Frostbite

[Feathers4Fun2]

We have just come out of an unprecedented cold snap. My flock came through the low temps relatively unscathed. My main rooster has a dark edge on its right wattle. I believe the dark edge to be evidence of a slight case of frostbite. Here is a couple of pictures. Is my diagnosis of frostbite correct? Thank you for your analysis.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

For sure it is. Very superficial though. He won’t be losing a body part there. Still stings though I’m sure. Will heal up nicely.

These wattles here got a tidge more nipped.

 

[Feathers4Fun2]

Wow! Thanks for the head shot. I'd say more than a tidge, is that the result of an overnight event or a longer stretch? We reached a -3 degrees F and stayed below 32 degrees F for about 72 hours. Down here in the underbelly of the deep south it is very unusual to reach such low temps. Our cold snap here would probably have been a welcome spring day for ya'll. Thanks for the picture. We can all look for warmer days ahead.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Ha. Yes more than a tidge. It was a winter of -20 F belows almost every morning. About 6 years ago. This was our first rooster.
But this winter we had 2 weeks of -25 and I have a Welsummer rooster that looks the same right now. Dipping into the water fount then that fridgedness around Christmas and New Years. Wattles don't have a chance with those temps. But after this dubbing is done we don't have to worry for subsequent winters no matter the temps. They are race ready. A little more aerodynamic. We had a mild winter last year and he got just a bit of the superficial duskiness that yours has there. Very little affected. But not so lucky this winter. It sucked the wind out of him a little bit too. He didn't want to roost for me and a little bedraggled. I worried a bit about him. But I brought him up for mini warm ups at the house and scrambled egg to give a boost nutritionally I hoped. Spiked his water with some electrolyte and probiotics. I think we've got him through the worst and just a matter of the eschars dropping. It's a tough process but they pull through it.