Cream Legbars

[Bantambird]

While I was traveling to San Jose for a funeral, it dipped to -13° at home while my mom was watching my birds. She didn't take any extra measures to prevent comb damage, and I think every single cream and golden crele male has frostbite. Poor Eli is going to be fully dubbed, it seems, as he was stupid enough to roost on the roof with the turkeys the night it got coldest, the turd. Luckily, I know that all my males already have decent combs, genetically, so with the possibility of showing them now out of the picture, I can further narrow my picks to two males per line, I think, as I'm still over by about 3 cockerels. Even Jake, my 3 almost 4 year old boss alpha male, finally took frost damage first time this year. I'm pretty disappointed.

 

[duluthralphie]

While I was traveling to San Jose for a funeral, it dipped to -13° at home while my mom was watching my birds. She didn't take any extra measures to prevent comb damage, and I think every single cream and golden crele male has frostbite. Poor Eli is going to be fully dubbed, it seems, as he was stupid enough to roost on the roof with the turkeys the night it got coldest, the turd. Luckily, I know that all my males already have decent combs, genetically, so with the possibility of showing them now out of the picture, I can further narrow my picks to two males per line, I think, as I'm still over by about 3 cockerels. Even Jake, my 3 almost 4 year old boss alpha male, finally took frost damage first time this year. I'm pretty disappointed.

The legbars seem to get winter trimmed first for me. I will never have a legbar rooster to show. I only had one show bird that was holding his comb. But he lost it yesterday. I tried greasing the combs up an with bag Balm and still lost the legbar combs two week ago. Yesterday the Speckled Sussex lost his tips.


I think those of us on the northern tier should just be resigned to showing cockerels...




However, I am trying to figure out how to sneak a rooster or two into my heated hatchery for the cold nights, without jeopardizing my NPIP status......

 

[duluthralphie]

I never thought about the comb dipping in the water...
We just have cold fog, but the condensation is turning the tips of some CL combs purple, thankfully not to the degree you are experiencing.

Wishing everyone cozy holidays!

It is not just the dipping as you say, just the cold can do it. I use waterers with a very small opening they can barely get their beaks in o keep the combs dry and still lose them.

 

[rottlady]

Why would putting your Roos in the hatchery endanger your npip status? Here once you are certified all your birds can mingle
Only time you can't is if you buy in from non npip and then you must quarantine in acceptable bio security fashion for xx time and then have birds tested

The legbars seem to get winter trimmed first for me.  I will never have a legbar rooster to show.  I only had one show bird that was holding his comb.  But he lost it yesterday.  I tried greasing the combs up an with bag Balm and still lost the legbar combs two week ago.  Yesterday the Speckled Sussex lost his tips.


I think those of us on the northern tier should just be resigned to showing cockerels...




However, I am trying to figure out how to sneak a rooster or two into my heated hatchery for the cold nights, without jeopardizing my NPIP status......

 

[duluthralphie]

You cannot have adult birds with the chicks or in the hatchery area for some reason. Mine is not to question, mine is to but do.

I have no idea why? If they are all tested and clean what would the adults give the babies or the other way around?



It could be a quirk of the state here or something the individual inspector wants.

 

[Sylvester017]

While I was traveling to San Jose for a funeral, it dipped to -13° at home while my mom was watching my birds. She didn't take any extra measures to prevent comb damage, and I think every single cream and golden crele male has frostbite. Poor Eli is going to be fully dubbed, it seems, as he was stupid enough to roost on the roof with the turkeys the night it got coldest, the turd. Luckily, I know that all my males already have decent combs, genetically, so with the possibility of showing them now out of the picture, I can further narrow my picks to two males per line, I think, as I'm still over by about 3 cockerels. Even Jake, my 3 almost 4 year old boss alpha male, finally took frost damage first time this year. I'm pretty disappointed.

So sorry about the roos' comb damage! I had a very floppy-combed Leghorn hen whose comb tips got a bit purplish even in our mild SoCal climate. What I had never thought of before (mentioned on the Welsummer thread) is that when birds drink from bowl water their combs dip into the water and freezes. Same with nipple valve waterers that dribble onto wattles and freeze them too. Your beautiful boys! It is so sad to see damage that can't be reversed! This year has been brutal for weather extremes -- in our case it's been a long brutal heatwave summer in which I've lost 2 hens to heat-related immunity compromised!

 

[rottlady]

-15 F here this am and My poor Cream Legbar rooster's comb and wattles are frozen solid so he'll be losing them
Everyone else seems fine even the Barnevelder roo ,just Mr monster comb and wattles with a problem

 

[ChickenGrass]

I hope he will be fine
and I hope that you are ok
I am happy that here in Ireland we don't get very cold winters.
1 day it could be 10 degrees and the next day it could be -6 degrees but nothing
As cold as in America/Canada
I hope everyone and their fowl are doing good.
Fionn.

 

[duluthralphie]

I hope he will be fine
and I hope that you are ok

I am happy that here in Ireland we don't get very cold winters.
1 day it could be 10 degrees and the next day it could be -6 degrees but nothing
As cold as in America/Canada
I hope everyone and their fowl are doing good.
Fionn.

Are you talking Centigrade?


-6 C is a lot different than our -6f.......Today is one of those days for me, I hope everyone comes through alive, intact would be a bonus, and will not happen -24f here tonight with a foot or more of snow.

 

[ChickenGrass]

It's Centigrade
If it was Fahrenheit I would be on holidays somewhere Warm,
Like Australia.
Fionn.