Hen - Occasional eye bubbles, stopped laying, change in comb

[Snow bunny]

Hi casportpony, to be honest, I have no idea. I never went to uni, left school early to help on the farm. We don't use scientific names either. Sorry. Just for anyone's information fowl pox will not clear up if it is left. It will kill the chook.

 

[enola]

Ok, since you don't mind my doubts...... If this is indeed a blood sucking parasite, like I said on an earlier post. If you scrape them off and crush them, would you see blood?

 

[casportpony]

@AlexChat , welcome to BYC! Doesn't look like any type of bug I'm familiar with, but no harm in treating with Vaseline and a poultry dust.

Her comb does look pale and shriveled, which can be a sign of illness. Chickens are masters at hiding illness, so you might want to get a baseline weight and monitor her for weight loss. Do you have a kitchen scale? That's what I use.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Hi casportpony, to be honest, I have no idea.  I never went to uni, left school early to help on the farm. We don't use scientific names either.  Sorry.  Just for anyone's information fowl pox will not clear up if it is left.  It will kill the chook.

Keep looking for info on this bug because I know all of us are interested in learning more about it.

As for fowl pox, you should know that are two forms, wet and dry. Neither are "treatable", but the majority with the dry version will get better on their own. Of course if they are sick enough that they stop eating and drinking they will die, but those can be given supportive care and will survive. Even those with wet pox can survive, but those will almost always need supportive care.

Can fowl pox kill? Yes, of course it can, but the majority will recover on their own.

-Kathy

 

[AlexChat]

@AlexChat , welcome to BYC! Doesn't look like any type of bug I'm familiar with, but no harm in treating with Vaseline and a poultry dust.

Her comb does look pale and shriveled, which can be a sign of illness. Chickens are masters at hiding illness, so you might want to get a baseline weight and monitor her for weight loss. Do you have a kitchen scale? That's what I use.

-Kathy

Thanks Kathy, as you say, if it is wrong then the worst we have is properly mite-treated hens, a clean house and a slightly oily and annoyed hen with a shiny comb

I've never tried weighing a chicken, but after a beer or 2 it might be doable.

A quick google and the pics for fowl pox do look a little like what we're seeing, although up close it's more like the black bits of the comb are just 'dead' bits of comb - more like a bruise than a pox/scab. Will do some more googling on that too.

 

[AlexChat]

Per the other discussion, I know 'tick-flea' must be a colloquialism, ticks and fleas are not the same thing (our cat gets ticks from hanging around with sheep), even if that isn't what's happened here we'll treat them for mites etc to be on the safe side.

In the interests of science, if we're able to scrape any more stuff off her comb we'll crush and look for blood - to the naked eye there aren't any creatures on there but I'm sure they can be tiny.

The fowl pox is another fair suggestion based on the appearance, although I'd say the black patches look more like something has drained blood than something has popped out from under the skin.

That said, I'm not a vet, and really appreciate all the ideas and experience!

 

[casportpony]

Here is a close up that shows what looks like a scab to me:


-Kathy

 

[enola]

Around her eye looks like scabs to me. Like maybe one of her flock mates had a peck or three.....

 

[casportpony]

http://parasitipedia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2655&Itemid=2933
External Parasites

Biting insects (hematophagous), i.e. they suck blood

• Bed bugs. $-RR. Can become a problem in layers and breeders, worldwide.
• Fleas. $-R. Can become a problem in poultry houses worldwide, sometimes considerable, mainly during hot and humid season. Usually not the first priority.
• Mosquitoes. $-RRR. A worldwide problem in all kind of livestock, but usually not a major issue on poultry.
• Stable flies. $. A potential problem on birds kept outdoors worldwide, but usually not a major threat.
• Lice. $$. Very common problem worldwide, particularly in layers.

Non-biting insects, do not suck blood

• Houseflies. $$-RRRRR. Can be a serious problem in any kind of poultry operation worldwide, particularly during the hot and humid season.
• Filth & nuisance flies. $. Can be a problem in any kind of poultry operation worldwide, particularly during the hot and humid season.

Ticks & mites

• Soft ticks. $. Can be a significant problem in tropical and subtropical regions in birds kept outdoors.
• Mites. $$$$-RRRR. Red mites (Dermanyssus) and Northern fowl mites (Ornithonyssus) can be a tremendous problem in layers worldwide.

 

[Eggcessive]

Just to comment more on the probability of peck wounds, the first picture here is of peck wounds, while the second and third pics are of fowl pox, which is only common when mosquitoes are out in warm weather:

peck wounds

fowl pox