Frostbitten combs...

[JodyJo]

So I live in southern Colorado where we have been in a deep freeze, my chickens were out the other day, in sub zero...but sunny...this was the result...anyone else have this happen, will the comb just die off?

Also I finally got a good shot of the one chicken I wasn't sure was a roo....what do you all think? Roo? I do believe so, for after I shot this, "it" crowed!!

And a group shot of most of them, all roos?

 

[nivtup]

The frostbite should heal on it own.

Yes they all look to be roosters.

 

[EweSheep]

Yep all of them are roos!

With the frost bitten combs, there is not much you can do about it. They will fall off eventually and they will be OK. His points will be a bit smaller than it was before. Just keep it dry and clean if possible so it would not get infected when it is healing.

 

[RockwaterFarm]

ya my rooster had magnifisant(?) spikes on his comb and they all got frost bitten and fell off. One of my hens has frostbite and my muscovies got it on their caruncles too. there's really nothing you ca do about it.

 

[eenie114]

Rub EVOO on the combs, it heals frostbite, I have no idea why.

 

[RockwaterFarm]

the problem with rubbing a cream or medication on the comb is that it will wash off or get dirty and make your chicken more prone to infection. I just leave mine alone. it heals up, gets tough, and doesn't get frostbiten the next winter.

 

[Heidi]

I was told you can rub vaseline on their combs and it helps prevent frostbite. Is there any truth to that? I've never tried as the only rooster I had was pea combed.

 

[EweSheep]

Lately I have been finding out Vaseline does not work too well when you have extreme temps. We all thought it would work but really, it does not for me on my poor roo.

 

[Chicklette 1]

Haven't seen any difference with or without vaseline and bag balm. The first cold snap we had, I noticed the spots on their combs but has been much less on each cold day since then. It does appear that they build up a tolerance to it. I had one that bled a little but it healed up just fine. It was scary when it first happened.....thought all their combs were going to fall off!!!

 

[elmo]

Quote:
Let me see if I can find the link, which is escaping me at the moment. I remember reading that they think it's actually the massaging of the comb when you put the Vaseline on, more than the Vaseline itself, that may help reduce frostbite. Massaging increases blood flow in the area massaged, and increased blood flow in the comb keeps it warmer.

So maybe we should all be giving our chickens head massages on cold nights, eh?