How to keep my chickens combs from freezing?

[Patches The Hen]

Hi,

I really need to know any tips on how keep my roosters and some hens combs from getting frostbite. It looks very painful, the comb turns black, then white, and then falls off. It happened last year so I want to prevent it from happening to my chickens this year. It is just starting to freeze where I live so please don't hesitate to answer quickly.

Thanks for your advice!

 

[kimmypie]

I don't have chickens yet but from what I've read here your coop needs to have a lot of ventilation to keep the air dry in the winter. Also, a little bit of vaseline on their combs. I'm not an expert though and I hope someone more knowledgable responds.

 

[Patches The Hen]

My coop is well ventilated.

Oh, good idea

I just wonder if the other chickens would peck at it or not....

Thank you so much!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Ventilation, which are vents at the top of the coop, either through the roof or just under the roof, at the highest point, to let out humidity.

Frostbite is primarily caused by condensation, moisture which "frosts" on the comb and wattles. A dry coop rarely experiences frost bite, even at -30F.

 

[Frenchchickens123]

I used vaseline on my too last year and it does seem to help although it didn't get that cold last year maybe minus 10 degrees max but the comb wasn't so blue with it

 

[Patches The Hen]

Fred's Hens :

Ventilation, which are vents at the top of the coop, either through the roof or just under the roof, at the highest point, to let out humidity.

Frostbite is primarily caused by condensation, moisture which "frosts" on the comb and wattles. A dry coop rarely experiences frost bite, even at -30F.

Thank you very much for the info

My coop is ventilated like you described.

 

[Beekissed]

I used to just rake out my coop every other day, even in the winter time, to dispose of waste. Wooden floor, old wooden chicken house with huge cracks between the walls, etc. Great ventilation going on. The first year here I had frostbitten combs and wattles on the roo and a few of the hens. I used vaseline that year and it did nothing to help the situation.

The following year I tried deep litter for the winter and no frost bite. Same chickens, actually more severe weather conditions, same ventilation and I'm sure the humidity went up a good bit with the use of the deep litter. Judging by these results, I'm not sure the humidity was a factor in the frostbite on my chickens and now the lack thereof.

Deep litter has been used every year here since then and I've had no frostbite at all, the coop seems much warmer on windy and snowy days and the chickens have something to do, something to snuggle down into and my coop smells better when I just raked out the dry and frozen droppings every other day. I free range, so the droppings in the coop are only the ones produced mostly at night on the roost.

 

[toochicky]

So, random dumb question.. Couldn't you make a comb warmer? I have seen chicken saddles and diapers... Does someone make comb warmers? Like a glove but for the comb that you could tie on their head in the winter?

 

[Patches The Hen]

Quote:
It's worth a try anway!

Thank you for your help!

 

[UrbanFarmerGreg]

I vote for the comb warmer.... like a winter hat that you'd have for your kids, only for your chickens... Everybody wears a toque (pronounced toook for the non french) up here in Canada, so why not for your chickens...?