Combs look horrible, black - but it's not frostbite

[vermontgal]

My gals' combs are looking horrible. They are nearly all black.

I realized that this is because I have been putting vaseline on the combs, and then I gave them a bin full of woodstove ashes to dust bathe in.

 

[william9792]

i do not see how this will hurt them it will rub off i think in time

 

[Splash_Guard]

Thanks for the post, I'll have to learn about dust bathing in wood ash as I've not heard of that. Fireplace ashes, right? Hummmmmm. Anyway, before I go into hours of searching, any information on this dust bathing in wood ashes?

 

[BJ]

You should be happy that it is just not frostbite! A little dirt won't hurt 'em!

 

[crazyhen]

Do you use straight wood ashes? They are very alkaline . I would mix with sand. grass will not even grow where you put them until the rain washes some of the stength away. Jean

 

[vermontgal]

Mixed with sand, yes. The ashes are out of there now, because they were also eating them, and I was worried about too much dust. The combs were scary looking until I realized what it was. I've been worried about frostbite all winter, and it was -30F last week.

 

[waynesgarden]

Jeeze, why don't you just tar and feather them?

Wayne

 

[vermontgal]

I had a similar scare when they were pooping bright red/pink as chicks. Then I realized my dad had been giving them beet peelings.

Wayne, they did this treatment to themselves.... but I think people do put tar on chickens, and they are already feathered.

 

[americana-chick]

they should be fine, just give them time