Frostbite on Rooster's Wattles?

[Bogtown Chick]

Hey all. So just some new experiences with my Single Comb Cockerel in his first winter. Thought I would share:

We had some -26 F Mornings here this past week and into the weekend. I put the heat lamp out in the coop for those. (I double bind it and attach it well...plus it's a more expensive type --not to diminish it is still hazardous-but the caging is much safer) Anyways Junior got nipped superficially on the front of his wattles you can see now they are dusky. But no doubt from the waterer. It's the only wet thing he's allowed to touch...LOL. Much to my dismay on the second night...I tucked them in and he was by the heat lamp and his wattles were HUGE! Swollen.

I thought "Not Again!" I had taken precautions with no moisture food. Watching them on the days that were REALLY Cold, and even adding supplemental heat on the frigid nights.
Here's what I'm thinking: I think the warmth of the heat lamp opened up the blood vessels and lymph nodes and he swelled due to his superficial frost bite. I wasn't sure how extensive it was at that point in time. But he was warm to the touch and not wattle cubes like my previous rooster had. Not sure how it was going to turn out though at the time. Because when the light goes out it's still freezing in the coop. Second Day he was shaking his head. Beak open and swollen bad. Sunday it warmed up just a bit and he roosted with his back to the lamp. His wattles were down Monday. Thank heavens. 2 days later the wattles are red and intact except the superficial dusky front of them.

All during the weekend I checked his crop at night to be sure he was eating and drinking (able to beak past the swelling) and was pleased to hear him crowing Sunday night and Monday morning. Previous bird was quiet for a good week or more while he lost his wattles. So I feel like Junior is in good shape. We'll get down to -16 per my weather app tonight which probably really means -20 something. Keeping me on my toes that's for sure.

Stay warm out there!

 

[WesleyBeal]

Hey all. So just some new experiences with my Single Comb Cockerel in his first winter. Thought I would share:

We had some -26 F Mornings here this past week and into the weekend. I put the heat lamp out in the coop for those. (I double bind it and attach it well...plus it's a more expensive type --not to diminish it is still hazardous-but the caging is much safer) Anyways Junior got nipped superficially on the front of his wattles you can see now they are dusky. But no doubt from the waterer. It's the only wet thing he's allowed to touch...LOL. Much to my dismay on the second night...I tucked them in and he was by the heat lamp and his wattles were HUGE! Swollen.

I thought "Not Again!" I had taken precautions with no moisture food. Watching them on the days that were REALLY Cold, and even adding supplemental heat on the frigid nights.
Here's what I'm thinking: I think the warmth of the heat lamp opened up the blood vessels and lymph nodes and he swelled due to his superficial frost bite. I wasn't sure how extensive it was at that point in time. But he was warm to the touch and not wattle cubes like my previous rooster had. Not sure how it was going to turn out though at the time. Because when the light goes out it's still freezing in the coop. Second Day he was shaking his head. Beak open and swollen bad. Sunday it warmed up just a bit and he roosted with his back to the lamp. His wattles were down Monday. Thank heavens. 2 days later the wattles are red and intact except the superficial dusky front of them.

All during the weekend I checked his crop at night to be sure he was eating and drinking (able to beak past the swelling) and was pleased to hear him crowing Sunday night and Monday morning. Previous bird was quiet for a good week or more while he lost his wattles. So I feel like Junior is in good shape. We'll get down to -16 per my weather app tonight which probably really means -20 something. Keeping me on my toes that's for sure.

Stay warm out there!

I'm very inexperienced at this, so my ideas may not be valid.

I wonder about the supplemental heat. Any increase in heat will raise the amount of moisture held in the air, and if the increase in heat isn't sufficient to raise the temperature above freezing, that increase is moisture in the air could increase the risk of frostbite.

