Frostbite: I thought I was going to be able to prevent this ...

[AppleMomma65]

I tried very hard to prevent frostbite on my chickens. Of my flock of 11, two have combs with significant damage. I thought my coop had good ventilation, dry floor, etc. During the coldest days of -40 I rubbed Vaseline on their combs and wattles But yesterday, after I returned from a week away, I saw this and I'm heartbroken.

We had temps below -40 for many days and for almost two weeks they were in their coop. I'm assuming the black part will fall off and not grow back?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Vaseline won't help frostbite since it traps moisture in the comb tissue. Anthing light tan has a chance of returning if not damaged anymore, same with black unless the black tissue is hardened

 

[Eggcessive]

Vaseline can actually freeze itself. With -40 temps, it is nearly impossible to prevent frostbite on larger combs. The black part will eventually become rounded off in the next couple of months. I don’t do anything for frostbite on combs, but just let nature take it’s course.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are a couple of good articles about frostbite:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/frostbit-in-backyard-chickens-causes/

https://www.cacklehatchery.com/how-to-recognize-and-treat-frostbite-in-chickens/

 

[AppleMomma65]

Here are a couple of good articles about frostbite:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/frostbit-in-backyard-chickens-causes/

https://www.cacklehatchery.com/how-to-recognize-and-treat-frostbite-in-chickens/

Unfortunately, I noticed it too late so I can't do anything now. Will be more aware next year. Thanks for your help!

Vaseline can actually freeze itself. With -40 temps, it is nearly impossible to prevent frostbite on larger combs. The black part will eventually become rounded off in the next couple of months. I don’t do anything for frostbite on combs, but just let nature take it’s course.

@Eggcessive -- Okay so I did one last round of checking everyone and saw that one - only one - has a nail missing on her middle toe. It is just the nail (some is still there) but her toe is more swollen than the others. It is pretty normal color and it is warm as the rest of her foot. Does this look like frostbite on her foot?

 

[humblehillsfarm]

My rooster's comb looked almost as bad as the first comb you pictured, and after a few months the black fell off revealing fresh pink comb underneath! There is some chance it'll grow back! BUT severely damaged skin will fall off. The chicken will be totally fine. I had a hen lose the entire back half of her single comb after an injury.

As for that toe, I'm not convinced that was frost bite damage, if it was, it had to have happened well over a month ago. I'm also not sure if there's a chance the nail will grow back, but the rest of the tissue other than the scab looks alright!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Unfortunately, I noticed it too late so I can't do anything now. Will be more aware next year. Thanks for your help!

@Eggcessive -- Okay so I did one last round of checking everyone and saw that one - only one - has a nail missing on her middle toe. It is just the nail (some is still there) but her toe is more swollen than the others. It is pretty normal color and it is warm as the rest of her foot. Does this look like frostbite on her foot?

My birds that lose nails always have the tips of their toes swollen

 

[Eggcessive]

@AppleMomma65 Yes, I do think that toe tip was frostbitten. When you see swollen pink skin above the sight that is missing, that is typical for frostbite. In this picture from the Chicken Chick, it shoes that along with toenails and a dead toe about to fall off:
https://i.pinimg.com/474x/f6/7c/66/f67c664792a5a1b97caa890b83cff188.jpg

 

[MissE]

I had very similar temps and ended up with frostbite also. I don't think there's any way to prevent it when it's that cold. Happens every year, especially to my poor rooster. I just leave it alone and let nature take its course. You'd think after a couple years there would be nothing left to freeze.

 

[AppleMomma65]

I had very similar temps and ended up with frostbite also. I don't think there's any way to prevent it when it's that cold. Happens every year, especially to my poor rooster. I just leave it alone and let nature take its course. You'd think after a couple years there would be nothing left to freeze.

@MissE - Thank you! I honestly tried so hard but being a first-year chicken owner, I still feel really bad especially since it happened to two of my favorite chickens, and one chicken that is already at a disadvantage because she can't see very well. Such is the life of a chicken living up here. Hoping for a nice, warm spring to melt away all of the poop.