Identifying frostbite on ducks and geese feet

[Miss Lydia]

I have 2 Muscovy who have had frost bite on the knob of flesh at top of Bill it did heal okay but the skin now is very thin and if they rub it or hit it, it can break open my female wore blue kote for about a month once when she opened hers up on some hardware cloth, it’s the only med I could get to stay on any length of time they have their heads in buckets so much.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Giving them a place to stay out of the weather is a must with some type of bedding for warmth no water they can climb into and possibility have the water freeze around them. They may not choose during the day to go into their house to get out of the weather but they will lay on their feet and legs to keep them warm at night when temps drop or plummet is when they need protection from the elements and predators .

 

[Goose_Goose]

Giving them a place to stay out of the weather is a must with some type of bedding for warmth no water they can climb into and possibility have the water freeze around them. They may not choose during the day to go into their house to get out of the weather but they will lay on their feet and legs to keep them warm at night when temps drop or plummet is when they need protection from the elements and predators .

I have them in their house at night but let them out in the morning. During the day it is still cold and I am afraid they'll get frostbite on their feet

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don’t think they will they have enough sense to lay on their feet mine do.

 

[chickens really]

I have them in their house at night but let them out in the morning. During the day it is still cold and I am afraid they'll get frostbite on their feet

Why?...On deep snow?

 

[sourland]

I don’t think they will they have enough sense to lay on their feet mine do.

They generally lay down on their bellies and tuck their feet into their feathers. In the hidden recesses of my brain, I think I remember reading about some sort of heat exchange mechanism in their blood vessels that protects against frozen feet. Anyone know anything about that ? @Miss Lydia , I too have had muscovies with frost bitten caruncles.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I read that too about the blood vessels in their feet @sourland. I think the only way for waterfowl yo get frost bitten feet and legs would yo be frozen in water.

 

[Goose_Goose]

I read that too about the blood vessels in their feet @sourland. I think the only way for waterfowl yo get frost bitten feet and legs would yo be frozen in water.

Okay thank you I just worry too much about them.

 

[learycow]

Not true at all. I've gotten ducks (muscovy and calls) over the years that weren't properly cared for and ended up with frost bitten feet. So it is definitely possible.
It can happen just from being outside in the cold and snow, or even in a coop for the night with inadequate bedding to snuggle and warm up in.

But if you can provide warm well bedded coops and keep them out of water in extreme cold, they are usually smart enough to keep their feet warm otherwise. As mentioned you'll see them rotate the foot they stand on while they warm the other in their feathers.