A little break from the bitter cold

[Marie2020]

I may have spoke too soon about them not having frostbite. Now that I’m getting close up pictures it does appear that some have a touch of frostbite.
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You can see her tongue
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I rub olive oil into my girls legs wattles and ears .

 

[My2butterflies]

I rub olive oil into my girls legs wattles and ears .

I’ve heard of people putting stuff on them to avoid frostbite, but does it really work?
I can’t wrap my head around making their skin moist to avoid frostbite. It seems like it would make it so much worse.

 

[Marie2020]

I’ve heard of people putting stuff on them to avoid frostbite, but does it really work?
I can’t wrap my head around making their skin moist to avoid frostbite. It seems like it would make it so much worse.

No, it really helps, it's not wet because it's an oil. People have used this when the put rubber suits on the swim. It also stops mite from latching onto to them, it suffocate a lot of nasties. . Go try it, it really look lovely as well. My old mom, used it on me as a child to ward off the cold and moisturized her face with it.

 

[My2butterflies]

No, it really helps, it's not wet because it's an oil. People have used this when the put rubber suits on the swim. It also stops mite from latching onto to them, it suffocate a lot of nasties. . Go try it, it really look lovely as well. My old mom, used it on me as a child to ward off the cold and moisturized her face with it.

Maybe I’ll give that a try this next winter then.

 

[Sydney65]

Maybe I’ll give that a try this next winter then.

Vasoline, oil - moisture barriers. That's why skiers use vasoline or zinc creams. It's not a sure fire guarantee but it helps. I like to use coconut oil on their heads & feet. Easier way to clean them & provides the barrier.

 

[My2butterflies]

It will be great if it works. I feel so bad for my chicken rooster. He got it the worst. He just had one tip fall off the other day

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

It will be great if it works. I feel so bad for my chicken rooster. He got it the worst. He just had one tip fall off the other day

Mine are just awful! Waiting for the shrivels bits to fall off. I’ve read too many posts from people who feel that Vaseline made the frostbite more likely to want to try that. None of it makes any medical sense to me anyway. Frostbite should be a simple matter of whether tissues get cold enough to freeze and /or disrupt blood flow for a perfusion/repurfusion injury with necrosis resulting from damaged tissues. Since the comb tissue, like any body tissue, is filled with water, I don't understand why “locking” moisture in or out, even if possible using waxes or oils, is going to change whether an appendage freezes or not or gets cold enough for blood disruption.

 

[R2elk]

Mine are just awful! Waiting for the shrivels bits to fall off. I’ve read too many posts from people who feel that Vaseline made the frostbite more likely to want to try that. None of it makes any medical sense to me anyway. Frostbite should be a simple matter of whether tissues get cold enough to freeze and /or disrupt blood flow for a perfusion/repurfusion injury with necrosis resulting from damaged tissues. Since the comb tissue, like any body tissue, is filled with water, I don't understand why “locking” moisture in or out, even if possible using waxes or oils, is going to change whether an appendage freezes or not or gets cold enough for blood disruption.

My cockerel with the huge single comb did not suffer any comb damage this winter.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

My cockerel with the huge single comb did not suffer any comb damage this winter.

Yeah, I removed you saying that snd im still puzzling over it. We have several leghorn hens that also have large come that weren’t damaged. All I can think of that would protect a larger comb are: 1) high blood perfusion of the comb, so that warmed blood is always present and keeps the tissue from freezing and blood flow intact, and 2) how often birds tuck their comb under their wings to warm them back up. Is your rooster a wing tucker?

 

[R2elk]

Yeah, I remember you saying that and I'm still puzzling over it. We have several leghorn hens that also have large come that weren’t damaged. All I can think of that would protect a larger comb are: 1) high blood perfusion of the comb, so that warmed blood is always present and keeps the tissue from freezing and blood flow intact, and 2) how often birds tuck their comb under their wings to warm them back up. Is your rooster a wing tucker?

Nope, he is not a wing tucker. My understanding is that good ventilation is the key and I am sure that my coop having low humidity does help.