Frostbite on Rooster's Wattles?

[realsis]

The blackened bits will likely ALWAYS drop off. The key is to try to prevent the frostrite before it happened. Have you tried bag balm BEFORE the freeze to see if it adds enough protection to keep the frost bite away? I'd give that a try next time. Keep areas that's dropped off clean and the birds should be fine. Are they getting frost bit inside their house or when they go out? I'd try the bag balm. For the rest of the season and see if it helps. Best wishes

 

[Bogtown Chick]

@realsis I can't speak for others on here but I had bag balm on my bird and this still happened. We are talking -25-30 F extended periods--Midwestern U. S. Nasty Winter issues. Where a moment of dribbling water from a water fount is all it takes to make the bite happen. Also there are tons of chicken experts advising warm oatmeal and such to new chicken folks and these wattles and such are getting steamed then frost bit. So if you read through...you'll see various issues. If you go through the barnyards of the midwest I bet you will be hard pressed to find one single combed cockerel without some sort of frost bite. It's a fact of life here as many folks from now on who live in this area will most likely chose a rose or cushion comb rooster. The next year these single comb boys will be fine as can be after their midwest initiation of dubbing by old man winter.

 

[rottlady]

The blackened bits will likely ALWAYS drop off. The key is to try to prevent the frostrite before it happened. Have you tried bag balm BEFORE the freeze to see if it adds enough protection to keep the frost bite away? I'd give that a try next time. Keep areas that's dropped off clean and the birds should be fine. Are they getting frost bit inside their house or when they go out? I'd try the bag balm. For the rest of the season and see if it helps. Best wishes

He was costed with coconut oil yes
Frostbite indoors the coop is extremely well ventilated and no drafts or condensation but it was below zero we are in NH

My Barnevelder roo is fine

As are the girls
The Legbar had a monster comb and wattles and dunked them each time he drank

 

[duluthralphie]

The blackened bits will likely ALWAYS drop off. The key is to try to prevent the frostrite before it happened. Have you tried bag balm BEFORE the freeze to see if it adds enough protection to keep the frost bite away? I'd give that a try next time. Keep areas that's dropped off clean and the birds should be fine. Are they getting frost bit inside their house or when they go out? I'd try the bag balm. For the rest of the season and see if it helps. Best wishes

Me thinkest thou dost naught understand the severe cold and humidity we endure. Avoiding frostbite is not possible for many of us.

We easily hit 35-40 below, I it will be snowing at 15 below, humidity will be 70 %.. There is nothing you can do, to prevent frostbite and winter dubbing that will not cost a fortune.

Oils and udder balm help some, but on a large single comb it is useless. I have one rooster out of 100 birds or more with single combs that is whole. I do not want to even know what it cost me to keep his in one piece.


I used a heat lamp on his cage. I have 2 heating pads above his roost about 2 inches from his comb. I give him water in a small dish he can barely get his beak in so he does not get his waddles and comb wet. I have bag balm on him all winter, his feathers feel dirty from the bag balm running down or being smeared on him.

My wife just asked me last night " why is the electric bill $225 for the pole barn...... I did not dare answer so I went to the ol' reliable " How should I know?"

Even at that I had blood everywhere yesterday with the warm up, the very tip of one point of the comb is nicked. Hopefully no judge will notice it next year. He is my show Speckled Sussex or he would be like all the others wearing a Minnesota Cushion Comb.


Matter of fact I have a Dominique rooster with a rose comb and the points are frozen off this year. I have a 3 year old pea comb EE (my main layer rooster) that has his comb scabbed and with frost bite this year.


It really all depends on the weather and luck here, Dry cold is better than wet cold. Most people have no idea of our temps, The coldest I ever had here was about 20 years ago at 70 below. the official low was 69 below. But in all honesty anything beyond 25 below is all pretty much the same.


If someone could develop a rooster with enough brains to put his head under his wing, we might avoid frostbite.

I know I have not been part of this thread, I just felt some judgment towards those of us that have nasty frostbite. Thanks and I will sneak away quietly again..

 

[mrannow74]

Okay, so my ladies are doing well, the frostbite actually isn't as bad as I first thought. I was handling them to check it out and I was surprised to find most of their comb to be warm and wattles as well. It seems only the tips are turning black so they'll be falling off I assume.

I am a bit confused as to why they are all still laying eggs in the middle of winter, they havent stopped or slowed down. I have no heat or light to supplement.

 

[duluthralphie]

Okay, so my ladies are doing well, the frostbite actually isn't as bad as I first thought. I was handling them to check it out and I was surprised to find most of their comb to be warm and wattles as well. It seems only the tips are turning black so they'll be falling off I assume.

I am a bit confused as to why they are all still laying eggs in the middle of winter, they havent stopped or slowed down. I have no heat or light to supplement.

Are they pullets?


Pullets will lay through the first winter without light many times.


And welcome to BYC,,,,, and join us in the Surviving Minnesota thread, we would love to have you.

 

[mrannow74]

Yes, this is the first winter for them so it might make sense. This spring we plan to get 7 more to make it an "Baker's Dozen".

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Gotta love those winter eggs from pullets!

 

[MesMama]

Here's my guy, part of his comb and wattles haven't fallen off yet, some have. He's still sexy and he knows it ;P

And here's one from before, this past summer

 

[MesMama]

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

Looks great!