Is this Fowl Pox?

[Brandi_H]

My Americana rooster has these black specks on his comb, and if I rub them lightly they fall off and there is a bit of blood. I'm new with chickens (only started a year ago) so I'm unfamiliar with diseases. from what I've read online though, it sounds like Fowl Pox. What do you think?

If this is Fowl Pox, does anyone know where I can get vaccine for the others? I'm in Alberta, Canada and can't find any online, other than places that won't ship to Canada. I contacted Poultry Health Services here in Alberta but so far haven't heard back from them. The last time I had a sick chicken, the local vet clinic knew nothing about chickens, so I'm not sure that they will be able to vaccinate them for me. Please help!

 

[speckledhen]

Doesn't look like it to me, just looks like dried blood from peck marks or small injuries.

 

[lilchick]

Looks like sores where knats have bitten him.... They are really pesky this year!

 

[Andora]

My chickens get those all the time, they won't quit pecking each other! Especially my Marans rooster with his abnormally huge comb and wattles. The black things are just little scabs from peck marks or something similar.

 

[Brandi_H]

We don't have gnats here, and they aren't injuries because the specks are growing. Besides, he's the only standard size and everyone else are bantams, so no one bothers him at all. I don't think they could even reach his comb. lol They stay away from him and make the poor guy feel like an outcast, which is why I visit him many times throughout the day. He's 7 months old and was just little when I got him, but was told he was a bantam HEN. Well, turns out he's a standard size rooster and I'm afraid he's going to hurt the tiny hens with all the mating he tries, so I keep a close eye on them. I took him in because he was going to be culled because of his toes (they bend sideways). He is really tame and sweet, but I need to find a good home for him. That's when I started looking into these specks, thinking that whoever comes to look at him will ask what they are.

 

[MandyH]

That's not pox. It DOES look like injuries from everyday life. Chickens combs bleed easily, so it could be bug bites, chicken pecks, or normal everyday wear and tear from ranging and such.

 

[Brandi_H]

But why would each speck be growing then? I've never seen any other chickens bother him (the coop is right in my front yard, I can see it from my desk where I work all day) and I only let them loose outside the run when I am with them, as some neighbors let their dogs run loose. I was putting iodine on his specks last night and examined the others to see if they had any, and a couple others have tiny specks starting on their combs and around their eyes. It seems to be spreading. Here's a closer picture.

 

[snowydiamonds]

Brandi,
A few of mine are also having the same symptom, nothing else but that so far (except the one w/the hurt toe/bumblefoot). One of my young EE hen's just died of pox. I am wondering if possibly we are both going thru pox and also why we would have this happen when we live in remote areas. It is a slow progression so at first you think nothing of those small scabs and there are misquitoes and bugs out this time of year. Here is what my young hen looked like that died:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=194615
I think only newbies answered my request for help then and now I'm afraid as I'm sure you are, that its spreading and all I can do is sit, watch and wait...and I don't know how it could have come to my flock except that I inherited a wonderful coop that I thought I'd cleaned well before using it. Its such a long progression that if more of mine are truly getting pox, I'm not waiting this time and trying to save them as they waste away like she did...I'm going to cull heavily, and they are my pets! Then I'll thoroughly wash out each coop with a heavy solution of clorox and water and wait before starting over- its devastating to plan this!

(Added My banty hens are hatching babies right now, too!!! I have three hens on nests and one hen proudly taking very good care of her first chick...(heartrench)

I'm just watching those same small scabs you are for now...its awful!

 

[Jameberlin]

Those are just scabs from small wounds. They could be spreading if he has access to bushes that may have thorns that prick his comb, or maybe some of your other chickens are pecking at him when they go to roost at night, just because you don't see it happening doesn't mean it's not.

Avian Pox typically shows on the comb, wattles and face and looks like... scabbed over herpes sores, really. Here's a link to a site that has information on various poultry diseases including pictures... (WARNING: these pictures are VERY graphic and show both antemortem pictures and postmortem and dissection pictures.) http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/t0756e/T0756E08.htm (Ctrl F to bring up the search function in your browser and type "pox" and click the down arrow and it should take you right to the spot.)

Another way to tell if it's actually a disease like pox is his attitude and general appearance, is he eating normally? Is he active or lethargic? Any sign of no appetite, not drinking properly, sleeping too much, depression etc. means there's usually a problem. If you're worried keep a close eye on his behavior since it's often the first sign of illness (physical symptoms like lesions/paralysis/discharge/coughing etc. usually appear much later than the behavior changes).

 

[gritsar]

I agree with everyone that said they are just scabs from daily life in the chicken world.