Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Fowl Pox
Quite common in most regions of the country, viral fowl pox can be introduced to your
flock in wet or dry forms. Usually the virus is spread through a flying vector such as
mosquitoes, or contact with contaminated poultry litter or other material. Birds typically
develop one form or the other: either wet pox in the mouth and throat, or dry pox ex-
ternally.
If you live in the southern part of the United States where great numbers of mosqui-
toes thrive in hot humid climes, fowl pox is more of an issue. The farther north you go,
fowl pox is less of a problem. Exceptions, of course, can be found when northerners reg-
ularly transport birds from other parts of the country to poultry shows.
Fowl pox is not the same virus as the human chicken pox; we can't contract fowl pox,
and poultry can't get the chicken pox virus that affects us.
Symptoms
Wet fowl pox
breaks out as blisters or sores in the mouth and throat of the birds. The
bird will appear listless and be gasping. In many cases, the bird dies of strangulation.
Dry fowl pox
breaks out as sores on the face, comb, and wattles of the bird, which
become dry and crusty. These sores are usually not nearly as detrimental to the bird's
health as the wet pox. Some will die from the high fever, but usually less than 10 per-
cent.
Wet pox develops in the mouth and throat; dry pox shows up on the bird's face, comb,
and wattles.
