Frostbite and Bag Balm question

[hennybee]

I read many recommendations for Bag Balm as a frostbite deterrent; however, everyone agrees it’s important to avoid water based/containing products, and yet, Bag Balm lists water as its second or third ingredient (I recently noticed). So, as one can expect, I’m now confused. Is Bag Balm generally safe and effective or is it to be avoided due to its water content? Btw, I’ve been using Bag Balm because it is often recommended, but I wonder if I have contributed to my poor chickens’ frost bitten combs by using it. I’d love to know if I’m helping or hindering the health of my chickens. Therefore, will someone please offer a list of products that can protect and promote the health of chicken combs that do not contain water? Or, is Mushers Secret the only safe product in existence?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

There is nothing you can do or use to prevent frostbite, and there is no product you should put on combs or wattles after frostbite damage, any handling of frostbitten tissue will just cause more damage. To prevent frostbite be sure your coop has plenty of ventilation so moist air can escape. Do everything you can to keep combs and wattles dry. Can they drink out of nipples so they don't have to dunk their wattles? Keep water out of the coop so condensation is not a problem.

 

[hennybee]

I understand needing ventilation, but there must be something I can apply to their combs for added protection. My coop is small, so its' height isn't ideal for adding vents well above the roosts. Even with small vents, I figure they will reach only as high as about eight to twelve inches above the chickens' heads while they roost. If I lower the roosts, they still can only be lowered two or three inches, otherwise I won't have room enough for a good floor covering of bedding products in winter, which should be around six inches or more for sufficient warmth. So see, my options are limited. I only have five hens, but I care about them very much and don't want them to get frostbite. I do what I can and wish I could do more. It's only me (no skilled partner) to care for them, having no carpentry skills or tools to make big changes to the coop. While the coop is fairly sufficient, during extreme cold winter days/nights they've proven to need a little extra help getting through without developing some frostbite on their combs. So, please understand the situation and help me to help them with my limitations. ty.

 

[Ahoragi]

I have a 7x11 walk in coop for 16 birds. Plenty of ventilation and no direct wind or breeze on them. All the birds with tall combs got frostbite at the tips in these single digit negative temps. You have used bag balm and got frost bite, I have used nothing and got frost bite. What is stated above is true, you can't prevent frost bite unless you have ideal conditions for them.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Anything you put on them will freeze and add to the brostbite. Best to fo nothing. After i had a rooster suffer I switched to birds with pea combs.