frotbite treatments

[Harli50]

What do you usualy use on frostbite??

 

[CMV]

To prevent frostbite Vaseline/Bag Balm is used. If the ointment failed to prevent it then I generally clean affected areas with iodine and let them heal on their own. The iodine prevents infection and helps the areas dry up, wither and fall off sooner. If any birds get frostbite then I look at their environment to figure out why they got it in the first place. A clean, vented, dry coop should not allow for frostbite. It still happens on occasion due to factors beyond our control, but it is often caused by conditions that can be remedied.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[LesGan]

CMV - I see that you are in New Hampshire. Do your chickens not get frostbite in a clean, dry, well ventilated house EVEN if the temps in the house go below freezing? How low can the temp get in the house without a problem of frostbite? I am in AL and when temps get into the teens and single digits I worry about mine. Thanks.

 

[CMV]

I have had birds in -25 degree temps and not gotten frostbite. Last winter I had a bird get frostbite in temps around 0 degrees, but it was related to his wattles dipping into the waterer when he drank. He lost about 2/3 of his wattles to it. His comb was fine, though. (I also keep just the cold-hardy breeds with small combs and wattles, as a rule.)

As long as the coop is dry and well-vented the chances of getting frostbite are slim. Moisture is more of a problem than cold in regards to frostbite.

 

[psimons2004]

Quote:
Meeeeee toooo! I'm in Wyoming and this is a huge worry. I have all cold hardy breeds, but I still get really worried... Tonight the standing temp is 4 below and the windchill well below that. They are in a coop and with two heat lamps and extra straw, I can keep it about 30 degrees.... (right close to the lamps). Is that enough? I have a dozen or so and I know they cuddle... Is there a general range where birds start to freeze to death???

 

[Linn Bee]

Mine went through -25 with no problems as well. It was the -30 that got a few of the larger combs. I wouldn't worry about frostbite until the temps were going down near -30. I've never tried the suggestion of Vaseline or bag balm. Of the several dozen chickens I had only a very few were frostbitten.

Love, Linn B (aka Smart Red) Gardening zone 5a - 4b in south-est, central-est Wisconsin

 

[laseterlass]

The tips of the combs on a few of my BOs frosted at -15 last month. The coop is well ventilated and only partial insulated. I tried the vaseline thing. It caused them to peck at one another. I would rather have a little frostbite on combs than hens killing one another.