Frostbite Comb-How bad is this??

[Dandy Acres]

MM, good luck with everything. I have decided to keep my girls locked in the coop for a few days. As it turns out, they are not smart enough to come in out of the cold. It was -11 this morning, -24 with the wind chill. Tonight is going to be much worse, bundle up.

 

[Montana-Hens]

I think frostbite is in the air for many of us in Montana this week. It was still -25 here at 9:30, and I see signs of possible frostbite on my Barred Plymouth Rock today. I feel bad as we have several more days before our lot in life improves.

I have never had this problem before. I have a coop that is fully insulated, and rests on the side of a big shed, so it has full south sunlight and sheltered on the north,. It has no additional heat. I have a ventilation at the top of the coop. It feels pretty good when I am out there checking on water and giving them some scratch. I am keeping them locked inside for the next few days. I have a heated water dish, they have 4 inches of bedding & straw. My coop is about the right size for 4 hens and I have two. Frostbite has never been a problem before. Not sure what makes it worse this year, but somehow it is. All I can do is watch and pray that this all works out in the end.

Good luck with yours & I am keeping my fingers cross for mine. I am hoping that the sunshine today makes it warm in the coop today and it isn't as bad as I think it looks.

Diana
Where at noon it is still -8 with the bright sunshine before we factor in any wind.

 

[The Chicken People]

What is Dubbing?

 

[Dandy Acres]

Dubbing is cutting off most of the comb and wattles as a preemptive strike against frostbite and possible infection.

 

[MontanaMomma]

It got to -2 here today with the sun shining. Heat wave! Thinking of dubbing makes me queezy, but so does frostbite every winter. If I could get a hold of some straw I would surround their whole house with bales and put them on the top too and cover it all with a tarp. After they pick through their alfalfa there are scraps, so I've started piling the scraps in the back between their house and our garage. Maybe soon the roof will be covered. I put warm water in for them this morning but ended up taking it out because it was steaming and I didn't want them to get damp. I'll cook them up some nice oatmeal tonight after I get the plywood up on the sides. I propped the plywood up and opened the door for them at lunch and they were like, F-That! You Crazy Momma? Someone suggested putting them in big tupperware containers and bringing them in at night. It is tempting... Especially if it will get colder tonight.

 

[Dandy Acres]

I heard that frostbite is only a big problem the first year barring negligence in future years. Don't know if it is true though. Good job on your adjustments MM. Your chickens will be toasty in no time.

 

[MontanaMomma]

Thanks everyone- things seem much better now. Every morning with the heat lamp their combs look more red and healthy. Massaging them seems to help tons and just keeping them in near the heat lamp. I feel bad for them since they are cooped up without much fresh air or exercise, but I am cooped up too! I bundled up and went for a walk during lunch today while the sun was shining and loved moving around and getting the air, but it was -17, so my nose was COLD when I got back in and I had ice on my eyelashes. I hope you are all somewhere warm, and your chickies are warm and healthy as well. This has been a valuable lesson in keeping chickens during Montana winters... Next year it'll be an old hat.
MM

 

[dlhunicorn]

It has no additional heat. I

I strongly urge you to put in a heatlamp of some sort with those temps.
I suspect the heated water dish (totally necessary to keep the water from freezing) in those temps are causing condensation on the combs of the birds which exacerbate the frostbite.​

 

[MontanaMomma]

Update for those wondering how MM fared. Once the inside of the coop thawed out with the 250w heat lamp, I noticed the bedding was damp- condensation was probably the culprit of the frostbite problem. After I put plywood up and enlarged and opened up the enclosed area, we also raised our open bottom chicken coop up on pallets and covered the wire floor with straw to allow air to circulate better. I also piled straw on the roof and covered that with a tarp. None of them lost any parts and all are looking good now. Thanks for all your input! MM

 

[Zahboo]

Dubbing is cutting the comb. It's used for OEGBs often.