Help with frostbite!

[chickenpooplady]

I went out to the coop this morning and found that my rooster has frostbite on his comb. It has been really cold here for the last few days but the chickens stay mostly inside of the coop. I just put fresh straw down and there is plenty of ventilation. It does not look too bad but I covered it with Vaseline anyway. I was touching it and he didn't seem to be in pain. My biggest fear is that the part of the comb that has frostbite on it will die and fall off. Will this happen? Here are some pictures. Thanks!

 

[fintuckyfarms]

I doesn't look too bad, looks like you caught it in time and are doing everything right. If it turns completely black you could have problems but I don't think so looking at the picts.

 

[iheartMT]

That is exactly what will happen. You'll notice the color of the frostbitten part start to change and eventually it will blacken and fall off. The Vaseline is a preventative measure and will make no difference now on the frostbitten part. A few of my RIR got frostbite on the tips of their combs earlier this winter. A bit painful, but shouldn't affect his overall health.

 

[chickenboy190]

My chicken has frostbite. It looks like it is all over her comb and it even looks like it might be on her wattles. iheartMT, her whole comb wouldn't fall off would it?

 

[flockanuts]

My poor roo has frostbite on the tips of his comb. When I went out to the coop this morning, apparently a couple of the tips had fallen off and he was bleeding quite a bit. Blood splatters everywhere!!! I was able to catch him (first time) and he quietly let me wipe his comb off and apply some medicated ointment. I just don't know what else to do for him. Do you think he would tolerate a bandage on his comb??? What do you guys advise I do?

 

[iheartMT]

Chicken boy, I'm not sure since mine only frostbit the tips. I would suspect that if the whole comb is frostbitten, most of it will fall off. You may check some other resources online for more information.

Flockanuts, I would leave him be. Make sure he's not getting pecked at, and if he is be sure to separate him so it doesn't get worse. I wouldn't bother with a bandage, but keep up with the vaseline/ointment so it doesn't keep bleeding.

Good luck to you both! Anyone else have any other advice?

 

[chickenboy190]

Okay thanks! I just hope she will be okay.

 

[chickenpooplady]

After I put my rooster back into the coop I saw how he got frostbite. When he drinks he dunks his entire head in the water.

No wonder!

 

[Burgess]

I had a boer goat that used to look down when he peed. Why?, I don't know he was a very strange stubborn Billy goat. But he stopped doing that that first winter! I hope you all have luck with the frostbite. I live pretty far south, and I am hoping that I don’t have to worry about my girls. Could you put something in the coop that would keep it above freezing? Say put a 60 or 100W incandescent bulb up on the ceiling to shine down and give them some heat?

 

[chickys mama]

My Leghorn rooster, Foghorn has terrible frostbite on his wattles and his comb. I just read about putting neo or vasaline on him which I'll do in the morning. I don't understand why he wouldn't go inside his house, he's been sleeping on top of it. Tonight I put him inside and blocked the door so he couldn't get out till morning. I also found one of my hens dead, I'm assuming she froze to death. Again i don't know why she wasn't inside her house last nite. I feel terrible about my chickys being in the unusually cold air but they have 4 houses of various sizes to get inside of. Each one had plenty of hay inside and there's plenty of room. I have 2 roosters and now 6 hens.