Frost Bite

[TerrasCritters]

After another post recently about a possable frost bite, it reminded me to get some advice here also.

Ok so last week one of my silkie roo's when I let them out in the AM his comb looked darker then normal. Now it didnt get near as cold as it did at my friends house with SNOW so I wouldnt think it would of been frost bite, But maybe this roo is not as stong as hers?

Anyway his comb looked darker and had a waxy weird feeling to it, while his waddles also looked darker, like blackish and some bright red coloring, the waddles were swollen.

So I called my friend to have her remind me what to do to prevent frost bite, those days everything was freezing, I had to soad the water bottles in hot water to melt them so some of the birds with the bottles could drink and I had to break the ice in my ducks pool a could times last week.

She told me Vaseline, which I now remember, so I got a jar of it, came home and rubbed it into there combs and waddles while they were in there beds.

My black silkie right away dumped his head into the shavings looked up at me with shavings stuck to his face LOL

The next AM when i got out there, man all my roos heads are so DIRTY, I put it on ALL of my roos combs.

A couple will get a bath tomorrow, as I need them looking good for the show lol and its not FREEZING here anymore.

Someone else told me they simply use, Chap Stick! WOW much cleaner I am sure! But the silkies combs are not straight so I had to get it all in the cracks etc.

Do I need to goop it on there combs? Or will just a little work? Anyone have pictures of what theyre look like or how you put the stuff on?

They all huddle together in there house so I wouldnt of thought it could happen but I know that the roosters dont tuck there heads, well normally, I am sure someone has an odd rooster LOL

Thanks

 

[bunch-a-chickens]

well, i would goop it on, but i don't have to clean them!

 

[chicksnducks]

Don't they have a heater??

 

[TerrasCritters]

Wow...
No They dont have a heater, if they did I wouldnt have this issue....

I gave 2 of the roos a bath tonight, as they are going to the show next weekend to be sold, (I hope).

The Vaseline got into there feathers and then they dust bathed and it just made a messy oily mess in the feathers.

I am going to try the Chap Stick method.


Thanks anyways for the help

 

[bigzio]

Wow, awful early in the cold season to be having frostbite problems already. Please keep in mind that a draft free coop that keeps the flock warm and dry, should not have frostbite problems.

Do you have frozen water, and a flock with nothing to drink also?

Dry, housing free from drafts will keep your flock healthy and happy.

bigzio

 

[TerrasCritters]

My flock is defenatly happy and healthy!

My coop however is not free of drafts, they have there houses to go into out of the wind coop is 8 feet tall with most of the back half covered and have a roof.

Anyway, not sure where yall are from but weve got snow frost and ice out here in WA! And I know of a few other places down south that are expecting some pretty cold weather, man I spoke to this am was milking cows at 6 degrees outside!

All I asked was advice for PREVENTING frostbite such as what to put on the combs etc, something less messy and what other use!

My birds have been fine in my coop for years, this year seems to be a bit cooler this winter and I want to be sure I can keep them all safe so it doesnt happen, I have never had it happen or seen it in person before.

I have my answers I will get now.

 

[silkiechicken]

Really? A frost bit silkie comb? If it really did get frost bit... it would eventually die, scab over, and fall off. Maybe it did get nipped though, but all I've heard of frost bite were on single combs like mr leghorn here. This guy would suffer no matter how much goop you had on him...

Weather is chilly too! Cold front is in and it was like in the 20's where my chickens were sleeping and they chose to be outside again! Chance of snow this weekend here at least.

 

[lexustami]

Quote:
Must be Global Cooling!

Take care,

Tami

 

[TerrasCritters]

I am not sure the issue, these combs may just of changed over night, it wasnt real bad and the swelling, or what i thought was swelling was over with later that evening when I looked. I dont think it was frost bite now. But was hoping for ideas of what to put on to help prevent the frost bite.
I hope its clear now to everyone, was just looking for ideas!

Wow on that comb!

I partly want snow, but then I dont.
Mr Steve was calling for it Saturday, I know parts of Snohomish got it earlier.
We shall see...

 

[Princessferf]

Its been getting very cold here, down into the teens at night and very windy. Our coop has a few drafts, but not too bad. I added an extra bale of straw into the coop, which they seemed to like. We have a heat lamp in their coop and their water doesn't freeze over since we have a heat base made just for that purpose.

We have Rhode Island Reds, which we selected due to their ability to fare well in colder temperatures.

The temp in the coop this evening was 20. I do worry about them and we'll be working this weekend to seal up a couple of spots where drafts are coming in. My husband says I worry about them too much, but in Wisconsin it can get real cold and I don't want the ladies to suffer needlessly.