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!

 

[lazy gardener]

The whole argument about providing winter heat bears consideration on both sides of the fence. Chickens do well in cool temps, even in cold temps. And it's my opinion that more chickens die from issues related to excess heat than do from excess cold. That being said, there are extremes of cold that do need to be looked at. Many BYC flocks are in small coops that do not allow enough head room for good ventilation. The chickens are roosting on a narrow perch that does not allow them to be flat footed so they can cover their toes with their belly feathers. Their heads and combs are very close to the wall or ceiling where the moisture from their breath condenses and freezes on every near by surface, including their combs and wattles. The common argument goes that chickens have been surviving very well for hundreds of years without extra heat. So, why should they need it now? Hundreds of years ago, most flocks were kept in a barn with the rest of the livestock. Perhaps cows,a few horses, sheep or goats. And there was a hay mow full of hay. A hay mow produces lots of heat all by it self. Not to mention those large 4 footed beasts. There was plenty of opportunity for the chickens to bed down in a deep layer of hay, and soak up some heat from the larger animals.

IMO, the decision to provide heat needs to be based on common sense. When the temp goes below 0* F for days on end. When the water won't stay thawed for more than a couple of hours at a time. When the bedding freezes into a solid block, when poopsicles pile up on the bedding in frozen stalagmites and those poop bedding piles get to be almost 2' deep. When the perch is covered with a solid chunk of frozen poop. When the eggs freeze and crack, even if you go out to gather them every 2 hours. When the chickens become lethargic, their combs and wattles are bloody from frequent freeze/thaw issues, and most importantly, when they are eating less feed instead of more feed. That's an indication that they are NOT doing JUST FINE without extra heat. Common sense needs to be the rule when deciding when or how much heat to provide. IMO, I will provide a bit of heat when the chickens become lethargic and their appetite becomes depressed. It doesn't take much. Last winter, they had some supplemental heat in the form of a heat lamp for several weeks. The previous winter, when they were in a much smaller coop, I gave them a flower pot heater. Common sense must rule here as well. In both instances, the extra heat took off a bit of chill. Perhaps bringing the day time temp up to 10*, 20* if it was sunny. Besides supplemental heat, what can we do to make the coop more comfortable when the mercury drops below 0*F for days on end? Extra hay/straw. And most importantly: plenty of natural light. The days are coldest when they are dry and sunny. Good solar gain will help immensely. I also like to keep my green house available for the chickens during the winter. I fill it full of leaves, and they make daily pilgrimages to the green house for dust bathing and scratching through the leaves. There are lots of heat options. Heat plus flying, jumping animals, plus lots of dry dust/dander/feathers/ chaff floating through the air is a recipe for disaster. Take a moment to dust off your heat lamp or other heating element every day. Check the electrical connection. And secure it in place, in a way that it can't be bumped out of position to contact a flammable surface with 3 different methods.

Finally, know your climate and breed options. Birds with small combs and wattles do better in cold climates. Birds with pendulous combs and wattles (Think leghorn!!!) are designed for warmer climates. And, IMO, feather footed birds don't belong in our cold climates where their foot feathers can get caked with frozen mud and ice balls. Of course, YMMV, and I'm sure I'll hear from lots of folks who say their feather footed friends do just great in the frozen tundra.

 

[Folly's place]

Everyone has good comments here. Ventilation, light, low humidity, and good food. Also, pick breeds that thrive in your climate! Some frostbite on the tips of large combs isn't the end of the world, but birds with small combs won't have that happen. Dry bedding and a dry coop is most important. I live in Michigan and don't keep Seramas, Silkies, or Leghorn type breeds. It's much easier to work with things rather than making it more difficult. In the deep South, I wouldn't have Chanteclers, but they are great here. Mary

 

[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...