Frostbite thoughts

[RNPAULIE69]

Your birds will be fine. I never bother putting stuff on combs. After temperatures fall below -10 it can be hard to stop frostbite. Your hens may lose some comb tissue, but they will be okay.

Worry more about frostbite on feet, legs and toes. Proper roosts will prevent it in most cases, and giving them stuff like hay or straw to stand on will keep them a bit warmer.

Generally winter hardy breeds are fluffy and heavier, and sometimes they have smaller combs. Most of my buff Orpington hens don't get frostbite on their combs, just the roosters. They all heal up without even noticing it.

Thanks..i have 2x4's with wide part up and straw covering the sand/gravel floor of pen...thick shavings in coop. Already informed hubby come spring we are taking roof off and making coop taller!

 

[song of joy]

Your birds will be fine. I never bother putting stuff on combs. After temperatures fall below -10 it can be hard to stop frostbite. Your hens may lose some comb tissue, but they will be okay.

I've long wondered about the logic of putting vaseline, bag balm, or oil on exposed skin. It just does not make sense to me.

Ditto. I've never put anything on the combs and wattles and never really had any significant issues with frostbite, beyond the very tips of the points of single-combed roosters. I'm not at all convinced that it helps . . . actually, I'm wondering if it might make matters worse.

 

[Stayc]

I say don't blame yourself my temps haven't been below 7 and i have a cockrel with frostbite. It's bound to happen with the big pointy combs. Also it's a time to learn and make things the best you can for your feathered babies. Don't stress. It's going to be ok. I go out to the coop every day and make improvements, hindsight is 20 20.

 

[AlleysChicks]

I think the weather is often blamed, when the fact is that the coop is at fault. Short little coops, doll house coops simply don't have enough air space and can not be ventilated adequately to keep the birds safe from frost bite.

I've long wondered about the logic of putting vaseline, bag balm, or oil on exposed skin. It just does not make sense to me. I've never tried it on myself, but would do so, perhaps doing only one cheek (for comparison) before committing to doing so to my bird's combs.

We did a experiment last year. Had 3 huge bowls of ice water. 1 pair of latex gloves and a pair of normal winter gloves. The kids were amazed and had a blast.
In the end the glove covered in a thin layer of petroleum jelly kept the hands warmer than both the plain latex glove and the winter glove. It was a great experiment.

 

[Stayc]

We did a experiment last year. Had 3 huge bowls of ice water. 1 pair of latex gloves and a pair of normal winter gloves. The kids were amazed and had a blast.
In the end the glove covered in a thin layer of petroleum jelly kept the hands warmer than both the plain latex glove and the winter glove. It was a great experiment.

Nice, thanks for this!!

 

[lazy gardener]

However, that experiment was somewhat flawed. The winter glove, wet would have provided no protection. the layer of vaseline over the latex glove would have provided more insulation value than the latex glove alone. I still say the real criteria would be vaseline over skin in comparison to dry skin, in a freezing below zero, wind free environment.

 

[aart]

I put vaseline on my cheeks and nose and went outside today to test it. My cheeks are beet red and hurt. I read this article and although it is in relation to humans I think it would apply to anything with exposed skin.."Spreading petroleum jelly or other emollients onto the skin does not lower the risk of frostbite;[111,175] indeed the use of these products may increase the relative risk of frostbite on the head." Any thoughts? Comments?

I agree!

I've long wondered about the logic of putting vaseline, bag balm, or oil on exposed skin. It just does not make sense to me.

Same here.

However, that experiment was somewhat flawed. The winter glove, wet would have provided no protection. the layer of vaseline over the latex glove would have provided more insulation value than the latex glove alone. I still say the real criteria would be vaseline over skin in comparison to dry skin, in a freezing below zero, wind free environment.

Ditto Dat^^^

I am sick to death that they are suffering even if it's minor frostbite but am at a loss of what to do.

There's not much you can do.
IMO it's best not to even touch it......it's compromised tissue and touching it could very easily make it worse.

Had several birds with frostbit combs and wattles last winter, most were the mild graying of the tissue, some had black necrosis that eventually soughed off. I think the wattles get bit because they drag them thru the snow.

I just keep a watch for swelling that lasts more than a few days or obvious infection.

@RNPAULIE69 Where are you located?
Easy to put it in your profile and immensely helpful.

 

[WVduckchick]

I have one little serama experiencing some bad frostbite this year. (the rest are fine) I already had a pullet inside, being treated for some respiratory issues, so i brought the cockerel inside too. The day after he warmed up, as kind of an experiment, I applied a little coconut oil on his comb.
While i feel like it may have soothed it a bit, he is still going to lose the tips. But he does not seem to be in any pain or anything. I had one last year lose all his tips, didn't seem to bother him either. He just looked dubbed afterward. I'm in the camp of not messing with the them.

 

[AlleysChicks]

However, that experiment was somewhat flawed. The winter glove, wet would have provided no protection. the layer of vaseline over the latex glove would have provided more insulation value than the latex glove alone. I still say the real criteria would be vaseline over skin in comparison to dry skin, in a freezing below zero, wind free environment.

That was the point The winter glove wet holds the water somewhat like fur or clothes so you’d stay cold. Plain latex glove was to act as skin, water would roll off some but you’d still feel cold. The petroleum jelly was a insulator.

This was actually an experiment at a elementary school. So small child’s hands but the latex gloves were large so they could even fit a dry winter glove inside a plain latex or PJ covered glove.

 

[leighks]

Like you, I’m worried about frostbite and know it can happen no matter what, but I’m also trying to do what I can to prevent it. I’ve been using Musher’s Secret on combs and wattles and so far, so good, even on my cockerel’s huge comb. It’s a product that was originally used on the paw pads of sled dogs. It’s a waxy substance and seems to be doing the trick. I’ve been applying it every night and highly recommend it! I got it on Amazon. Good luck!!