What on earth??

[Keet]

We have 9 Production Reds, all about a year old. 5 of which, what seems over night, have sprouted warty blood filled blisters all over their combs, wattles, and ears. It starts out as fresh blood, then dries to look like this. What on earth is wrong with our poor chickens??

Thanks for any help.

 

[TaLani]

Maybe read this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-diseases-AvianPox.html

 

[SunshineSilkies]

Looks like powl pox to me...

 

[Keet]

Well how do ya like that, my chickens have chicken pox....

Thanks for that link, looks exactly what we have here. Also explains the death of our chicken affectionately named "Wheezy" last week. She started wheezing and died while we were stuck in bed with the Swine Flu.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Not necessarily. Fowl pox is only deadly when the infection localizes in the mucous membranes, and then not always. There are many other causes of wheezing.