Well, here I am with a real problem to confess to you. And I am getting new chickens today, too. After some searching online, I am pretty sure my leghorn has viral pox. Probably from the mosquitos we have down here. She was isolated from the others, but I am still concerned about spreading the virus to the others in the coops as one of the roosters had been with her until yesterday. She has the tell tale lesions on her wattle, comb and one ear. I am just reading about this disease today- apparently it may clear up in 14 days and she has some chance to recover? And there is a vaccine for this? If anyone can share their thoughts and experiences, I would be really grateful.
Arrggh! I think my leghorn has pox!
Here are some threads that should help.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/911575/
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/915419/
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/911310/
If she doesn't get the "wet form", she will probably clear up with no problem at all.
Here in the Central Valley of California "pox" is unavoidable and everyone's chickens get it if they aren't vaccinated. Almost no one vaccinates though, because, aside from a few lesions on their combs and wattles, the chickens are perfectly fine. Mine kept laying right through it, though sometimes they stop. It spreads very slowly so you will get one chicken come down with it and maybe another weeks later. Ours is spread by mosquitoes too. We never stay cold enough long enough to kill them off
The one thing you do want to watch for is the the "wet form" where it causes growths in their throat and on other mucous membranes. It can make it hard for them to eat and breath. You then have to remove the growths and they are miserable, I think this is a strain specific form...but even with the dry form some chickens seem to be more resistant than others and very few lesions, while others get more.
I hope you have good luck!
This message was edited Feb 1, 2009 12:50 PM
I'd only like to add that I had a Millie get the wet form where she couldn't close her mouth... but I chose not to do anything unless it interfered with her breathing, which it didn't. It took a couple of weeks, but she was fine.
I was putting neosporin on her mate who was picked real bad when he came here.. When he got pox, the ointment caused the pox to spread terribly... Here he is the second day I got him.. notice the bloody comb?
Here he is when he got pox.. Poor lil guy.
Thanks, so much, you 2! That was really helpful. Yes, I read about the wet form, and oh boy I am really crossing my fingers now that she doesn't get that. I am off to put iodine on her lesions. Cat- are you saying that almost no one bothers to vaccinate, or that your preference is not to vaccinate? Thanks again!
ZZ, we cross posted. Thanks for the pictures. Hmmmm, wonder how much of a problem I am going to have with pecking with the new hens being added. What a double whammy for your poor rooster. I am really relieved that you guys have lived through this and it is common. So, it's just one of those things that goes along with having chickens.
I've considered vaccinating. I'm not opposed to it. And if the chickens suffered I would. But around here people just seem to expect them to get it--like kids getting chicken pox--so most don't vaccinate. But these are just small flock owners--I think the big commercial enterprises probably do vaccinate, because it can cause a drop in egg production. Once a chicken has had pox it is theoretically immune for life--just like with a vaccine.
I don't think there is a wrong choice. Unless you are dealing with serious wet pox--then I would vaccinate all the unaffected birds.
Thanks! I appreciate your input. I was relaying the info. about the sickness to DH, and he was like, "So our chickens have chicken pox?" It was funny.
I think I'll ask around today when I go to the fair to pick up the hens if there is a local source for the vaccine. I think I am going to go with you on the wait until there is the wet form to take that step, but it won't hurt to have a source already located.
Here is where I got mine cheap! I haven't used it.. but it's a good source.
http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/products.asp?CID=2&mscssid=398DCVJ5S5VL9PGTETDT42GT9QTJ27C2&dept_id=473&area=poultry
Gee fauna! I sure hope your chickens are okay. I have never had to deal with that stuff. Our summers are shorter but we do get mosquitos. I wish you well!!! Keep us updated.
Thanks, ZZ and sewincircle. Wow, that does seem to be economical ZZ. When I asked the really great fellow from whom I got the new White Leghorn, he said that he also doesn't bother also and that the vaccine is more expensive than it is worth. But, your reccomendation does seem economical. FYI, he also reccommends using garlic in feed and hanging dryer sheets during mosquito times to ward them off. The garlic certainly worked well for me when a group of us went to Belize in college. I was the only one that didn't get chiggers.
Did he tell you how to blend the garlic in their food?
