Has your flock suddenly developed sores on their combs? Continue reading to learn all about Fowl Pox in chickens and what you can do to help prevent and get your chickens through this awful virus.
In early spring my area had days of heavy rain following some deforestation behind my chicken coop. This left a muddy mess with lots of standing water. Unfortunately, this cropped up a real problem with mosquitos for me and my chickens.
This post is all about Fowl Pox in chickens.
Please note – I am not a veterinary expert and everything in this post is from my direct experience with Fowl Pox in my chickens. I encourage everyone to seek the advice of a vet when needed. If you are not sure of a chicken vet in your area, please see the Poultry DVM vet directory.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you purchase something through one of these Amazon links, I may receive a commission (and if so, thank you for the support!). The opinions expressed in this review are solely based on my personal experiences and observations as a small backyard chicken keeper. I encourage readers to conduct their research and consider their individual circumstances before making any purchasing decisions. You can view my full private policy for more details.
What is Fowl Pox
Fowl pox is a viral infection that affects chickens and other poultry species. It is caused by the avian poxvirus and is characterized by the development of raised, scab-like lesions on the skin, combs, wattles, and other mucous membranes of infected birds.
Fowl Pox Symptoms
Fowl Pox typically starts with a little lesion before spreading all over their comb, waddles, face, mouth, and legs. You may also notice a drop in egg laying, they may eat less, and your flock may be a little less active.
My first clue I was dealing with fowl pox was when I first spotted a lesion-like growth on my chickens comb (see photo below of Butter).
How is Fowl Pox Spread
Fowl pox is highly contagious and primarily transmitted through direct contact with infected birds (feathers, scabs, skin dander) and it can also be spread by biting insects like mosquitoes. My flock I believed to have contracted it by mosquitos after heavy rain brought more mosquitos into my coop.
Is Fowl Pox Contagious to Humans
Thankfully no, Fowl Pox does not affect humans. So no need to worry about catching Fowl Pox from your flock.
Dry Versus Wet Fowl Pox
There are two types of Fowl Pox: Dry pox and wet pox.
Dry Fowl Pox is the milder version that affected my flock. In the dry form the lesions affect their combs, waddles, faces, and even legs as it did on some of my birds. You may also notice a reduced appetite and a decrease in egg production, which I also experienced.
Wet Fowl Pox is the more severe form where these lesions can form in the throat which can cause respiratory distress and may interfere with the bird’s ability to eat or breathe. I had one chicken, Picki, who I was worried that she had potentially started to develop the wet form. She had the worst of it out of all of my chickens.
Fowl Pox Prevention
Biosecurity: Always wear clean clothing and shoes that have not been to other chicken coops to avoid the spread of diseases. I have a pair of dedicated ‘chicken run shoes’ that I only wear in my coop.
As a good practice regularly disinfecting equipment, tools, and footwear also helps prevent the introduction of various diseases and viruses.
Separate new chickens from the established flock for a quarantine period before integrating them to ensure they are healthy. This minimizes the risk of introducing fowl pox or other diseases.
Mosquitos: Mosquitos are transmitters for this virus so limiting the exposure to mosquitos is an important step.
Vaccination: There is a vaccine against Fowl Pox that can be given to baby chicks and adult chickens who have never been exposed to Fowl Pox. For this, I would suggest reaching out to your local poultry vet.
Treatment for Fowl Pox | Supportive Measures
While there is no cure for Fowl Pox there are some things you can do to make your birds a bit more comfortable along with boosting their immune systems to help get them through this awful virus.
Quarantine: First if you do spot a lesion you suspect to be Fowl Pox on one of your chickens, you can try to remove and quarantine them. The first chicken I spotted this on was Poki. It happened at the same time I had to take her inside for a potential sour crop issue. Even though she was the first one with a lesion and she was brought inside the house at the same time it appeared, all my chickens ended up showing lesions within the next few weeks.
For Picki, I did end up giving her an antibiotic. I really do not like using an antibiotic if I can help it, however, I was very worried about her as all of my other chickens had gotten through it and she was looking worse even though her comb had pretty much healed. As you can see in the photo above, the side of her mouth had swelled and there was a sore on the inside of her beak. I believe I added the antibiotic to her water for about 5 days while she was inside and away from all of my other chickens.
Happy to say after keeping her inside, giving her everything from the list above, the antibiotic, scrambled eggs, and lots of love, she got back to being her lively little self!
Finally, let it run its course. While there is no specific treatment for fowl pox, providing supportive care can help your chickens as the virus runs its course. Unfortunately, running through your entire flock can take a while. I’m happy to report that with time my flock got through their bout with Fowl Pox. My first chicken started showing symptoms at the end of April and my final chicken recovered by early July.
This post was all about Fowl Pox in chickens. Now you have an overview of what Fowl Pox is, prevention, and how to help get your flock get through Fowl Pox should they ever encounter it.
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I’m Jess, a backyard chicken keeper in California. With my flock of 20 friendly chickens, my mission is to help others feel confident about raising happy, healthy, and super friendly chickens. My dream is that everyone gets to know the love of a chicken and experience the joy they bring to your life.
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