Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[Lacy Blues]

You put him down for a little frostbite? They just stay swollen for a few days and then the dead tissue dries up and is gone.

It was more than a little frostbite. His wattles were already swollen when the wind changed directions one night and blew from the east (the only open window in the coop) and his wattles and throat both swelled up. The poor boy was miserable and I dare say that his brain was addled with pain as that day, he stood out in the cold wind all day. He was very very weak when I found him. I couldn't bear to see him suffering so badly and though it really hurt me to do it, I did it for his sake.

 

[3riverschick]

You put him down for a little frostbite? They just stay swollen for a few days and then the dead tissue dries up and is gone.

Thanks for this Neils ! My breeding schedule is out the widow. So very cold here. Struggled up to 17 degrees today and now plunging again. Have given up asking for eggs, tho some are still laying. Just trying to pull them thru this without too much damage. My main cockerel (Knight And Day) is badly frostbitten, sigh. I was wondering how this'll play out. I will wait and see how he heals. Once it warms up again, any suggestions to help him heal? Guess I will be using his brother, Tux, for the early breeding season. Winter cold is expected to last here till end of March, sigh. Unfortunately looks like I will be hatching into May. I don't have facilities to brood in the cold weather.
Best,
Karen

 

[Lacy Blues]

Karen, on another thread I'm on, they've been talking about the frostbite. It seems that Castor Oil really helps them heal up rather quickly and reduces loss on the combs and wattles. Massage it onto the comb and wattles and any other affected areas. Repeat every couple days.

 

[hellbender]

Thanks for this Neils ! My breeding schedule is out the widow. So very cold here. Struggled up to 17 degrees today and now plunging again. Have given up asking for eggs, tho some are still laying. Just trying to pull them thru this without too much damage. My main cockerel (Knight And Day) is badly frostbitten, sigh. I was wondering how this'll play out. I will wait and see how he heals. Once it warms up again, any suggestions to help him heal? Guess I will be using his brother, Tux, for the early breeding season. Winter cold is expected to last here till end of March, sigh. Unfortunately looks like I will be hatching into May. I don't have facilities to brood in the cold weather.
Best,
Karen

KenAg Udder Cream is what I have used for decades on my goats and cock's combs. It works wonders to heal already frostbitten tissue but it is best when used to prevent the problem. I also use it on my hands and face, it has a very pleasant scent, is not greasy and works miracles...in my opinion. For instance, if you have chaffed hands, instant relief is felt when it is applied.

Just throwing this out there and I own no stock in the company.

 

[Apdeb]

Karen use vetricyn on frostbite it might save his comb you should see the chicken chicks roo hes a new hamp she put vetricyn comb all red again white gone The frostbite messes with their fertility

 

[Beekissed]

Karen, on another thread I'm on, they've been talking about the frostbite. It seems that Castor Oil really helps them heal up rather quickly and reduces loss on the combs and wattles. Massage it onto the comb and wattles and any other affected areas. Repeat every couple days.

Ditto that. I used it on some large combed roosters this year that had already shown white and black point tips and it cleared those right up. No losses of tissue and blood supply restored.

Used it on a deep wound on my cat the other day also that wasn't showing signs of healing up for over a month...within a couple of days there was marked improvement and he could put weight back on that leg. Now the wound is healing quickly and he's getting muscle mass back in that hip, able to bear weight and no more foul odor to that wound.

It not only provides some protection, but it is also an antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent that soothes pain and speeds regrowth of skin, scale and hair.

 

[Vamvakas]

I learned the old school European way and let mother nature take its course, my Australorp rooster has abit black on the points but nothing serious and his comb is warm when I touch it. I don't think it's worth killing a rooster when you might think it's bad but a lot of people jump to conclusion and say "cull it".. Americans are so paranoid at anything.. Just stop..

 

[LindaB220]

Nature doesn't give a rat's ptooey about politics ---- me either for that matter

The Earth isn't static, it is ever changing. Tectonic plates move, the poles and polarity shift, sea levels rise and fall, climate changes, species come and go. We deal with it or we don't. That's life on earth.

Best thing I've heard today. You should have this in your signature.

 

[Beekissed]

Actually, if I had several roosters of the same breed and only one developed bad frost bite issues, I'd cull him simply for the inability to maintain behaviors or cardiac sufficiency, on level with the others of his breed, to prevent frost bite. I put this down to hardiness of the breed/chicken and I make no apologies for culling for that trait, particularly where I live. Never had to cull a bird for frostbite yet but I can see valid reasons for doing so that even go beyond prevention of suffering.

 

[LindaB220]

So, it's cold in the south.
There's also record heat in Australia, Africa and even record highs in Alaska and California. Not to mention drought in CA.

Global warming doesn't nor ever did mean that it wouldn't be cold in places (or record cold for that matter)

It's GLOBAL warming - not LOCAL warming.
Global means, the average surface temperature around the globe, not around your neighborhood. If it's cold where you live, that is what's called anecdotal evidence, not scientific.
The past year was the 4th warmest year GLOBALLY, since records began in 1880.
The annual global combined land and ocean surface temperature was 0.62°C (1.12°F) above the 20th century average of 13.9°C (57.0°F). This marks the 37th consecutive year (since 1976) that the yearly global temperature was above average. Currently, the warmest year on record is 2010, which was 0.66°C (1.19°F) above average.

While 1 degree seems inconsequential, it is cumulative.
As some say when speaking of debt - 'a million here, a million there, pretty soon you're talking real money'.
9 of the 10 warmest years in the 134-year period of record have occurred in the 21st century. Only one year during the 20th century—1998—was warmer than 2013.

According to NOAA (some may choose to ignore since NOAA is comprised of scientists that have all the measurement tools) ~~ the 10 warmest years on record:
Rank Warmest Period of Record: 1880–2013
2010
2005
1998
2013
2003
2002
2006
2009
2007
2004

That concerns me but I'm more of a data person than an anecdotal evidence person.
Just sayin'.

I really had no idea about these facts. Good post.