surrounded by fowl pox

[dstinett]

I recently joined a local online chicken group. I can't believe how many people are dealing with fowl pox. I am keeping note to make sure I do not buy or sell from them. Everyone acts like it is very common. I've had chickens 8 years and never had a problem. We are all pretty close together. Should I be concerned? Do these folks deserve to be blacklisted from me?

 

[dstinett]

I'm concerned that there may be husbandry issues

 

[cafarmgirl]

No I don't think they deserve to be black listed for that reason alone. Fowl pox is indeed very common, it's not something I worry about. It is mostly spread my mosquitos, once birds have had it they are immune so generally it's the young birds in the flock that come down with it. I don't consider it a big deal. The pox look ugly and are probably uncomfortable to some extent but they dry up in a couple weeks and birds are fine. If they should happen to get wet pox which involves lesions in the mouth, throat, eyes, etc. it can be a little harder on them. You have to watch to make sure they are able to eat and drink until they recover. Otherwise, with ordinary dry fowl pox, I don't even do anything about it. Some folk's put a little iodine on particularly nasty looking lesions to help dry them up. That's about it.

 

[dawg53]

I recently joined a local online chicken group. I can't believe how many people are dealing with fowl pox. I am keeping note to make sure I do not buy or sell from them. Everyone acts like it is very common. I've had chickens 8 years and never had a problem. We are all pretty close together. Should I be concerned? Do these folks deserve to be blacklisted from me?

You are correct to be suspicious and concerned. There might be more going on than what they say. Seeing is believing, ask them to post pics of their fowl pox infected bird(s.) No need to blacklist them if it IS fowl pox.

 

[dstinett]

Thanks for your input. Most post pics and it seems to be fowl pox.

 

[dstinett]

Every one I ask has recently brought a new chicken into the flock. Several names keep being mentioned. I hate that I see chickens fore sale that I want but afraid to buy

 

[cafarmgirl]

Every one I ask has recently brought a new chicken into the flock. Several names keep being mentioned. I hate that I see chickens fore sale that I want but afraid to buy

Well it is always a concern when bringing in new birds from someone else's flock. I would not be concerned simply because of fowl pox but there are plenty of other things to be concerned about. But that is also why new birds should always be quarantined for 30 days before integrating with your flock.