Frostbite or not?

[junebuggena]

If you have enough ventilation, any heat from a lamp or other source would just exit via the ventilation. Would be a waste of electricity. The key thing to remember regarding ventilation is that moisture and ammonia rise. Low vents draw in fresh air. High vents exhaust bad air. Birds should not be in the direct path of airflow, so careful consideration needs be given to where venting and roosts are positioned.

 

[azygous]

Absolutely no on the heat lamp! Heat is not necessary. Believe it or not, chickens are much more comfortable in freezing cold than sweltering hot. They have remarkable physiological features that enable them to cope exceedingly well with very cold temps. I doubt it will get so cold in Iowa that your chickens will even come close to being challenged by the cold.

I looked at the enlargement of your photo, and I see no sign of frost bite. If there is any that I'm not seeing in the photo, it's very superficial. Sometimes roosters get tiny black spots on their combs, and I've found they respond well to being painted with Blu-kote. I can't tell you want they are, but Blu-kote has always made them go away when my roosters get them.

Unventilated high winter humidity is more responsible for frostbite than mere freezing temps. That and cold drafts directly hitting the chickens as they roost.

 

[Iowagirl1]

So I went out to take various pictures of my coop ( but an unable to load them and post them on here) , and discovered that there actually is actually 5 inches of ventilation all across the top front of my coop! I also talked to a friend who has had chickens for years and she said it is most likely just the cold and that her chickens have the same thing ( and she has way more than my whopping total of 6), nothing to worry about. Thank you for all your help and input!

 

[theoldchick]

This rooster is suffering from frostbite. Note the white and blackened tips of his comb. Note the other rooster behind him is fine. All the ventilation and wind protection did not prevent this. He was a huge bird with poor circulation. The points eventually fell off and he was fine.




Sometimes chickens will get specks on their comb and face due to mud.


This one is getting ready to molt.


Chickens also suffer from avian pox ( image from google).