Frostbite and Protecting Combs

[Bert2368]

I got an indoor/outdoor wireless thermometer that also shows the indoor humidity. It was less than $14.00 at Northern Tool in Forest Lake MN- Put it in the cool when I realized the chickens were starting to have high humidity/low temperature issues

It's not on their website, they're closing these out. A couple dozen were left last Friday

It remembers maximum and minimum temperature and humidity, so you can check what conditions were since last time you looked at it & reset the memory-

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I got an indoor/outdoor wireless thermometer that also shows the indoor humidity. It was less than $14.00 at Northern Tool in Forest Lake MN- Put it in the cool when I realized the chickens were starting to have high humidity/low temperature issues

It's not on their website, they're closing these out. A couple dozen were left last Friday

It remembers maximum and minimum temperature and humidity, so you can check what conditions were since last time you looked at it & reset the memory-

I bought one of those last week at my hardware store and it's not picking up the outdoor sensor. I paid $20 (shopping locally

) I'll have to sit down and go through the instructions with a fine tooth comb and if it's not working yet...take it back.

 

[Bert2368]

Mine said it was good to 300' but any metal walls or other objects lowered that a lot-

It also said the indoor unit was only functional down to 14 F. The display gets faint, but is readable at 0 F, coldest it's been inside coop so far-

 

[schnebbles]

I'm not sure if mentholatum is good for combs. I have not heard of Vicks for frostbit combs. If it is slightly frost bit use some Neosporin ointment or Bag Balm. Watch out for Lidocaines or "pain relievers" in the ointments you put on as they are toxic to birds.

I am sure I read that here somewhere. Someone said vicks or vetrx and massage comb to help circulate bloodflow. I don't have bag balm but I could probably find it at TSC? I'll see about neosporin, I think I have that (no pain reliever).

 

[epeloquin]

I am quite thankful that here in Western Massachusetts we do not experience -30° temps. Right now we are in a nasty cold snap and day time highs are around 10° and night temps are dropping to around -10°. I live in an urban area with a backyard coop and our city doesn't allow roos so I don't have to worry about the large combs and wattles.
However, several people have mentioned frostbite as a foregone eventuality and have said that "it doesn't bother them". I must take issue with that. Chickens are prey animals so they hide their illnesses as a survival instinct. Besides, how do you know it doesn't bother them? Did they tell you? LOL. Seriously, when we own chickens, whether it is a small backyard coop with a small flock or a farm with a larger one, when we raise chickens we take on the responsibility for their husbandry. A chickens comb carries a lot of blood, therefore nerves, and based upon the noise they make when one bites another, they indeed feel pain in their combs and wattles. Frostbite is extremely painful for people, even when it is a small area. If we own a flock of chickens, it seems to me that we owe it to them to do our best to prevent frostbite.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I am quite thankful that here in Western Massachusetts we do not experience -30° temps. Right now we are in a nasty cold snap and day time highs are around 10° and night temps are dropping to around -10°. I live in an urban area with a backyard coop and our city doesn't allow roos so I don't have to worry about the large combs and wattles.
However, several people have mentioned frostbite as a foregone eventuality and have said that "it doesn't bother them". I must take issue with that. Chickens are prey animals so they hide their illnesses as a survival instinct. Besides, how do you know it doesn't bother them? Did they tell you? LOL. Seriously, when we own chickens, whether it is a small backyard coop with a small flock or a farm with a larger one, when we raise chickens we take on the responsibility for their husbandry. A chickens comb carries a lot of blood, therefore nerves, and based upon the noise they make when one bites another, they indeed feel pain in their combs and wattles. Frostbite is extremely painful for people, even when it is a small area. If we own a flock of chickens, it seems to me that we owe it to them to do our best to prevent frostbite.

Thank you for this post.

I just looked at a thread with something said to that affect, myself. How can we really know what they are feeling? That is the truth. We must give due diligence where it is needed as people chosing to care for these animals when we go ahead and buy them or take them onto our property. "Follow through" and care is all part of animal ownership.

 

[schnebbles]

I wonder how much feeling the comb has?

 

[Mammachix]

What a great thread! My rooster did get a couple of spots of frostbite last night, poor guy. The hens are pretty ****** about it actually, even though they are all fine. He is a total sexpot and apparently they are not happy about having their hotman lose any of his parts. They really let me have it this morning.

One questions from his harem: will the frostbitten parts grow back once they have healed, or will his wattles look like they are missing chunks?

Thanks for your replies...my hens have threatened to withhold eggs for the foreseeable future pending the answer to their question.

Furthermore, they pooled their egg money together and sent me out to TS this afternoon for a small heater for their big guy. So, hopefully no more unsightly and potentially uncomfortable injuries to his crowning glory.

 

[Janet Pesaturo]

I wonder how much feeling the comb has?

I believe it has a lot of sensitive nerve endings, which you can observe when one pecks or bites another's comb. They pull away, as if the biting or pecking was noxious.

I am quite thankful that here in Western Massachusetts we do not experience -30° temps. Right now we are in a nasty cold snap and day time highs are around 10° and night temps are dropping to around -10°. I live in an urban area with a backyard coop and our city doesn't allow roos so I don't have to worry about the large combs and wattles.
However, several people have mentioned frostbite as a foregone eventuality and have said that "it doesn't bother them". I must take issue with that. Chickens are prey animals so they hide their illnesses as a survival instinct. Besides, how do you know it doesn't bother them? Did they tell you? LOL. Seriously, when we own chickens, whether it is a small backyard coop with a small flock or a farm with a larger one, when we raise chickens we take on the responsibility for their husbandry. A chickens comb carries a lot of blood, therefore nerves, and based upon the noise they make when one bites another, they indeed feel pain in their combs and wattles. Frostbite is extremely painful for people, even when it is a small area. If we own a flock of chickens, it seems to me that we owe it to them to do our best to prevent frostbite.

I agree with this as well, and now choose breeds that have low, thick combs, which are much more resistant to frostbite. I've never had a single comb rooster, and when my 2 single comb hens are gone, they will be replaced with birds that have pea, walnut, or rose combs.

 

[schnebbles]

my poor d'uccle has gotten frostbite a few weeks ago. I had vaseline on him too.