Weird "Bites" All over chickens combs, waddles and faces.

[daisychicken]

A squirrel got in the coop and they have lots of bumps and scratches from their mites and other bugs. One of my chickens has it really bad, something bit her on her eyelid and now its swollen almost shut. They are black on top and are mostly on the middle aged flock which is about 6-7 months old. The older ones don't really have it, and the baby ones don't have a single bite. We put sevins dust on the one, but it didn't work. Is there a medicine I can put on the chickens faces to make it go away or is it a medicine they can eat, also does anyone know what this could be?

 

[BantamLover21]

A squirrel got in the coop and they have lots of bumps and scratches from their mites and other bugs. One of my chickens has it really bad, something bit her on her eyelid and now its swollen almost shut. They are black on top and are mostly on the middle aged flock which is about 6-7 months old. The older ones don't really have it, and the baby ones don't have a single bite. We put sevins dust on the one, but it didn't work. Is there a medicine I can put on the chickens faces to make it go away or is it a medicine they can eat, also does anyone know what this could be?

If possible, post a photo. It might not be mite/lice or the squirrel; it sounds like your hens could have Fowl Pox.

 

[daisychicken]

This is the one with the swollen eye.

 

[Wyandottes7]

Well, the picture helps somewhat. I'm not sure if its Fowl Pox or not, but it looks like it could be.

Fowl Pox is a disease caused by a virus (its not related to Chicken Pox in humans). Fowl Pox does not have a treatment, and runs its course in about three weeks. It isn't usually deadly in the dry form, which your bird appears to have. However, it can be deadly if it progresses to the wet form, which causes lesions and scabs in the throat as well.

The main carriers of Fowl Pox are mosiquitoes, flies, and other flying insects. To reduce the spread of the disease, treat your chicken area for flying insects. This will eliminate most of the carriers.

Keep infected birds as stress-free as possible to prevent a secondary bacterial infection. Give electrolytes and probiotics, and make sure that they eat and drink. You might want to put your birds on a course of antibiotics. Oxytetracycline like Duramycin, Terramycin, and Tetroxy HCA-280 is a good antibiotic, as it is broad-spectrum. Make sure that you don't give probiotics, yogurt, apple cider vinegar, or other dairy products while using antibiotics, as they will interfere with the success of the antibiotics.

To make your birds more comfortable, mix together some vaseline with sulphur (I believe that sulphur can be found at garden stores, but I'm not sure). Put this mixture on the scabs, and they will soften so that you can remove them. You might not be able to remove all of the scabs, though.

Birds that recover from Fowl Pox will be immune, but can still pass the disease to others. To prevent Fowl Pox in the future, you might want to vaccinate. The Fowl Pox vaccine is relatively easy to find, and easy to give. You can buy it at http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies....d34279a8d4fc77a34e81&keyword=fowl+pox+vaccine.

 

[BantamLover21]

This is the one with the swollen eye.

Well, I can tell you that those marks are not being caused by mites/lice. Could your hens be fighting with eachother? Observe them for an hour or two. If it isn't fighting, then my only conclusion is that it is Fowl Pox, which is a viral disease spread by mosquitoes and flies. In its dry form, Fowl Pox causes scabs on the face, and in its wet form, it causes bumps on the respiratory tract and mouth. Sometimes, the internal bumps will get large enough to suffocate the chicken. There is no treatment for Fowl Pox itself; it will run its course in 3-6 weeks.

 

[daisychicken]

They don't fight at all they occasionaly peck at each other for pecking order, but never they basically grew up together.

This one is in the same flock and everthing but doesn't have any scabs or lesions. Why is that? They were also bought at the same store.

 

[BantamLover21]

They don't fight at all they occasionaly peck at each other for pecking order, but never they basically grew up together.

This one is in the same flock and everthing but doesn't have any scabs or lesions. Why is that? They were also bought at the same store.

Some birds are more resistant than others to disease--this hen may be one of those.

 

[Eggcessive]

That is fowl or avian pox. There is dry type like your chicken has and a wet type that can get inside the throat and airway causing difficult breathing. Look inside your chicken's beak to make sure it is clear. Here is some info--click on the pictures and they will enlarge. http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/poultry/fowlpox/fowlpox_in_chickens_and_turkeys.html

 

[dawg53]

They don't fight at all they occasionaly peck at each other for pecking order, but never they basically grew up together.

This one is in the same flock and everthing but doesn't have any scabs or lesions. Why is that? They were also bought at the same store.

Because she hasnt been bitten by an infected mosquito that carries the fowl pox virus.

 

[daisychicken]

What about gnats? They bite them all the time!