Frostbitten combs-what can I do?

[wischickenlover]

I feel like the worst chicken mama in the world right now. Two of my roos that hatched last summer have frostbitten combs! It does get very cold here, but our coop in enclosed enough, that usually the body heat from our 64 chickens keeps the coop fairly tolerable. We only heat it when it gets extremely cold at night. I checked the girls and my other two roos, and their combs are fine. Just my two youngest (mille fleur banties) that have this problem. I feel awful-they had such gorgeous combs! I'm almost in tears here. I know the damage is done, but what can I do for them now? Any advice will be appreciated!

Thanks,
Tiffany

 

[Crazy4Chicks]

i hope someone gives you an awswer soon - I am having the same poblem here with my little banty roo - the only thing I have done so far is put neosporin on the black spots and at night I have been putting chap-stick on it hoping the beeswax will help.

Good luck

Julie

 

[Smitty's Farm]

You may want to post this in the emergency sect. It's my first winter with chickens so I've been worried about the same thing. I don't know what to do if damage is already done. Maybe bring them inside where it is warm. Next cold snap coat their combs and wattles with vasaline to help protect them. I hope someone with more knowledge responds. You are not a bad chicken mama. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[dlhunicorn]

Treat the frostbitten combs as you would a burn... depending on the extent of the damage the areas may need to be treated with neosporin.

 

[wischickenlover]

OK, I guess I will try the neosporin and the vaseline tonight when they go to roost.....but why only those two out of all the chickens? Just thought that was kind of strange.

 

[SandraChick]

Are they the ones with the largest combs?

Often, those with larger combs will get it wet while drinking...then it freezes. Vasoline will help...but the real problem is the water. Anyway you can modify the waterer so they can't touch the water with their combs?

Sandra

 

[SHELLY]

I have read about the vasaline several times while getting ready for winter. I've been wanting to ask this question...

How often do you need to apply it?

 

[wischickenlover]

No, actually, they aren't the ones with the largest comes-strangely enough. I just can't figure it out. We have a standard BR roo, but he doesn't have any frostbite-just the two banty roos. Weird indeed

 

[dlhunicorn]

A common reason for frostbite is that the combs have gotten water on them somehow... perhaps from the waterer... the exposure of the water on the combs to the frigid temps will cause the frostbite.

 

[mosier]

How can you tell if a comb is frostbitten? And how low of temps should it be to use vasoline on their combs? Mine three hens have been down to -3F temps and seem to be fine....but maybe I'm missing something.