That's what I thought - it was more for show and attraction of the opposite sex. I was questioning it after reading the same thing about body heat regulation in several books.
If you trim their wattles & combs, are they going to grow back to their normal shape? or stay the way you cut them?
I know we have read about putting vaseline on the wattles & combs & some say it works & other say it doesn't......I did read an article not to long ago about vaseline & wattles/combs & the gal said the trick to putting vaseline on those parts was to massage it in....really work it into those parts. That makes the difference. She said it worked for her.
If you trim the comb, wattles, or earlobes, they will not grow back. Vaseline may help some, some people swear by it, but in extreme cold, dubbing or a heated coop is the only way to insure no frostbite problems in my opinion, especially for straight combed fowl. Don't forget the hens either, because straight combed hens can have the same problem.