# Chicken comb question...



## kemcconnell (Apr 4, 2013)

One of my hen's combs is full of black/grey/nasty bumps that look like warts... She has always been the odd one out and may get picked on by the others... She had what we thought was a black eye at one time... Now this... She's eating and drinking and walking around, but is very skiddish. She is still laying if not every day, every other day. Anyone know what this could be? I'm worried about the rest of my hens...


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

She has fowl pox...sort of like chicken pox in children..that is spread via the blood by mosquitoes initially and then can spread to the rest the flock the same way or with contact with the fluid from the blisters and from the nasal passages..when they have crusty, swollen eyes from it, it is also in the nasal passages.

Would be smart to isolate her if you don't want the others to have it...if you do want them to be exposed so as to build antibodies for it, then leave her be. As I do all natural husbandry and do not give meds or vaccines, I use the exposure route.

If one of my birds can get it, I want them all exposed to it and those with good immune systems (not showing severe symptoms) get to stay, those that react severely to it, get culled.

Here's pretty much what you need to know about it:

http://www.hyline.com/redbook/Health/Prevention_FowlPox.html


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