Frostbite prevention

[Red Horse]

Has anyone had any luck with something like this for their roosters?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/warm-winter-hats-for-roosters.1435559/

They're my first chickens and I spent a lot of time making sure they have proper ventilation in the coop (thanks Repecka!), but what about those nights when it's just so dang cold? They have nice wide, low perches to keep their tootsies warm but I'm hoping to avoid the inevitable fight with the hubs about bringing them into the mud room for a couple nights so my boys don't get frostbitten combs.

I'm in Ohio and the winters in this area can be anywhere from 20-30F all winter, to dropping down to just below 0F in just one night for multiple nights in a row, with or without wind chill. At least once per winter we will get those extra cold spells for a few days at a time. I don't intend to add supplemental heating to my coop since normally I think they would be fine except for those few extra cold nights here and there. I'm just doing an extra thick layer of pine shavings, turning them daily, and using a shop vac to replace them every week to keep moisture down.

 

[aldarita]

I want to say that I'm impressed with the care you have for your flock by researching and preparing to do what is best for them. You are doing all the right things to help your boys for the winter. I don't have that much of a winter problem since I live in South Texas and don't have boys. My girls have small combs and waddles so I don't have experience on frostbite. Hopefully some of the chickeners up north will post good tips for you.

 

[K0k0shka]

Have they been okay previous winters, or is this your first winter with them? If they have previously been okay at those temperatures, I don't see why they'd have problems now. I would be curious to see some actual data and facts on this, but I'm not sure if there is any practical difference between 20 degrees and 0 degrees, or 0 degrees and -5 degrees. All of them qualify as "damn cold", and all of them would cause water to freeze quickly, so I don't know if 0 or 20 makes any difference for your chickens. So if they have previously been fine at 20, I imagine it won't be that much different at 0. Some people on here talk about negative double digits where they live - now that's far enough below where you might see some real differences, but even those chickens do fine if their coop is dry and well ventilated.

 

[Red Horse]

I want to say that I'm impressed with the care you have for your flock by researching and preparing to do what is best for them. You are doing all the right things to help your boys for the winter. I don't have that much of a winter problem since I live in South Texas and don't have boys. My girls have small combs and waddles so I don't have experience on frostbite. Hopefully some of the chickeners up north will post good tips for you.

Thank you, I'm trying!! I also picked girls with small combs and wattles but I didn't expect to have the boys. Now that they're here I love them!!! I need to find out what those Great Lakes folks do for their roosters in the REAL cold.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

We don't do anything and we get -20 and -30 nights during parts of winter. Our boys lose their combs and wattles for single combed breeds, but besides a single scare with a pea comb, no one with smaller combs has lost any so far

 

[Red Horse]

Have they been okay previous winters, or is this your first winter with them? If they have previously been okay at those temperatures, I don't see why they'd have problems now. I would be curious to see some actual data and facts on this, but I'm not sure if there is any practical difference between 20 degrees and 0 degrees, or 0 degrees and -5 degrees. All of them qualify as "damn cold", and all of them would cause water to freeze quickly, so I don't know if 0 or 20 makes any difference for your chickens. So if they have previously been fine at 20, I imagine it won't be that much different at 0. Some people on here talk about negative double digits where they live - now that's far enough below where you might see some real differences, but even those chickens do fine if their coop is dry and well ventilated.

This is my first winter with chickens. I did heavy farm work for a long time and you're right, anything under 20 is just plain miserable period!! It even outweighs the fact that there are no bugs.

 

[Skibum]

Have they been okay previous winters, or is this your first winter with them? If they have previously been okay at those temperatures, I don't see why they'd have problems now. I would be curious to see some actual data and facts on this, but I'm not sure if there is any practical difference between 20 degrees and 0 degrees, or 0 degrees and -5 degrees. All of them qualify as "damn cold", and all of them would cause water to freeze quickly, so I don't know if 0 or 20 makes any difference for your chickens. So if they have previously been fine at 20, I imagine it won't be that much different at 0. Some people on here talk about negative double digits where they live - now that's far enough below where you might see some real differences, but even those chickens do fine if their coop is dry and well ventilated.

This is my first winter with chickens. I’m not hearing their coop for a multitude of reasons. They have deep litter and a draft free coop w ventilation. Two nights ago it got really cold (-5 to -10) overnight. My ladies were fine but my biggest combed Roo did get frost bitten on his biggest comb. Last night I put some Vaseline on the roos comb but it still looked to get a bit more frost bite last night (-8). I only put a light layer on it. Should I be applying quite a lot. Looking for advice as well.

 

[Red Horse]

This is my first winter with chickens. I’m not hearing their coop for a multitude of reasons. They have deep litter and a draft free coop w ventilation. Two nights ago it got really cold (-5 to -10) overnight. My ladies were fine but my biggest combed Roo did get frost bitten on his biggest comb. Last night I put some Vaseline on the roos comb but it still looked to get a bit more frost bite last night (-8). I only put a light layer on it. Should I be applying quite a lot. Looking for advice as well.

Oh no, I hope it heals up soon! I get really busy with work around the holidays and I already know I won't have time to mother them if they get it bad so business will have to suffer. We had such a hot summer so their combs grew in huge. I also have wondered how thin/thick a layer of vaseline/similar substances to put on... I would hate to get it all over their head feathers and slick them down. I have that, bag balm, castor oil, and hypoallergenic chapstick sticks and I'm not sure which is best to use and at what temperature, assuming proper ventilation and dryness.

 

[Skibum]

Oh no, I hope it heals up soon! I get really busy with work around the holidays and I already know I won't have time to mother them if they get it bad so business will have to suffer. We had such a hot summer so their combs grew in huge. I also have wondered how thin/thick a layer of vaseline/similar substances to put on... I would hate to get it all over their head feathers and slick them down. I have that, bag balm, castor oil, and hypoallergenic chapstick sticks and I'm not sure which is best to use and at what temperature, assuming proper ventilation and dryness.

From my experience my Roo was fine up until the negatives. The frost bite doesn’t look too bad it’s just quite purple at two tips.

 

[Skibum]

From my experience my Roo was fine up until the negatives. The frost bite doesn’t look too bad it’s just quite purple at two tips.

I will add though I live in Colorado so humidity is naturally very low