cold weather affecting combs or something else?

[filmcmahon]

hey everyone! i’m in ontario and the weather is -4 celsius today. my gals are healthy looking and have a heated water and coop (for nighttime). today i noticed my colombian Sunny’s comb is a little dry-looking? it’s white-ish and i can’t tell if it really looks that much different from september but i thought i should ask. first pic is late september and the second is today. is this a concern?

 

[ValerieJ]

Looks like the result of the cold weather to me. You can rub vaseline on it to protect it if you want.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi there.

She looks fine. Sometimes my birds get dry looking combs. They use stuff to shine them up for showing. Some folks in cold climates use vaseline to protect combs in cold weather... though I cannot remember the efficacy, as I did research this suggestion... said to have a lower freezing point or something to that effect.

Honestly night time heat inside a coop can make for harder daytime adjustment, essentially keeping them un-acclimated. Chickens are wearing down coats that cover their feet when roosting and they tuck their heads in to keep combs warm. Most important for super cold nights is good ventilation that doesn't allow moisture to settle on combs and subsequently cause frost bite. Noting that the birds themselves are exhaling lots of moisture every time they breath.

She looks cute and sassy... I just love Rocks.

@Folly's place are you in a super cold environment or am I remembering incorrectly? To me -4 celcius (or 24.8 F), really isn't very cold at all... but I'm sure it will be getting colder in the OP's location. TIA!

 

[Folly's place]

Here in southern Michigan, it can go below 0F sometimes. Last winter I think it hit -12F or so a few times. -20F is certainly possible too.
Roosters tend to roost with their heads exposed, and the big combs can get frostbitten in good housing. Occasionally one of my Belgian d'Uccle roosters will have his comb tips 'burned', and otherwise I prefer to avoid roosters with single combs and large wattles.
Very rarely a songle combed hen might have comb tips lost, but I really don't remember having one like that for a long time.
Mary