MMmmm... garlic & eggs. Sounds great LOL
I can hold a clove of garlic in my hand for them, and it will start total chaos.. they love garlic!
So you give them raw garlic- awesome! Podster, I was thinking granulated garlic - I think that is what is in the capsules when you buy them as a supplement. Yeah, garlic and eggs yum!
I would like to add if they get pox on or near their eyes it is important to treat those with iodine. Also remove any scabs that get on their eyes as the pox will actually spread into their eyes blinding them.
Watch carefully if it turns into wet pox the lesion can grow quickly and suffocate a chicken if it becomes that large you have to remove them.
I would like to say about the vaccine if you have the severe wet pox and have a large flock i would advise vaccination to stop the spread to the ones unaffected.
This measure is just to keep the other chickens from haveing to go through the sometimes painful experience of pox.
This message was edited Feb 3, 2009 11:34 AM
Thanks so much for your input! I really appreciate all the knowledge you've gained even though it was at your poor birds' expense. Do you have any mosquito repelling tips to share?
Sorry i didn't try and repel them i did dump all the standing water and i found the source. My son had one of those basketball goals you put water in to keep it up and they were in it. But i also figured out i brought it home from the auction the mosqiutoes bit the ones who were carrying it and infected mine i felt stupid when i finally figured it out because they were mixed $1 chickens but i just had to have them:( Lesson learned the hard way )
The garlic sounded good and so did the drier sheets some recommended insect repellent but i don't like putting toxic things on my chickens.
Make sure you check all the plant pot trays.. storage items, anything that can hold water.. it only takes a few drops to provide a breeding ground. I use chunks of mosquito dunks in my planter trays, rooting cups, watering jugs, whatever holds water... You can get Mosquito Dunks at Home Depot or Lowe's.
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I think it's Pyrethrin that is best spray for mosquitoes.. It's my understanding that it only takes a VERY slight amount in a fog to kill a population of mosquitoes without harming animals/humans/plants... I think it's made from chrysanthemums..
The citronella candles might be good for a picnic, but not good for constant protection..
Citronella plants were supposed to help, but didn't do much for me when I had a problem with them coming in my bedroom screens....
There is the products with DEET that you put on your skin.. It will keep them from landing on you. I have some natural Cedar Spray that is the same as DEET and it smells wonderful. :) It's better to NOT provide an environment for them, rather than to try to keep them from biting.
Around here, the County sprays from airplanes when it gets bad during the breeding season. I've been outside when they are spraying and you can just barely smell it.. No warnings when they are spraying, so it's my guess that it's safe.. That was a question I had last year, cause the guy on the corner has a huge organic farm....
Very good info ~ thanks. I expect it in other places but I would never have thought CA would have mosquitoes.
If the county is spraying with a pyrethrin, then that is typically not very adverse to humans except those who have an allergy to it. I think that there is usually some sort of bulletin system in place.....whether or not we all tune into that avenue.....
I was jogging one night in Gainesville many years ago. One of those county mosquito sprayers blasted through the area spewing malathion. I was quite sure because I recognized the smell, and I sure wasn't happy about getting caught in it!
I'm not sure how realistic it is to try to control mosquitos where we live, but my hen is doing really well currently. Her scabs were really not all that extensive and are healing well.
Thanks again, all!
We have West Nile Virus here.. One of our residents got it from sitting on the porch in the evenings.. He got the case that was the encephalitis or whatever you call it.. He was paralyzed and couldn't speak.. had to learn to talk and walk all over again! We are all very careful now!
Hi Everyone
Wondering if any have tried adding a bat house to your properties as bug control? They are easy to make and you hang them beneath the eaves of your house out of harsh sunlight....north or east...they will gobble up the mosquitos in your yard and no toxic sprays or chemicals.
That's a great suggestion and is one of the things on my to-do list. Do you know much about hanging bat houses or can you reccomend a link? I heard that you need to have at least 2 of them, is that true? Under the eaves of the house seems low to me- is that really high enough? Thanks in advance for any thoughts you might have.
My DH has been hanging ours for a few years! Funny, I still dont see them...Friends of ours have them and they are awesome for bug control as each eats 1000's of bug!! I am still waiting for mine. (drumming fingers on table)
Sounds like me waiting for hummingbirds to show up!
LOL