Help frostbite

[kent318]

I think my rooster has frostbite he has a lot of black on his comb and it is bloody he has blood on his feathers and is missing pieces of his comb.I have kept them in a coop and added 2 heat lamps and a electric heater have cocked the cracks and have a wooden door.I thought some animal got ahold of him till I noticed alot of black on the end of his comb he is such a pretty rooster I don't wan't to see him suffer.They are all kept in the coop at night the door is closed at dark and I haven't been opening it untill 10 or 11 am because the lows here have been vicous single digits and negitive 0 wind chills for over a week I don't really have an inside area for the rooster but I have a large dog pen I can put him in if I have to but Id like to figure out why my coop is so cold with all the heating appliances.Is it possibly because it is only like 12-14 in the daytime here now and they stay out from like 10 -5 should I keep theme in most of the time?Don't they need to get out and exercise and stuff?

 

[Pumpkinpup]

There isn't alot you can do after it is already frostbitten. Keep it clean and medicate with neosporin and keep him warm.
For future reference, a good hevy coat of A&D ointment on the comb and wattles before nightfall in cold weather will help reduce the chances of frostbite significantly.

 

[Chooksaurus]

Quote:
How's your ventilation? Caulking the cracks and sticking a heater in there without proper ventilation is just going to build up moisture and create more damage than if you let the temp drop with drier air.

 

[kent318]

Yeah we put triple antibiotic ointment on it and then I remmemberd someone saying to put vasoline on it for cold weather but I guess I was a little late will do tommarrow though I don't think I have any neosporin.Should I use it instead of that other stuff?For tonight he has the triple antibiotic on his comb and we are checking the heater in the coop every two hours if this don't help I think i'll bring him in he's such a sweet boy.I feel terrible I let this happen as I'm sure I should so I will educate myself further on coldweather and my birds.Does it get cold were you live like this? what do you do?And what are wattles?

 

[kent318]

There is quite a bit of airflow around the roof being it is only attached at the back with a couple of hinges and I just let it ride on top of the structure like that.The box is tight but the roof is not and the wooden door is very vented it is just cut out and if the water is to close to it it freezes even under the light but before I cocked it there was a lot of moustier like on the roof and walls and anywhere air was venting since I cocked it it is better but I didn't think it needed a vent with the secondhand construction.I used nice wood and all new materials it's not just some pile of sticks but I also know venting is important to comstruction do youthink I should put some kind of vent in if you need anymore info I would be glade to get it to you thanks for the reply.my deminsions are 6'highx4'widex5'long roughly.It is just a forced air space heater it has a setting for a pump room that is supposed to keep it at 45 degrees so it could be he got some mousture from the roof on his comb then got cold exspecially if he went outside.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

It is 12 degrees here at the moment. I always use the A&D ointment because it is a bit thicker that the vasoline and seems to insulate better. Wattles are the big red lobes that hang under the birds beak.
If you used triple antibiotic on his wounds that is very good, better than the neosporin actually. Anything to prevent infection.
He is going to run a fever in his comb and feel bad. He should be ok though. Depending on how severe the frostbite is, he will loose part of his comb.
I'm sorry you had to go through this

 

[kent318]

I'm just sorry my bird has to suffer.Thanks so much for the advice and knowledg and support I knew there was a reason I joined this forum.Thanks again will get the A&D tommarow at rural king.also gave them some tetracycline they had for a parisite to help them fend off infection I grew up on a small farm and know sometimes animals ligitamatly need antibiotics but do you think that is to much?Oh and same temp here by the way Southern Indiana.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

I don't think I'd give oral antibiotics at this time.
Make sure there are no drafts on the coop floor. A tiny vent near the eve is enough in this weather to prevent moisture buildup. If you need more help, pm me. I will do what I can to assist you

 

[wood&feathers]

Chooksaurus is from Wisconsin, that sounds pretty cold to me here in Kentucky!

We are also getting hit with a long arctic snap. My Rock/Orp mutt rooster is such a great guy. He loves his nightly rubdown and lets my 6 year old glop the petrolatum all over his comb and wattles. On the single digit nights he lets my 3 pullets hide behind (almost under!)him in his bay of the hutch. When I go to shut the door there is a moment of panic -ohno where are the chicks- until their heads pop up!

My guys have only a hutch full of deep 6"pine shavings for a roost at night. I used tar paper under the roof metal, on top of plywood, and have had no problems. The gal who gave me the roo had all her roosters in a covered run, outdoors in all but the coldest weather, and my guy just got a few tiny black spots last winter. It sounds like you may have a condensation problem.

 

[kent318]

Thanks so much.There was I'm sure some draft around the door so I used some cloth to sill it up for tonight and will get weatherstripping tommorrow they also have an abundance of straw but the floor floats over the frame of the floor so I can remove it for cleaning I always keep deep litter in it though do you think ythis is not sufficiant?I cannot find any drafts around the floor but will keep my eye on it he is staying under the light tonight the heater seems to think it is 45 degrees because it kicks on and off it knocked out a breaker last night though and I think he may have gotten it then that's why we been checking him every two hours and so he don't get worse.