Caring for Chickens with Fowl Pox: Supportive measures and Nursing
It seems the unusual weather is seeing an increase in a range of poultry health problems. Fowl pox is one such disease that has raised its ugly head, literally.
Fowl pox is an infectious viral disease that causes painful skin sores. It is often spread by mosquitoes but can also be transmitted by infected fowl. The infection starts out as blisters, then becomes scaby, looking a bit like warts. It is usually noticeable on the featherless areas of the head, comb and legs. Another form of the virus can cause lesions in the mouth and throat, including the windpipe.
The disease can last for about 3 weeks. There is no specific medication for the disease however there are measures and nursing practices that lessen the severity of the disease and improve recovery. Basic nursing care is essential. This means keeping the infected area clean, bathing with a gentle disinfectant such as tea tree or eucalyptus oil; a few drops in water. It is also necessary to isolate infected chooks to reduce the risk of spreading. However as the disease is slow to develop, it will be important to monitor the flock closely.
When veterinary science does not have many options, and some-times even when they do, it can be really useful to revisit the teachings of the pioneers of holistic veterinary medicine, Juliette de Bairacli Levy and Pat Colby. Juliette recommends using garlic both internally and externally. For external use make a strong brew from a handful of garlic cloves, minced, to 500mls of water. Bring to boiling point and simmer gently for several hours. Do not strain, apply as needed. Internally, mince 3 to 4 cloves of garlic and mix into a simple mash of bran (or mill mix) and molasses or honey. This would replace the chooks regular feed. Also garlic and or vitamin C in the drinking water will ensure that sick birds do not get any secondary infection. A drop of eucalyptus oil (internally) daily is also helpful.
Pat Colby sees all types of animal pox viruses attributed to copper deficiency. She suggests, for poultry, adding a minute amount of copper into the diet. For one bird, the infected bird, mix ⅟₃₂ of a teaspoon (a minute pinch) of copper sulphate into the mash recommended above. As a preventative for the flock add ⅛ of a teaspoon for a flock of 6 to 10 birds, daily in their feed. A mash or a moist feed is the easiest way to administer. Providing a regular mineral dose to poultry of seaweed meal, dolimite/lime, yellow dusting sulfur and copper, will maintain poultry health and keep them mainly worm free.
Once poultry have recovered they need to be moved to fresh ground and the sick house will need to be fumigated. Given the highly infectious nature of the virus, it may be that your entire flock will be infected. If this is the case it will be necessary to relocate your flock, to new premises once they have recovered. Learn More about chicken health and common illnesses of poultry.
Links
https://www.farmingsecrets.com/mentor/pat-coleby/
Bronwyn and Helen
Wynlen House Artisan Village Farm
