hawaii. Should I give the FP inoculation to the remaining 3 that do not exhibit overt symptoms? Should I give the vaccine to the 3 chicks with the spots on their skin that indicate that they have Fowl Pox? Are the chicks going to eventually die? Cpuld they possibly survive? What complications are possible? Could you please give me some advice, or information, or web site to check out. Please comment as soon as possible. I'm not sure how to get photos of the conditions on this forum. Thank you.
I have dealt with this many time before I figured out what it was. Add vitamins to the water, something with some B vit in it. Also, what ever you use for antibiotics. All you can do is try to strengthen their immune system and hope for the best. It is probably too late to vaccinate the remaining as they have already been exposed. I think the vaccine is supposed to be for young chicks only Some will survive and some will die.
I had a flock of 25 or 30 with it and one died, of secondary infection; the pox were all over her head and in her eyes. Even then, we put her down, partly for other reasons; it is possible she would have survived. The rest mostly just got black spots on their combs and wattles. I more or less treated them by dabbing some Betadine on the black spots, to prevent secondary infection, but I am sure I missed some spots, and a few more spots showed up that were not treated before it was all over. The pox is a virus and actuallly should heal on its own if there are no complications. Then, rather suddenly, maybe after three weeks, the spots went away. Chickens are immune to fowl pox after a round of it, so I have not seen it since, and this happened about 2 years ago. I read a good deal about fowl pox at the time, and everyone said they'll be fine, or mostly fine, just from the black spots on the comb/wattles. Now wet pox, which they get inside their mouths, is quite a different story. Fortunately I did not see that. So, chin up, if they just have a bunch of black spots on their combs from fowl pox, it will be over soon, and you'll still have your flock.
I just went through this with my flock. Didn't have it on the eyes but I fed medicated feed and added antibiotics/vitamins to their water and put iodine on the growths on the beak tops. After what seemed like forever( 2-3 weeks) the growths just fell off and the birds recovered. Good luck
Hi I had a 2 year old barred rock get the pox took her to the bird vet 2 to 3 weeks later with a lot of work she's fine this is what we did first took her away from all other chickens indoors in the ac, had all the other chickens vaccinated, her eyes were really bad 3 times a day I cleaned the eyes with gauze sponges (don't use cotton balls) just dabbing gently with sterile isotonic buffered solution (eye wash) the vet gave me and then applied vetropolycin to her eye also vet gave me (note just put a little of this oint. on the tip of your finger and touch the eye) she got worse before see got better one eye was covered over with the pox crust but I kept at it cleaning and puttin the onit. one day when I was cleaning that eye the crust lifted off now shes all good one more thing the vet told me there are 2 kinds of pox wet and dry maybe some other people can help tell you the difference I don't remember all she said but the wet pox is worse then the dry for the chickens hope this helps you good luck
