Chicks Legs Frozen Solid

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Keep a close watch. Is there heat in the garage? I think they can do OK even with nerve damage if they can get around, as long as you can keep predators from them. Do you know how their legs froze in the first place? Is the rest of the flock safe from this fate?
 
micstrachan said:
Keep a close watch. Is there heat in the garage? I think they can do OK even with nerve damage if they can get around, as long as you can keep predators from them. Do you know how their legs froze in the first place? Is the rest of the flock safe from this fate?
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The garage is about 15°C or so. So far, they are thawing okay. I did my best and had them close to a door, then moved them away over time. Warm water.
Their legs froze because for some reason, they weren't roosting, but hunched still, and it is -40°. I had a heat lamp in the coop but they were out of its radius.
They are only eight weeks old. I adjusted my two heat lamps upon finding them, so one is lower (straight down) and the other is focused on the roosts. My other chicks are larger and more active, and in the heat lamp light. My rooster's comb is firm, but not yet frozen solid. I applied vaseline and got him settled under the heat lamp. He is mature as are 4 other hens.
 
Assuming tbey recover from this, if they don’t roost properly, maybe you can provide a nice thick layer of straw to insulate them from underneath? Do they have nice thick bedding in the garage now? Sorry, trying to wrap my head around this, as I am in California. And we rarely get into freezing temps, and if so, only by a couple degrees. I would be worried about them being dependent on heat lamps, in case of power failure. Despite our mild weather, we do have lots of power failures here.
 
micstrachan said:
Assuming tbey recover from this, if they don’t roost properly, maybe you can provide a nice thick layer of straw to insulate them from underneath? Do they have nice thick bedding in the garage now? Sorry, trying to wrap my head around this, as I am in California. And we rarely get into freezing temps, and if so, only by a couple degrees. I would be worried about them being dependent on heat lamps, in case of power failure. Despite our mild weather, we do have lots of power failures here.
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The chicks have thick hay and shavings right now, food, and warm water. No heat lamp.
The birds in the coop have heat lamps at about a moderate height. We are having an intense cold snap so it is necessary, but, I am keeping them high enough that the birds still have to keep themselves warm (huddling up, covering feet on roosts).
We haven't had much for power failures, but if so, they should huddle together.
 
I think they may have a case of frostbite. Had they actually frozen the cells which are near close to 100% water would have burst the membranes and they would have died by now.

I think your concern should be focused on discolored flesh, (dead cells, tissue sloughing and bacterial infection, possibly gangrene).

That is if tissues had actually frozen and its not another issue.
 

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