Can an old foot injury make your chicken more prone to frost bite? (Photos)

[Bogtown Chick]

-33 F at 7:30 this am according to my weather.com app. The coop was -10 at roost level with a heat lamp. My birdies cautious and shivery up on their roost. Roger's bandage was still intact. Tonight I might do a spot treat as the weather will be still sub zero. I don't want him in any sort of a bath (wet) and then taking him into sub zero temps. We'll soak his toes when weather is a bit more friendly.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Thank you CowCreekGeek for the aspirin information. I think it's made a difference in Roger. I have no idea about his pain of course, but if it does help with pain, which then reduces some overall stress, this should help his body focus on healing. Physiologically I do wonder about the anticoagulant affect as I did see more drainage on bandage after it was started and also I wonder about overall anti-inflammatory response. At any rate. Roger is improving.

So much is not studied with Chickens, but perhaps that will change as their popularity builds and people perhaps demand more care and consideration for them. Or maybe not, too. It would be nice though.

 

[shell3]

great to hear rogers doing well, shame about the weather it is a nuisense isnt it! but youve got your head screwed on, good thinking about not getting him wet!
guess they will be in for a couple of days now, but sure they wont mind at all with a lovely mummy bringing lovely treats to keep them happy and entertained! i do love that pic of him in the sink with his treats in a baby bowl, what a spoiled little boy lol . he certainly looks the picture of health if your not seeing the toe, i think if the combs good and he is in high spirits he must be feeling pretty good in himself. his probly not half as worried about it as us lol.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I got home from work this evening and checked on the chickens. Put clean poop boards in place for roosting. Check Roger.

I despise this weather. I despise this cold. I despise that my beautiful New Hampshire Rooster has to tolerate this cold. -33 is not friendly weather for non insulated coops. I despise that despite all my research and questioning of wintering birds that my own "green-horn-ness is probably to blame for this."--I admit I am learning. But I'm not sure what I could have done to prevent this other than full on heat and insulation.

On his wattles this evening was approximately an 1/16 inch of ice. Almost completely covering them. What the Heck?! All I can figure is that while drinking they drug in the water and the air was so cold (despite a heat lamp) that the water that dripped on his wattles froze immediately. Needless to say I decided to do the full foot soak and thawing of his wattles and his comb was hit further down as well. I brought the dog kennel in and started to do cold water on a rag but had to run out for 1 1/2 hour errand. Thought I would just let the ice thaw slowly on its own. When I returned home Roger was on the couch watching TV. lol ....and ....






his wattles look like they have elephantitis now. Swollen to high heaven and black. In his eyes I can tell he doesn't feel well. Beak slightly open, whether from the swelling or from being to warm in the house. He'll be there until that swelling goes down and I get a handle on all this frost bite. I'm just sick. His wrapped toe is looking amazing I have to say but overall this wattle thing is a set back for him.

Other chickens fairing well. No other problems. Bantam Rooster having no problems with his wattle and combs. Big tootsie just has issues, I guess. crap crap crap. More maintenance. I'll have to tell the Chicagoans that there will be one more sitting up for supper and breakfast this weekend.

Wonderful. now they have something to tell their friends about their weekend for sure!

 

[shell3]

Oh no! what a thing to happen dont you dare blame yourself,its not your fault, you do eveything possible for your birds and sometimes you just have to accept that s**t happens. i feel the same so i know what you mean, our first thought is 'what did i do wrong' but i try to look at it like this, if it was something you did, or didnt do, they would all have the same. poor roger is just for some reason more suseptable.
Your doing what you can and he looks pretty cosy tucked up in a blanket on the sofa watching tv, you are doing everything you can, keep him warm and watch him closely. your certainly having a lot of dreadful weather to contend with!! i can imagine how your feeling, its so disheartening and exhausting but we must just do our best, its all we have.
ill be sending him warm and healing thoughts

good news about the toe though, glad its improving , hope your weather warms up very soon xxx

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Thank you Shell for your reassurances and kindness towards us and our chooks.

Early this morning at 4:30 he started crowing in the kennel in the kitchen. My husband was not so understanding...LOL. and I have to admit I do enjoy my sleep. DH said "Take him out or he's a 'Game Day Bucket' " (Fried Chicken for Super Bowl Sunday)---LOL So i took him out and put him on the roost. He's more comfortable out there anyways with his girlies.

Today was ice bocce and it was great fun. Our company loved it and had a great time. I did break away though and went home to feed Roger some left over oatmeal and try to get him to drink as his wattles are so swollen he has difficulty beaking any food and I question if he's getting water down. During the break too the temps had come up enough to let them out into the Run. It was -18 this AM so all stayed in until I got back. It was then about 10 degrees this afternoon during my 'breakaway'. After we all got home again, this evening I pulled him off the roost and my daughter fed him a scrambled egg that froze and cracked today. and More oat meal. He didn't take any water like he had done last night. So maybe he got some water out at the coop today.

His wattles and comb were less dusky by this afternoon but the swelling remains a concern. After company leave I'll get photos of toe. Not sure if he's going to lose the toenail. as that looks pale in color along with first ulcerated knuckle. It appears almost like a "jamming injury" more and more. And maybe not old.

 

[choptank330]

I just read the whole post and poor roger !! I really hope he gets better for you and him both

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Awww, Thanks! Choptank. Welcome to my Rog Saga. I appreciate your well wishes and plan on getting more toe pics after company leaves tomorrow. I'm probably too involved with this bird, but my kids expect me to do this and I guess as a human being in charge of him I know that I have an obligation to do my best for him. Since he takes care of my layers so well for me. We do adore him.

 

[choptank330]

I dont blame you at all!! I would be doing the same as you. My coop caught on fire last Sunday due to a faulty heat lamp and i was doing everything i could to save my babies. Bathing them syringe feeding/watering them. So you have to do for them what they can't do for themselves !

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Oh my God. Well I guess my worries are really nothing compared to that. oh man. Prayers to you and your chooks. Holy cow. I've got my heat lamp secured at two different points and out of fluttering wing's reach, and shut it off when temps allow. But every morning I say a small prayer of thanks when i see the coop still in tact and not a smoking charred mess. The heat lamps scare the crap ola out of me...for that very reason. Oh man. God bless....