Preventing Frostbite combs

[John Roth]

Hi guys! I was wondering if any of you know how to prevent combs getting frostbite in these cold bitter Minnesota winters. We can't afford insulated coops and what not so is there another way. Please tell me!!!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Here's some of the best ways I've personally found to prevent frostbite in my hens.
-Keep them warm and in a coop with ventilation and dry bedding
-Rub vaseline or coconut oil on their combs and wattles every night to help protect the tissue
-Prevent drafts in the coop
-Provide lots of water
-Use wide roosting bars so that the chickens sleep with flat feet
-Prevent water spillage

Here's an article on frostbite too.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/frostbite

Good luck!

 

[bobbi-j]

Hello from a fellow Minnesotan! The most important thing to remember is that the coops need to be well-ventilated, yet draft-free. My coops have vented soffits, so that helps. The object is for the moisture from breathing and pooping is vented out, leaving dry air behind. You do not need a heat lamp. It actually can do more harm than good, to keep the coop heated. If you notice frost on the walls, it's too humid in there. BYC member aart has good info on ventilation. Check their sig. line for the link. I have never used vaseline, coconut oil, or any other thing on their combs.

 

[MeepBeep]

Lowering humidity and preventing drafts will push the frostbite temp downwards but not prevent it, as the temps fall into extremes frostbite will still happen on exposed skin regardless of lack of humidity or drafts... Old school remedies like Vaseline or oil on the exposed skin have shown little effect overall in most clinical studies... On that subject oils on the skin technically would help more on humans and other animals that sweat as it will minimize surface evaporation on the skin, but chickens don't sweat so any degree of protection from that is further minimized on chickens...

The only true way to fully prevent frostbite risk is to avoid freezing temps on the skins surface...

 

[MeepBeep]

It actually can do more harm than good, to keep the coop heated.

Or it could do more good than harm...

The pros and cons of supplemental heat shift and vary based on individual setup variables, and should not be thought of as an absolute... Almost all commercial chicken farms provide supplemental heating and they don't do it because it harms their flocks, quite the opposite...

In general for the small backyard chicken keeper, with healthy cold tolerant birds, in a well ventilated and draft fee coop the cons of supplemental heat generally outweigh the pros, but that is not a one size fits all answer...

 

[bobbi-j]

Or it could do more good than harm...

The pros and cons of supplemental heat shift and vary based on individual setup variables, and should not be thought of as an absolute... Almost all commercial chicken farms provide supplemental heating and they don't do it because it harms their flocks, quite the opposite...

In general for the small backyard chicken keeper, with healthy cold tolerant birds, in a well ventilated and draft fee coop the cons of supplemental heat generally outweigh the pros, but that is not a one size fits all answer...

Thanks for clearing that up.

I guess I tend to think along the lines of the ordinary chicken keeper, not the large commercial operations. Apples and oranges. When I think of supplemental heat, I think of those who insist on keeping their coops way warmer than the outside, so the chickens have to go from one extreme to the other. I believe it's far healthier for them to have consistent temperatures. (I know, the outside temps aren't consistent, but at least when it's 20* outside, it's not 45* inside and they have to try to constantly adjust to those kinds of swings.)

 

[John Roth]

I just have a small back yard flock. Well not entirely I do have almost 50 chickens 20 turkeys and 15 geese. But the buildings are very old. 150+!!! So it's impossible to keep them in great condition. But it's enough to keep the birds thriving and well. I used heat lamps last year and hated it! They would always knock them down. And one lamp that got pulled down burned a hole through the roost! So I really don't want to use them again.

 

[MeepBeep]

Thanks for clearing that up.   I guess I tend to think along the lines of the ordinary chicken keeper, not the large commercial operations. Apples and oranges.

Can you please define "ordinary chicken keeper"? How many chickens does your idea of an "ordinary chicken keeper" have? What breeds of chicken does this "ordinary chicken keeper" have? What size coop does this "ordinary chicken keeper" have? IMO it's not a quantitative definition at all, if fact I find it quite arbitrary and for all intents a useless definition...

Thus calling it apples to oranges, is ignoring all the other possible fruits in the world that can also apply, this is called false dichotomy logic...

I'm not some 'large commercial operation' in fact I'm not a commercial operation at all... I'm just an "ordinary chicken keeper" by my own definition... Yet due to my individual variables I heat my coop, and I fully believe it to be the right choice for me... I have yet to see anyone point out a viable and likely negative of me providing supplemental heat that I would consider fully counters the pros of me heating...

When I think of supplemental heat, I think of those who insist on keeping their coops way warmer than the outside, so the chickens have to go from one extreme to the other.

And that is only one possible instance out of many, thus the reason I continue to state that it's not black and white but varies based on that individuals specific variables...

 

[MeepBeep]

I used heat lamps last year and hated it! They would always knock them down. And one lamp that got pulled down burned a hole through the roost! So I really don't want to use them again.

Heat lamps are dangerous, and the number one cause of coop fires, they are a very poor choice for heating a coop and their use alone and the risk associated almost entirely negates any positives...

 

[John Roth]

Because I have a lot of chickens in one spot. Would that help? They usually pack all together.