I noticed my usually beautifully healthy OE BB Bantams yesterday had white spots on their heads and swollen eyes! On closer examination I saw that the Scabs were hard and scaly! One roo is doing fine but one , the Mille Fluer, is acting very withdrawn!
I placed a post on the emergency Coop, I am now waiting for a reply!
Have any of you ever heard of such a thing?
Oh and Im now wondering if this is a reaction to the Daitomaceous Earth that I added to their Dusting area!!!!!
Eufala, I'm going to go check my chicken book that has disease information now. Meanwhile, did a quick Google search. Look yourself at the info on fowl pox.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PS044
I don't see anything in the book that sounds anything like this except fowl pox. Maybe someone else knows of something else that causes lesions.
There was info on DE but all it mentioned was irritation to lungs.
this has a picture of fowl pox
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12150_12220-26362--,00.html
here's another one
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:LAchickwithPox-WRH.jpg
This message was edited Jun 14, 2007 9:55 PM
more
http://www.poultrymed.com/files/FP.html
It may be it...
but I don't think it is
The good news is ....if it is,it usually doesent kill them
and they recover on their own
there is no treatment and they are immune after they recover
any new birds you bring in should be vaccinated for it
and its not cause you're a baby bird mommy
its carried by mosquitos
not really much you can do to stop it
my first thought when I saw the picture was that there was some fighting going on and some birds got beat on pretty good
but I cant say for sure
I've never seen fowl pox....wet or dry
just make them comfy
don't stress them
and baby them just like a kid with chicken pox......
sorry ,had to say it
Thank you Hart and Crestedchick, Yep thats what another member said! I looked it up and found that it looks just like what my birds are doing! Ive never had any thing other the usual old age or rare eggbinding to kill my Chickens in all the years Ive had them! This is such a shock! Mosquitoes.......and we didnt have any rain here in almost 3 months! I do have open waterers that will be getting cleaned now a lot more frequently, to help keep them out! The Chickens have been emptying them every other day , when I refill, but now I guess I'll have to make sure they get cleaned out every day!
Oh , I thought the same thing about the "Chicken Pox" too! So far nobody has a cough! So hopefully there wont be any lung infection! But now Im worried about it spreading! So far none of the other s have any signs of being sick! I have each breed in separate pens. The only ones to show symptoms are the two
BB Roosters, none of the hens!
Im going to go and read the Links now and see if I can find any thing I need to do to help them get better! Thanks again.
This message was edited Jun 15, 2007 6:10 AM
How is the poor guy doing???
Tracey
That looks really nasty and I'm sure was a huge shock for you !! Good luck and hope the flock is doing better soon.........
Julie
Today every one is still walking around ,looking like something the cat drug up! They are eating and seem to be getting along fine . They just look so bad! All I can do is wait and pray it doesnt develop into the " Wet" form of the disease! So far just a bunch of Warty looking fellas!
Isn't there some kind of medication you can give them?
Hart, According to allthe emergency links I went to, there was no medication help at all! Since this is a Viral infection the over the counter ointments would do no good! There is however a vaccine on the market for birds that havent gotten the infection! It is too late,however, for my flock! Now we just have to wait for the natural immunities to take effect!
One link even said to not handle the "warty" areas , because this would cause a wound on the bird, that would take longer to heal. So Im now just waiting for the Warts to go away! Just like a Chicken Pox Child......" Dont Scratch"!!!!
Oh Well My Chickens are really doing well now! The one s that looked as if they didnt feel well are now rallying and acting normal. I see a little difference in their appearance as for as swelling , and the warts seem to be going away a little! So now its just a waiting game!
Words to the wise! WE all have outside chickens and outside watering areas! Please keep all waterers clean. I use a Bleach solution that I scrub the waterers and any areas that stay moist ! Remove any Hay or other straw that will harbour Mosquitoes!
I now advise, Not to feed your chickens by scattering the feed or scratch on the ground. This only attracts songbirds that Carry the infection. This is where a lot of the contagion may come from! Try to feed in an area not accesible to outside birds!
I know this is so hard to do ! I love my Chickens and no matter how well I cared for them , they still contracted an infection! An infection from outside sources that I never would have imagined them to succomb to, since most of mine are fee range during the day and in coop at night!
Thankfully, it wasnt a deadly virus like the Bird Flu or Worse! My babies will now have an immunity , once they heal, to this aggravation! But what next????
