Frostbit comb

[ambe0487]

My 20 week old comb and wattles are showing signs of frostbite and colder weather is coming. My coop had good ventilation and no other birds are showing signs. I noticed his wattles are swelling a bit this evening when I checked on them at roost. I’ve seen where the large wattles are more susceptible in the winter with water causing issues. Is there anything I can do to prevent any further damage as temps drop below zero this week? I’d been putting Vaseline on him every other day.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Roosters with frostbitten combs are infertile until the damaged comb and or wattles heal. You may wish to dub your birds as a preventive measure. Dubing is also called for when the anti roosting sinners on top of your flocks feed throughs keep your straight combed birds' combs and wattles raw and or bleeding. Then there is the real problem that your roosters and cockerels are not eating enough because large combs and wattles are in the way. Then there is the problem of your flock baptizing their head gear in the drinking fountain and the repeated dunking bringing on frost bite.

 

[ambe0487]

@chickengeorgeto do you have a suggestion for better feeding and watering systems to help with this?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Look up images of Old English Game Bantams or American game fowl and notice how they differ in the headgear department from other roosters. In fact you can't show OEGB unless the boys have been dubbed. White leghorns are one breed that is routinely dubbed in hatching egg production facilities. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

[aart]

I've found that wattle bite is most often caused by them eating snow in cold temps,
females get it too, hard to prevent that.

 

[ambe0487]

@chickengeorgeto I wasn’t expecting his comb and wattles to get this big (my first cockerel of this mix) as his Mom was way smaller on comb. I hadn’t planned on dubbing him and feel it’s too late for me to do it now.
I’m planning on getting some a&d ointment today to put on him.

@aart I have noticed it is just the bottom front that is dark maroon so I’m thinking that is from him drinking. My hen from the same parents has way smaller comb and wattles but have been putting Vaseline on her as well.

 

[ambe0487]

I’m afraid he is in a bad spot now. I went out to apply a&D ointment as our highs today is only 11 and much colder overnight. The ends of his wattles are cold and stiff and his comb is also cold. The comb has started to have white ish tips and a dark maroon closer to the main comb. What really concerns me is he is shaking his head like something is bothering him. I don’t have a place to bring him into as hubby’s shop is used for painting so the fumes wouldn’t be healthy.

Honestly, I’m in the process of getting rid of him and wonder if dispatching him is a more humane situation as I can’t imagine where ever he goes will be less cold.

 

[ambe0487]

This is him right now.

 

[AmazingRachel]

If no one else is getting frostbite combs and you have no place to have him recuperate, than I think the best course of action is humanely dispatching him.

If your having second thoughts, here's detailed action plans on how to treat frostbiten combs:
https://blog.cacklehatchery.com/how-to-recognize-and-treat-frostbite-in-chickens/