Cream Legbars

[duluthralphie]

If Ralphie posts, I guess I can. I feel a little bit bad about posting frostbite comb pics.

I also feel bad posting the pictures. It is hard enough to post them after they have healed. I worry someone will think I am neglecting or being cruel to my birds. Anyone that knows me knows I pamper them. But I cannot control mother nature and I surely cannot afford to heat a coop for 8 months a year.

I have my Daddy Rooster from last year, his comb is trimmed and healed. I hope to be able to get a picture of him too, They do not look as bad when its over. On the Minnesota thread we discuss the winter trimming constantly this time of year. We all have and all hate it.

On the Facebook chicken vet corner where only vets are allowed to answer questions a lady posted a photo of a roo with frostbite wattles and every vet had a spaz about how he needed trip to vet to have them trimmed and some antibiotics and laser work
I owe my vet over two grand for a dog who died I can't ask him to let me add on treatment for a chicken which all the vets here view as disposable livestock (and not that I want my bill any larger)
But I was made feel bad because my roo is not going to get vet care

Not meaning to argue with a Vet or Vets, but a rooster that is worth 10 bucks or less is not worth taking to the vet for a $300 bill to have them trimmed. The results will be the same, they comb will be trimmed either by frostbite or a knife.


I have one rooster I am trying to keep the comb good on. He is a Speckled Sussex. I have him inside a pole barn, I have his cage wrapped in insulation with a space at the top on both sides for moisture to escape. I have 2 heating pads lying on top of his cage right over his roost to try and keep the comb dry and a tad warmer. I have no idea if it will work, BUT it is costing a lot to try and keep his comb.

Had I known the Legbars would have lost theirs as soon as they did I would have tried to save them too, (on the show birds, I cannot justify it on breeders and culls.) Next year I hope to have cages off the hatchery that I can bleed some heat into. BUT forcing a rooster to live in a cage for 6-7 months is not a picnic for them either..

 

[ChickenGrass]

If you feel bad about it it's fine if you don't post a picture.
I don't want anybody to thing you neglect your legbars,
I am sure they are very well looked after.
Goodluck,
Fionn.

...

I also feel bad posting the pictures. It is hard enough to post them after they have healed. I worry someone will think I am neglecting or being cruel to my birds. Anyone that knows me knows I pamper them. But I cannot control mother nature and I surely cannot afford to heat a coop for 8 months a year.

I have my Daddy Rooster from last year, his comb is trimmed and healed. I hope to be able to get a picture of him too, They do not look as bad when its over.  On the Minnesota thread we discuss the winter trimming constantly this time of year. We all have and all hate it.


Not meaning to argue with a Vet or Vets, but a rooster that is worth 10 bucks or less is not worth taking to the vet for a $300 bill to have them trimmed.  The results will be the same, they comb will be trimmed either by frostbite or a knife?

 

[sol2go]

My sympathies to everyone who tries so hard to take good care of their stock.
It must be tough just to leave the house in those temps, let alone to know it is critical to get out there and take care of the chickens etc.

 

[duluthralphie]

My sympathies to everyone who tries so hard to take good care of their stock.
It must be tough just to leave the house in those temps, let alone to know it is critical to get out there and take care of the chickens etc.

Thanks, You really do not know how hard it is to dress up like the Pillsbury Dough Boy and go outside in 30 below weather.

I bring three pairs of leather gloves with me. I have a steel 55 gallon barrel I keep full of water all winter. I haul the water on warm days and fill it. I have a stock tank heater in the bottom of it. I dip the waterers into it to fill them or a pitcher depending on which waterer I am filling.


I also have a 5 gallon pot on a camp stove to heat the frozen waterers. I put them in that pot to melt the ice out and rotate waterers on the show birds.

My gloves get wet and cold doing this so I change them, I also have a pair of chopper mittens to warm the fingers. It is not fun.

Cuddles wants his hug every day, but it is so cold when I hug him he wiggles away because the clothing is so cold. Its ok with me, his feathers are as cold as my Carhartts.

 

[daxigait]

Thanks,  You really do not know how hard it is to dress up like the Pillsbury Dough Boy and go outside in 30 below weather.

I bring three pairs of leather gloves with me.  I have a steel 55 gallon barrel I keep full of water all winter. I haul the water on warm days and fill it.  I have a stock tank heater in the bottom of it.  I dip the waterers into it to fill them or a pitcher depending on which waterer I am filling.


I also have a 5 gallon pot on a camp stove to heat the frozen waterers. I put them in that pot to melt the ice out and rotate waterers on the show birds.

My gloves get wet and cold doing this so I change them, I also have a pair of chopper mittens to warm the fingers.  It is not fun.

Cuddles wants his hug every day, but it is so cold when I hug him he wiggles away because the clothing is so cold. Its ok with me, his feathers are as cold as my Carhartts.

You might want to buy a pair of neoprene diver type gloves they are waterproof, but you can still manipulate stuff.

 

[Bantambird]

The second picture is Eli. He decided to roost with the turkeys at -13 on the chicken house roof. The dummy! That was while I was gone out of state, and I can't expect my mom, who is dealing with 6 broken ribs, to climb up there and wrassle him inside.

 

[duluthralphie]

You might want to buy a pair of neoprene diver type gloves they are waterproof, but you can still manipulate stuff.

I have a pair, they just get too cold and are not comfortable. My leather ones just get damp on the finger tips and the rotation works for me, Thanks for the suggestion.

I have those "glove wamers" I use them on chicks when it is cold and a person is only buying a few, but I have not needed those. Choppers are great, I hated them as a kid, I love them as an old man.

 

[HenLeia]

I don't think you should worry about anyone thinking you don't take care of your birds. Thank you for posting the pictures, it's good to know what can happen even if we don't have to deal with such cold temps where we live.

 

[rottlady]

I was just looking at my Roos wattles and comb I'll try to remember to take a pic Ina warmer day I forgot todo it today
It's a balmy 24 today amazing how warm that feels after below zero
I wonder if there is anyway to breed in cold tolerance

 

[Bantambird]

I was just looking at my Roos wattles and comb I'll try to remember to take a pic Ina warmer day I forgot todo it today
It's a balmy 24 today amazing how warm that feels after below zero
I wonder if there is anyway to breed in cold tolerance

Smaller combs/wattles