Frostbite thoughts

[Naroni]

My Leghorn Rooster got serious frostbite this winter, I took him to the vet and the vet prescribed him silver sulfadiazine cream, I've been applying it and his frostbite is healing. He has had frostbite in the past but this was awful. Last year I put Vaseline on all the hens and rooster and there wasn't much of a sign of frostbite, but I didn't get the chance this year. I feel so bad for them.

But good news healing very nicely!

 

[WVduckchick]

My Leghorn Rooster got serious frostbite this winter, I took him to the vet and the vet prescribed him silver sulfadiazine cream, I've been applying it and his frostbite is healing. He has had frostbite in the past but this was awful. Last year I put Vaseline on all the hens and rooster and there wasn't much of a sign of frostbite, but I didn't get the chance this year. I feel so bad for them.

But good news healing very nicely!

The spots that were frostbitten are healing??

 

[Kerry heatherington]

I took the heat bulb out of my roosters crash pad when i found his wattles encased in ice. A bout the size of a golf ball. I watched him and he was stretching up to the light and his breath was making moisture then he would sit back down with his head up and then do it again. I surmised that was causing the ice. normally he sits with his head kinda in his chest, I think that keeps the wattles warmish. I yake water out every few hours or so cause it frezes. My 2 leghorn ??? (look like the kellogs rooster) guys re out in the bbrr all the time I only close em in at night. Biggie Ethel has been frost bited I reckon as his wattles and comb have got black at the ends. doesnt seem to bother him, he still makes it to the house a coupletimes a day to come in the dog door and eat cruncjies and have a drink. his chum does the same. they sure seem happy, and chatty My girls are penned with a coop, they try to slepp under the coop and are outside most of the time too. It has gotten to -30 and -45 here, mosly around -26 ish Celsius. my first time with chickens and i know very little. they all seem pretty happy. I just keep piling the bedding on and have changed it twice this winter, it goes on the compost heap, and i throw poop around fer the grass when the spring melt comes ..

 

[Crooked Chicken]

I took the heat bulb out of my roosters crash pad when i found his wattles encased in ice. A bout the size of a golf ball. I watched him and he was stretching up to the light and his breath was making moisture then he would sit back down with his head up and then do it again. I surmised that was causing the ice. normally he sits with his head kinda in his chest, I think that keeps the wattles warmish. I yake water out every few hours or so cause it frezes. My 2 leghorn ??? (look like the kellogs rooster) guys re out in the bbrr all the time I only close em in at night. Biggie Ethel has been frost bited I reckon as his wattles and comb have got black at the ends. doesnt seem to bother him, he still makes it to the house a coupletimes a day to come in the dog door and eat cruncjies and have a drink. his chum does the same. they sure seem happy, and chatty My girls are penned with a coop, they try to slepp under the coop and are outside most of the time too. It has gotten to -30 and -45 here, mosly around -26 ish Celsius. my first time with chickens and i know very little. they all seem pretty happy. I just keep piling the bedding on and have changed it twice this winter, it goes on the compost heap, and i throw poop around fer the grass when the spring melt comes ..

Welcome to BYC Kerry!

 

[WhatAboutBob?]

All the ventilation in the world will not make up for horribly low temperatures. Chickens are flesh and bone and blood. Flesh and blood are subject to the same forces of nature like a pond of water is in cold weather. If it cold enough, exposed flesh will definitely freeze as well as a pond of water.

I will respectfully disagree. Flesh bone and blood have metabolism. Your analogy to a pond of water is wrong,plain and simply put. Keep them dry, active and well nourished. That is what it takes. A dry coop REQUIRES ventilation. I have a barn that was designed terribly by the former owners. Water comes off the metal roof and drains directly in the barn. There is a channel of water (now ice) under my coop. I elevated it when I built it to keep my birds dry. Tons of ventilation. So my “pond of Water” is a frozen block of ice, and my birds are healthy happy and laying in the UNHEATED COOP.

 

[Welshies]

I will respectfully disagree. Flesh bone and blood have metabolism. Your analogy to a pond of water is wrong,plain and simply put. Keep them dry, active and well nourished. That is what it takes. A dry coop REQUIRES ventilation. I have a barn that was designed terribly by the former owners. Water comes off the metal roof and drains directly in the barn. There is a channel of water (now ice) under my coop. I elevated it when I built it to keep my birds dry. Tons of ventilation. So my “pond of Water” is a frozen block of ice, and my birds are healthy happy and laying in the UNHEATED COOP.

TOTALLY agree. In -50F temps I NEVER shut up my coop completely (although I use much less ventilation than suggested simply because my coop is too big for the few birds I have and it's the Rocky Mountains). I only shut it up completely when I heat it... which, I only do when I have chicks.

 

[happyfrenchman]

I am impressed with the temperatures y'all are having to deal with...very difficult and challenging. It was 19 here in Ga. this morning and that is nothing compared to what you guys are working in. That is all I got. Stay warm.

 

[WhatAboutBob?]

I will respectfully disagree. Flesh bone and blood have metabolism. Your analogy to a pond of water is wrong,plain and simply put. Keep them dry, active and well nourished. That is what it takes. A dry coop REQUIRES ventilation. I have a barn that was designed terribly by the former owners. Water comes off the metal roof and drains directly in the barn. There is a channel of water (now ice) under my coop. I elevated it when I built it to keep my birds dry. Tons of ventilation. So my “pond of Water” is a frozen block of ice, and my birds are healthy happy and laying in the UNHEATED COOP.

Here is documentation of my rebuttal.

You can plainly see my frozen river/pool in the foreground with my coop in the back.

Here is my EE pulled Ethel saying "All is well".

 

[WhatAboutBob?]

Not bantering. Just documenting why the idea that the temp vs. ventilation idea, ie - chickens will freeze like a pond/water because they are flesh and bone - was inaccurately stated, as it was put forth earlier in this thread. If I was indelicate earlier, I apologize. Too many chicken lives and health are at risk in these frigid temps.

 

[Welshies]

Not bantering. Just documenting why the idea that the temp vs. ventilation idea, ie - chickens will freeze like a pond/water because they are flesh and bone - was inaccurately stated, as it was put forth earlier in this thread. If I was indelicate earlier, I apologize. Too many chicken lives and health are at risk in these frigid temps.

Chickens are actually super hardy Mine do fine in -50F temps.
Although ventilation (humidity and moisture) is the key factor in whether your flock gets frostbite or not.
And yes, chickens will freeze, whether or not they are in a pond. I've had experiences with my 11 week old chicks freezing their legs solid.
However, it always depends on climate. Individual experiences vary and we must keep that in mind