White spots on comb??

[fishnet1971]

i found my 1 1/2 year old EE with white spots on her comb in between the folds a month or so ago and figured it was dried food or yogurt, or God knows what. didnt worry about it. She has a habit of flinging food. Week later it was still there.

Last week there were less white spots, but i noticed some still there. She had quit laying a few weeks ago and i figured a slow molt. (The rest are) She is a very flighty hen and I didnt want to freak her out with all the rest of the stuff going on in my coop, so I didnt grab her and clean her comb out. It looked like there was only 1 or 2 left and she scratches well.

Last night I had to get ahold of her to worm her and decided to finally take a warm washcloth and clean what was left of them out.

Holy cow, they are like white scabs. Soaked them with warm water, had a pair of tweezers when I saw they were hard clumps. Still figured they were dried food and yogurt. I dont think they are. They are like scabs attached to the comb. I left the 4 or 5 on her comb, mostly between the folds and covered with Neosporin.

Any clues? can pox be white?

 

[aoxa]

Fowlpox is a slow-spreading viral infection of chickens and turkeys characterized by proliferative lesions in the skin (cutaneous form) that progress to thick scabs and by lesions in the upper GI and respiratory tracts (diphtheritic form). It is seen worldwide.
Etiology and Epidemiology:
The large DNA virus (an avipoxvirus, family Poxviridae) is highly resistant and may survive for several years in dried scabs. Field and vaccine strains have only minor differences in their genomic profiles, although the strains can be differentiated to some extent by restriction endonuclease analysis, and immunoblotting. Recently, molecular analyses of vaccine and field strains of fowlpox viruses have shown some significant differences. The virus is present in large numbers in the lesions and is usually transmitted by contact through abrasions of the skin. Skin lesions (scabs) shed from the recovering birds in poultry houses can become a source of aerosol infection. Mosquitos and other biting insects may serve as mechanical vectors. Transmission within flocks is rapid when mosquitos are plentiful. Some affected birds may become carriers, and the disease may be reactivated by stress (eg, moulting) or by immunosuppression due to other infections. The disease tends to persist for extended periods in multiple-age poultry complexes.

Clinical Findings:
Only a few birds develop lesions at one time. Lesions are prominent in some birds and may significantly decrease flock performance. The cutaneous form is characterized by nodular lesions on various parts of the unfeathered skin of chickens and on the head and upper neck of turkeys. Generalized lesions of feathered skin may also be seen. In some cases, lesions are limited chiefly to the feet and legs. The lesion is initially a raised, blanched, nodular area that enlarges, becomes yellowish, and progresses to a thick, dark scab. Multiple lesions usually develop and often coalesce. Lesions in various stages of development may be found on the same bird. Localization around the nostrils may cause nasal discharge. Cutaneous lesions on the eyelids may cause complete closure of one or both eyes.

If you google image fowl pox, some look white. I don't really know, but it sounds like pox to me.

Picture?

 

[fishnet1971]

i will get a picture tonight. I know I know.... SHAME on me for not getting one last night. It was late and I was tired. Man, I hope this is not what I have been dealing with all along with my other issues. No one else has any of the white bumps or anything yet. ( I lost three chicks a month or so to what we assumed was Mareks) They are like hard white nodules on the comb. Really dont look much like the blisters or black scabs on the photos. They were only in the folds of the comb too.

 

[aoxa]

i will get a picture tonight. I know I know.... SHAME on me for not getting one last night. It was late and I was tired. Man, I hope this is not what I have been dealing with all along with my other issues. No one else has any of the white bumps or anything yet.  ( I lost three chicks a month or so to what we assumed was Mareks) They are like hard white nodules on the comb. Really dont look much like the blisters or black scabs on the photos. They were only in the folds of the comb too.

Could it be some kind of yeast infection?

Have you ever heard of Oxine? That might help clear it up. It could just be infected scabs.. I have no clue.

Good luck. I really hope it's nothing serious. I know after you cure fowl pox, they are immune for life.

 

[fishnet1971]

na, not infected. They look almost like warts. but hard. Not a crusty scab, not a water blister, just funky white almost pebble like things! who knows. She seems ok, and has started laying again, so I am just going to watch them closely.

 

[3feathers]

I have had 1 hen and 1 rooster (may be related) that have what I think are clogged pores on the comb. I get tweezers and pull out plugs. I don't believe it to be pox. I groomed the hen fairly often but the rooster is harder to catch and some of the plugs I pulled out were .2" across. I had to work them and eventually they would come out and leave a sizable "hole". Working them loose seemed to hurt the rooster slightly, but once loose I could pry them out and he seemed fine with it. Neosporined the holes that were left. Lots of general flake deep in the folds of the comb.