Frostbite thoughts

[Mrs. K]

"Here's another thought on frostbite...
...have seen it happen most often when the temps hover close to 32F,
that warmer air can hold more moisture."

I agree, we are on the way out of a big cold spell. I went down and flipped my bedding in the coop, got rid of piles of manure. It is when it melts during the day, that frozen poop thaws and releases moisture and then re- freezes at night that mine have been marked.
Mrs K

 

[Sipplchicks]

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.

Does the comb grow back if some falls off?

 

[aart]

Does the comb grow back if some falls off?

Nope.

 

[Sipplchicks]

Nope.

Nope.

Thanks again

 

[Sipplchicks]

Aart, my coop is tall I can stand in it, but today I noticed some frost on the inside walls. #*$*%#& this coooold weather! Is it ok

 

[Mrs. K]

Frost means it is dang cold, and not enough ventilation. The chickens breath is moisture laden, and not escaping the coop. Think of a cold night, bunch of teenagers in the car, almost immediately the unheated car begins to fog up, if someone opens the door, it drys out immediately. Moisture inside the coop means not enough ventilation.

Often times, people fret about warm enough... what do they do, since they were a child they were told, shut the door to trap the heat in the house. With humans, we don't wear coats in the house, we keep the air temperature warm enough to be without. In an unheated chicken coop, the chickens wear their coats, what makes their coats less warm is moisture. Think of going out in this weather in a wet or even damp coat. In the chicken house, we want DRY. The only way to do that is with minimal manure build up, dry bedding and good ventilation, wet warm air leaves the coop. Your birds stay drier and warmer.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

Aart, my coop is tall I can stand in it, but today I noticed some frost on the inside walls. #*$*%#& this coooold weather! Is it ok

Frost on inside of coop indicates not enough ventilation.
Start a new thread here titled 'Ventilation Help Please'.
Include good pics of your coop inside and out, size of coop in feet by feet, and number, ages and genders of your flock.

 

[Sipplchicks]

[ATTA CH]1229246[/ATTACH]

 

[Sipplchicks]

Okay I tried to post still learning 6 chicks hatched just after Easter mid April . No molt winterized windows and door . Heated waterer deep pine and straw. They are still laying. Do have a light on a timer. Walls are plywood but they are sparkling with frost. Roof vents all around the top 6ft. Blocked of most to prevent drafts .put a 10x10 canopy out front for some protection. But didn't insulate the walls.

 

[Mrs. K]

Take down the blocking on the vents, move the roosts away from the vents and you will be fine. I just have plywood walls too. You are still worrying about warm (insulation) what you need to worry about it dry. Open it up, and it will dry out.