 

[WesleyBeal]

Hello,

This is my first flock and against my better judgement we got 2 Brown Leghorns because my son wanted "white" eggs. I have 6 girls in a Tractor Supply Coop which I haven't done much too except for surrounding it in poly as windblock. I clean the coop in the morning (I use dropping boards). My leghorns have frostbite on their combs, about 3/4 of their comb is white/gray and hard. I didnt know anything about putting balm or anything else prior to the freezing temps. I was thinking about putting a low watt heat lamp in the coop for them but I think that would cause to much moisture. Anyway what I am worried about is "is it to late for my ladies combs? They haven't turned black or anything but I think they might soon. Is it okay for them to lose their whole comb? can I stop it from spreading?

Sorry that no one has responded to your questions yet. I don't have answers for you, as I'm new at this myself. I've got some roosters that got frostbite this winter. At this point, since I didn't prevent it, I'm hoping they do lose the bits that froze. That'll have them in better shape for next winter. Seems to me that since they've already gone through the injury, the least I can hope for is that they don't have to go through it again.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I'm very inexperienced at this, so my ideas may not be valid.

I wonder about the supplemental heat. Any increase in heat will raise the amount of moisture held in the air, and if the increase in heat isn't sufficient to raise the temperature above freezing, that increase is moisture in the air could increase the risk of frostbite.

Yes. Definitely. Seeing his proximity to the lamp that first night ...worried me that I had opened up a can of worms with the supplemental heat. I was watching his breath steam down and then up and away in the red light....so definitely food for thought. And when he turned his head away and back to the lamp did his wattles come down with the cooler air (like an ice pack? LOL) . He is a rooster and he likes his higher roost with his high hens....but I'm thinking...on cold cold nights move him to the lower roost to give him even more head space.

I will tell you that my birds are uneasy and more damage is done again in a coop that is dry and -10 or lower for an extended period of time. I've just seen it. Cold is cold. And when it's days of extended -20's it will start to take it's toll on the flesh. Dry coop too--definitely wet coop. So trying to strike the balance with my particular set up is always a science experiment.

 

[WesleyBeal]

Yep. Guess we just do the best we can. We're supposed to hit -25 tomorrow morning - I'm down close to Alexandria, so not as often in the bitter cold as you.

Still cold enough, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

@mrannow74

Leghorns are a heat tolerant variety of bird along with other large single comb meditteranean type chickens. But in the cold, yes those tall combs will get nipped. She might lose just part of the comb if you are seeing a purplish line and/or duskiness. It depends on weather conditions if it will spread more. But I would say it would have to get colder than what it was to do that.

There are some responses previous that will give you an idea of what to expect with the healing. If you read back a few posts.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Yep. Guess we just do the best we can. We're supposed to hit -25 tomorrow morning - I'm down close to Alexandria, so not as often in the bitter cold as you.

Still cold enough, as far as I'm concerned.

-25 is nothing to laugh about. That's for sure. Stay in and stay warm I always say. I got to give those birdies a little heat to take the edge off of stuff like that.

 

[Starr78]

Hi live live in Alaska so it's cold here too. Some lil things I do to help when it's below 0. Wind chill can make worse. Heats lamps or lamp some where they can really warm up. Mix powdered tumeric in with the Vaseline it works as an antiseptic and helps to Stave off infection along with mixing dryed thyme or oregano and with their feed. I also cook up some beets chop them all up with the greens beats are known to help with blood flow to the extremities and helps out circulation so it helps you to stay warmer it's good for you and birds. Mine really like it depending on the color of the beat it will change the color of their poop so if you feed them red beets they will have a red color to their poop, just fyi. Best wishes

 

[MesMama]

Sorry I haven't been back on for awhile to check in with everyone! Man lots of us dealing with this :/ Stinks!

Update on my guy Lars-about 1/4" of his wattles are black, waiting for them to fall off and then his comb, he lost a couple tips and maybe one or two more might go as well yet. I'll get a pic tomorrow. He seems totally unaffected by this whole thing so I am very thankful for that

 

[rottlady]

My Cream Legbar roo finally healed up and his blackened bits on comb and wattles dropped off