Good luck to all of you , and I pray that your chickens not be next!
Eufaula,
I've been watching this thread & praying for a possitive turn-around for your flock. Sounds like you may have gotten through the worst of it. I sure feel for you. It's obvious that you love your sweet birds.
We have been getting tons of rain in our area. The mosquitos are terrible. My horses are inoculated against West Nile & the dogs are on Heart Guard. Guess I'd better talk to the vet about vacines for Tyson & Road Runner. I don't think I'll add any more chickens to the farm for now. We have our hands full trying to bring in the square bales of hay before they rot in the field. Plus, we are now seeing more and more snakes. I spotted a large one curled under a tree not 20 feet from our front door 3 days ago. I ran & got Hubby and his little gun. He shot a 71 inch Copperhead! We have "blue moon ponds" at the front of our property that only fill in a heavy rainy season. They are now also full of frogs. I guess that is what is bringing the snakes closer. I hate to interfere with nature & kill things...even snakes. But, I just can't risk one of my animals getting snake bit. It hard enough to keep them healthy as you well know.
Take care & I'll continue to keep you and your flock in my prayers!
Margie
Thank you Eufaula for the warning and know I am going to clean
every inch of my coop and waters and feeders too..
How are your babys doing??
Tracey
How is the Rooster and the hens doing today?
Tracey
Euafaula,
You have d-mail...
How are you doing???
How are the roosters doing and the others??
Tracey
Thank You for the concern Tracey and the prayers Margie! Were all doing fine! My Chickies are recovering and some are still feeling Poorly, but none have died! I am seeing more of the others developing the spots, so Im waiting for the infection to run its course.
I have been very busy this week and havent been able to sit at the computer as much as I'd like! but Im reading and trying to keep up! There are so many posts to catch up with!
Ive got to get out to the coops now and clean waterers and rake the yards. Trying to keep everything nice and tidy, plus it gives me the time to "visit" with all the Chicken Family!
I'm glad to here your chickens are doing better, never heard about them getting the chicken pox. I also feed treats on the ground, now I am going to come up with something to put it in. I have noticed birds getting in and cleaning up after the chickens go to bed.
Margie, could you send the rain this way? LOL. We are so dry, my grass is dead and watering is a everyday chore now. We are supposed to get some rain today, praying for rain.
Cathy
You know , I had never ever heard of the Fowl Pox either! In all the years of animal raising that I have done! It hurts to the core of me just knowing that it is now a concern ! mosquitoes and Song birds(of all things) carrying diseases that kill our Chickens, or make them sick! Where does this stuff come from?
I grew up with cattle waterers that were green from the algae that fed the goldfish in them! The old dog waterer that stayed by the water faucet outside full of water all the time. My grandmothers Chickens shared this with the 3 or 4 dogs that were always there. I remember things ,that by todays standards would be held as unsanitary ,but back 50 years ago and longer, It was just the way! But I never heard of Chickens getting Pox , or Flu, or sick period!
Its so discouraging! I , as well as you all, try our darndest to keep our flocks healthy and happy. Now we have to worry about keeping them in cages, cover them at night,dont let them touch the ground, dont drink day old water, Im so tired ! I just want to keep them safe and well fed and Happy!
I just want to know , If this Fowl Pox thing is so prevalent , Why had We not heard of it before? Why wasnt the Fowl Pox vaccine offered from the Hatchery like the Marecks vaccine?( Which I did!)
Im sorry,Yall! There are just so many Questions ! I dont mean to rant or sound sorry for myself! My Chicks are going to get well and I will continue to have them. I will learn all I can, and I will be prepared for the unexpected!
I am a Chicken Mommy......dont get in My way.......I am a force to deal with!!!!! Yaaaay!!!
thank you all for all the support you have given! You just dont know how much it means when somehing like this happens! My tears are over about all this! Im fighting for my Chickies now!!!!
I have never checked on fowl pox vacc's but it could be its not offered cause they might have to be a certian age for them to survive the vaccination
if you look up vaccines for poultry there are tons of different ones
I usually vaccinate for Coryza and larango(Spelling),because of my birds going to shows
I've never vaccinated for merecks or fowl pox
although seeing fowl pox maybe I should.......
shows are a great place to get new diseases
Eufaula,
You have D-Mail
Tracey
