Frostbite Prevention and Treatment HELP

[Michael Propst]

I am looking for any information and assistance on frostbite. I am including several photos of what I have done in prep for winter. This is my first winter with chickens. We just finished a week long of sub-zero and single digit temps here in Kansas. I could use some advise as I had 3 of my 6 get frostbite combs and a few more get a little frostbite on their waddles. A quick history: I inherited the chickens, coop, and run from my neighbors in July when they moved. Everything I received was poorly constructed and I have made many improvements so far. The 4x4 coop at the time I got it had no ventilation, and I have added all that I safely can due to its height and roost draft. For bedding in the coop I have 4 inches of pine shavings and 2 inches of straw. I have wrapped the 9x9 run in 7 mil plastic to prevent wind from blowing through, the top is covered but open for ventilation. I have also placed 6-8 inches of straw in the entire run. I have a heated waterer that is working great, and I did install a cozy coop panel heater in the run which I only turned on during the single digit and below zero days (which may have been a waste as I never really seen them near it, but wanted a little heat available if they choose). I do allow my girls to free range daily almost but with this cold and wind I kept them contained to the run where the wind was blocked. To be honest they had no desire to leave the run with the snow and cold so keeping them in was not a problem for them. Recommended by a friend I was coating their combs and waddles every 2 days with Sierra Sage Green Goo Animal First Aid Salve as a frostbite preventative. I also cleaned all droppings from the coop and run daily. With all of these precautions I still had several get frostbite my 2 Rhode Island Reds have large combs and were greatly affected (pictures attached). If possible I would like feedback on what I did wrong if anything, and also on the severity of the frostbite as I have seen several pics where it just gets the tips and mine are much more affected. Since the onset of the frostbite I have been applying the Sierra Sage Green Goo Animal First Aid Salve daily and they do appear to be getting better looking. Thanks in advance for all of the great knowledge that is shared in this community. BYC has been a true blessing to me and my girls. If you have any questions or need any more details please let me know. It can be so frustrating when you think you are doing everything right and still have a negative outcome. Thanks

 

[blwells45]

I am unable to see from the pictures. Under your popup tent, is there plastic covering the top of your run? I'm wondering if you have things too closed up. Chicken coops/runs need plenty of ventilation.

 

[Welshies]

Things are too closed up. Here is what you can do:

• Keep all ventilation open. Ventilation does not equal drafts, though.
• Remove plastic over the vents. They do nothing if they're not covered
• Open the top of your run. Open two sides. They don't need their walls of their run covered unless it is windy. Spread hay or straw over the snow so they go out.
• Make them go out unless the temperature is -4 F or below (-20 Celsius or below). Open up the door of the coop to let it air out while they are outside. Keep food and water outside unless it gets below -4 F. It is -6 F here and mine are outside.
• Make sure you aren't giving them any steaming foods or water. Even heated water in their coop will up the moisture- by a lot.
• 1 square foot of ventilation per bird
• Take out the heater. They don't need it (my adult birds are fine in -40 F or -40 C) and it will only make them dependent on it.

 

[wamtazlady]

You do not want to keep heat in the coop. Warm air is moist air. A warm chicken is a dry chicken. Dry means lots of ventilation, but no breeze blowing on your birds. Thinking it was kind you have heated and insulated your coop. What you need to do now get some of the plastic off the run on the side that is away from the wind. Then get some vents opened in the upper part of your coop. For six chickens that should be about 6 square feet of vent area.

At -22 my chickens got no frostbite in an uninsulated coop that has 10 square feet of vents that never close and the coop is not heated. Run is covered in plastic, but only on 3 sides.

I have read that vaseline is good to put on combs to prevent frostbite. I haven't heard of anything to put on after frostbite has happened.

Again, a warm chicken is a dry chicken.

 

[Welshies]

You do not want to keep heat in the coop. Warm air is moist air. A warm chicken is a dry chicken. Dry means lots of ventilation, but no breeze blowing on your birds. Thinking it was kind you have heated and insulated your coop. What you need to do now get some of the plastic off the run on the side that is away from the wind. Then get some vents opened in the upper part of your coop. For six chickens that should be about 6 square feet of vent area.

At -22 my chickens got no frostbite in an uninsulated coop that has 10 square feet of vents that never close and the coop is not heated. Run is covered in plastic, but only on 3 sides.

I have read that vaseline is good to put on combs to prevent frostbite. I haven't heard of anything to put on after frostbite has happened.

Again, a warm chicken is a dry chicken.

x2. I have had minus Forty degrees farehneit for about a week now. Only frostbite on my rooster.

 

[Michael Propst]

is there plastic covering the top of your run?

No there is no covering over the top of the run. Just the 4 sides are covered. The side where the coop is attached is only partially covered as well. The pop up tent covers but allows for air to flow easily under it and over the run.

 

[Welshies]

No there is no covering over the top of the run. Just the 4 sides are covered. The side where the coop is attached is only partially covered as well. The pop up tent covers but allows for air to flow easily under it and over the run.

You should uncover one, preferably two sides. It should be a windbreak, not another house.

 

[wamtazlady]

In the spring you might want to remove all that insulation you added to the coop. Insulation a wonderful place for mice to hide and build their nests.

 

[Welshies]

In the spring you might want to remove all that insulation you added to the coop. Insulation a wonderful place for mice to hide and build their nests.

If it's double walled insulation it'll be fine.

 

[Michael Propst]

Let me clarify a few things as some of the responses seem off from the information I provided. There are no vents covered with plastic. I have all 4 sides of the run covered with plastic because I am in Kansas and often have sustained winds of 20mph from all directions. The top of the run in open and not covered, at least 6 square feet of the runs east wall is not covered with plastic due to the coop. From being in the run there is still allot of high level air flow. My coop is not insulated nor heated. There is no heat in the coop, the only heat I provided was the small panel heater in the run which was only on in single digits and below but as I mentioned it did not appear the girls ever got near it. I would love to provide more ventilation in the coop but because of the poor and small construction the previous owner did I am limited to what I have already done. The coop is too small for 6 hens but any further vents would cause drafts across the roosts. I am building a brand new coop which will be 10x4 and ready in the spring but for now I have to make the best of what I inherited. I opted not to use Vaseline as a preventative instead used Sierra Sage Green Goo Animal First Aid Salve as I stated since it is also fortified.