Vaseline on chickens?

[Farmergyrl23]

This is our first year keeping chickens in the winter. We have enclosed their coop so no drafts can get in, but left openings in the top for ventilation. They have a dry layer of sawdust and hay in the bottom and also have a wooden roost. I've read that in cold weather you can put vaseline on your chickens combs and wattles to help prevent frostbite. My question is how often if at all should I do this? We live in Northeast Pa and we are reaching the coldest temps we've had so far. Our nights are averaging around 20 degrees. I just want to make sure that my chickens are going to be okay and would hate to see them get frostbite. Thank you!

 

[attimus]

This thread certainly got off topic fast. Maybe we could get back on track. Knowing whether this is helpful or not in cold weather is useful information for many chicken owners. Perhaps another thread could be started about carcinogens and chickens. Food for thought.

Attimus

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Well, in the past few years my 4 girls have come through some days of sub freezing weather without permanent comb damage. Every once in a while, you'll find black spots or areas, but they heal up fine by themselves.

I have wanted to put Vaseline or A&D Ointment on their combs to make them more comfortable, but I would like to meet the genius who can get a chicken to keep still long enough for you to mess with their heads... They are strong and squirmy and I think I'd get more Vaseline on myself than the bird's comb.

 

[MeepBeep]

This thread certainly got off topic fast. Maybe we could get back on track. Knowing whether this is helpful or not in cold weather is useful information for many chicken owners.

At the very most it's a minimal bandaid fix to a bigger problem... It only has a marginal effect on human skin in the cold and the reason it has that effect is that we sweat and it helps prevent some evaporation, chickens don't sweat so that effect is nil... What it might help with is providing a very marginal barrier for water drops that might land on the exposed skin... But, if you have water drops forming you have bigger issues that need adressing... It also might provide some minute insulation value and possibly shed melted snow that lands on the skin... At the end of the day it likely won't hurt anything but I doubt it has much quantitative benefit at the end of the day...

Remember if you use it on the chickens and they don't get frostbite, correlation does not necessary equal causation...

 

[Tracydr]

Quote:
Do it at night when they are on the roost. It's actually very easy, even with the fairly wild ones.

 

[Beekissed]

Yep. All things die. It's only those afraid to die that worry about it so much that they ruin the joy of actually living. Vaseline has been smeared on the butts of millions of babies, millions of elderly, millions of rough elbows and knees for many, many years....I doubt putting it on a chicken's comb once a year is going to bring on cancer for the bird nor the human.

It's like gagging on a gnat and swallowing a mule to imagine that Vaseline on a chicken will be the likely cause of your death by cancer. Especially in the world in which we currently live.

But, for those who might think this is a fearful prospect, you can do without Vaseline or any other moisture barrier if you have better ventilation in your coop. If you simply must put a moisture barrier on a chicken's comb to feel like you are doing something for them, castor oil would be a better and more long lasting choice and also has a triple purpose action.

Easily done if you go out to your coop at night, cradle the chicken in one arm like a football, apply the ointment with the other hand. It's just a chicken, not a tiger. Most actually like the comb massage and will close their eyes and hold still for it.

 

[MeepBeep]

My experience beats your opinion, as it provides evidence rather than speculation

Can you share the PPM of ammonia build up in your refrigerator and the humidity levels, over the course of a week?

If not what you have is unsupported non-quantitative anecdotal claims not evidence...

Chickens aren't going to pile in and somehow stay there and suffocate, which would not be possible given the dispersion of gas through the entrance alone, let alone the thermosiphoning of gas due to the chickens body heat.

Actually yes chickens might pile into an area and suffocate, especially if they are at roost and the air quality depreciates at night when they are inactive and roosting... But, we are not talking about suffocation here, as there is a much greater risk of poor air quality due to ammonia build up and humidity build up that can be detrimental to the chickens health... And in that regard they will in fact readily pile into a poorly ventilated coop that contains high levels of ammonia and high humidity levels...

Your own picture shows very poor airflow and it likely exaggerated in regards to the exchange volume of air... If you took some tracer smoke and held it at that single vent hold and observed the airflow in real time it would be clear as day how poor the ventilation is and you observed that tracer smoke at the opposed end of the coop I suspect it would be hardly moving at all..

When you are talking about passive ventilation, high and low vents at opposite ends creating a natural cross siphon effect is ideal and provides superior ventilation...

 

[maggiec1951]

I live in West Central Florida, so don't have to worry about frostbite, but just from experience, I think it may be easier to try painting the Australorp's toenails than to put vaseline on their combs.

Just my opinion.

 

[blucoondawg]

I'm pretty sure Copenhagen and various forms of alcohol will get me before Vaseline.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

I think your taking what bantamboy said alittle to far there. Everything has a chance to cause cancer you can either live in fear of dieing or Trust what God has planned for you. My dad was told he would be dead hy the age of 30 by doctors and he is now 55 going on 56 doctors and scientific studies dont know everything. Enjoy your chickens and try not to worry the worst thing for them is moister and wind chill keep those down and frost bite is unlikely.