What is wrong with my hen????

[Chickensss_25]

My hen thats been broody for some time (she’s already hatched like 2 chicks) has some weird swelling/pimple looking things on her face. Can anyone tell me what it is??

 

[azygous]

I can't make out the lesions in the photo you describe, but it sounds like fowl pox. If you have mosquitoes, that is likely what this is.

 

[Chickensss_25]

I can't make out the lesions in the photo you describe, but it sounds like fowl pox. If you have mosquitoes, that is likely what this is.

Oh no!! How do i keep mosquitos awayyy!! Can i spray mosquito repellent on the chickens?

 

[azygous]

I think mosquito repellent would do more harm than good. The good news is once a chicken recovers from fowl pox, they are "immunized". There is a vaccine you can buy to inoculate your other chickens that haven't yet had it. https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=63C9BFF7-0AE9-41A5-BCE7-773D195EE78C

It's a good idea because a severe case can cause death.

 

[Chickichickichoo]

If it is fowl pox I would recommend not letting her hatch out anymore chicks. Sadly I had experience with a hen hatching chicks getting fowl pox and she lost all her babies to fowl pox. With chicks their faces are so small that the lesions cover their whole face and they're unable to drink and eat which leads to their death.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would remove the chicks to a brooder inside your house. I agree that fowl pox is terrible for young chicks to have. They can have such large swollen scabs that can prevent them from seeing food and water or breathing if they cover the nostrils. Your broody will probably do okay and recover in a few weeks. Here is a large pox scab in a young baby turkey:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url...ved=0CAcQjRxqFwoTCOimwbmL1_ECFQAAAAAdAAAAABAQ

 

[Chickensss_25]

I think mosquito repellent would do more harm than good. The good news is once a chicken recovers from fowl pox, they are "immunized". There is a vaccine you can buy to inoculate your other chickens that haven't yet had it. https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=63C9BFF7-0AE9-41A5-BCE7-773D195EE78C

It's a good idea because a severe case can cause death.

Oh dang ok. Thanks for the info!

 

[Chickensss_25]

I think mosquito repellent would do more harm than good. The good news is once a chicken recovers from fowl pox, they are "immunized". There is a vaccine you can buy to inoculate your other chickens that haven't yet had it. https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=63C9BFF7-0AE9-41A5-BCE7-773D195EE78C

It's a good idea because a severe case can cause death.

How do i know if its severe? What are the symptoms of a very severe case? And what are the chances of my hen surviving

 

[Chickichickichoo]

How do i know if its severe? What are the symptoms of a very severe case? And what are the chances of my hen surviving

Just keep monitoring her and the lesions on her face to see if they get worse. Don't pick at the scabs. The most you can do is carefully apply iodine to the scabs (just not too close around the eye) also petroleum jelly works great for them to hurry up and dry and fall off. Give her Greek yogurt, eggs, anything good for her and make sure shes eating and drinking.

 

[Eggcessive]

Most grown chickens survive fowl pox, unless they have many scabs covering eyelids that may lead to not finding food or water, or if they develop the yellow material inside the beak called wet fowl pox. That is more rare. Look inside the beak if she seems especially sick or not eating. There is no treatment for pox. It lasts about a month.