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Dubbing Combs/Wattles/Lobes?

Discussion in 'Managing Your Flock' started by chick chicks, Feb 22, 2013.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Feb 22, 2013 #1
    chick chicks

    chick chicks Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Jun 10, 2012
    Vancouver Island
    Is there a certain temperature for you need to dub a chickens comb/wattle/lobes? I live on the west coast of Canada so temperatures don't usually get super cold during the winter (doesnt usually get below 0 degrees celcius and if so not for very long) do I need to dub them?
     
  3. Feb 22, 2013 #2
    ChickenCanoe

    ChickenCanoe Chicken Obsessed

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    Nov 23, 2010
    St. Louis, MO
    No.
    I'm in St. Louis Mo and it gets to -25C and humid. I've never had hens get frostbitten combs down to -15C, even my Mediterranean breeds.
    Roosters are a different story. My big combed roos get frostbitten below -5C, especially when it's really humid.
     
  5. Feb 22, 2013 #3
    SD Bird Lady

    SD Bird Lady Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Nov 9, 2012
    south central south dakota
    I always feel that dubbing is painful and so is frost bite so which is really the lesser evil? I live in South Dakota, US. It gets to -15F many nights (sorry dont have the conversion for that) in the winter and have never had a hen get frostbite but my roo is Brahma and have small pea comb so I cannot say how a breed with a larger comb would be affected.
     

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