Emergency for Dave the Rooster (Frosbite)

[lmdengler]

Good Morning All -

In Upstate NY we are having a frigid windy below zero (wind chill) weather. Dave the Rooster (Coronation Sussex) has a very high comb and very long waddle and he's a really large fella. Late last week he started getting a little frostbite. This morning - it was super bad. He is the only chicken experiencing it this bad. I brought him into the garage. Should I move him later today to the basement? What can I do for him?

The coop is well ventilated - I keep tabs on the humidity with a hygrometer and it's close to being the same as the "outside". There are no drafts. Vents are along the soffit and my husband drilled 6 holes at the peak (recommendation by BYC post) It is a steady 4 to 8 degrees warmer in the coop than outside and the humidity is typically 60-71%. There is a window about 4 feet up next to the door which I have kept open about 3 inches. No draft comes in because the wind typically doesn't blow that direction where we are and where the coop is placed.

Typically, their water is outside, but I did bring water and food inside because of the wind yesterday. No one would go out.

What can I do for Dave and what about the rest of the flock? He is up and walking and when I brought him inside - he was happily crowing. I put food and water in his cage. They all get water with vitamins/electrolytes and ACV. I added VetRx to his water.
Lisa

 

[rabiee]

I am experiencing the same problem right now, we are well below zero in the double digits. Mine have a covered run and I water them outside, but the roosters still have some significant frostbite. You can try putting petroleum jelly on their wattles and combs, but you have to do it daily. I've given up as I think they are too far gone and will fall off soon.

 

[lmdengler]

We are at -14 with windchill. -6 without. Yesterday it was much worse. My run is covered - but the snow is blowing in. I am going to put up some walls out the outside to at least block the drifts.

 

[rabiee]

We are at -14 with windchill. -6 without. Yesterday it was much worse. My run is covered - but the snow is blowing in. I am going to put up some walls out the outside to at least block the drifts.

I put plastic greenhouse roofing material up, and am so glad I did, otherwise it would be full of snow. Yesterday the high was -16f with -30f wind chills. I had their heat lamp on all day and night but I don't know if it made that much of a difference.

 

[lmdengler]

I did a heat lamp last year and lost 6 chickies to Teflon poisoning. Everything I read said no heat lamp/no external heat because they will freeze if it "goes out". Of course now I have extreme frostbite.

 

[lmdengler]

Where in upstate NY are you? I am south of Albany.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have a rooster who is about 4 months old that got frost bite on his feet. I did have him in a heated pen, then when I tried to blend him with the flock, he got bullied into sleeping outside. He is feeling better, I have him in a separate area, with food and water, I see him once a day, he seems lonely, and first time jumped on me today, just for attention, I ignored it, I don't push with a foot, that makes it worse. (his name is Longfellow Deeds, he is a EE/BCM but looks like BCM but that comb....)