Chicken newbie with rooster - comb frostbite

[Copperboom]

I found my handsome sweet Orpington buddy looking like this last night when I went to lock up the coop. I freaked out and brought him in, because it looks to me like how frostbite starts on human fingers, first purple then white. I thought it might warm up if I caught it in time. Will normal color come back? It looks the same this morning. I have my prefab coop inside a non heated barn (and no electricity) and then with plastic on one side to block drafts, ventilation is no problem. Its been below 0*F and will be for about a week. I noticed his wattles getting burned so I changed to a smaller waterer last week. But now this, I feel so bad. What should I do? I'm not beyond sewing him a comb and wattle cover....or keeping him in until its so least into the single digits above 0*F. He and his two girls wander during the day so they probably got some exposure. The water froze up solid so they probably only had water in the morning but would not having water for half a day cause frostbite like this? I have read that some people put petroleum on the combs and wattles and I've wondered about a wax like Mushers Secret but I worry with it being this cold that will just do more damage. What should I do?

 

[HenHouse4Life]

I use vaseline or bag balm and gently rub it onto my boys combs

 

[staceyj]

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/frostbite

 

[Eggcessive]

You may not know for a few days or weeks how much damage was done to the frostbitten areas on comb and wattles. In time if the damage is permanent, the comb tips and the wattles will be more rounded off. This is always an upsetting part about having roosters or hens with large combs, and hard to prevent with temps around zero F. I would not rub or massage the comb, or do anything to it. He will more than likely be fine, next year with a little less comb. The best way to prevent frostbite is to keep humidity low as possible with good overhead ventilation high in the coop from one end to the other to allow mositure to escape. But it still can happen with those temps.

 

[21hens-incharge]

You have been given good advice above.

I will add that birds should have a good amount of clearance above them so humidity isn't at head level.

Prefab coops don't tend to allow good ventilation or head space.

In my coop the low side gives 2+ feet above roosting bird head height and the tallest point is 5' above heads.

 

[HenHouse4Life]

The vaseline/bag balm is a preventative against frostbite. Using it before any damage is done helps prevent frostbite

 

[HenHouse4Life]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/prevent-and-treat