Is frostbite avoidable without electric heating? Should I add heat to my coop?

[Ponypoor]

My humidity readers arrived late last night and I have two of them, so my question is this: where in the coop do I place them? They will stick to the wall. @StinkyAcres said I should put one outside to compare %, so I will do that. Does it matter where outside I put it?

Place the meter in the centre of your coop - if you have to hang it do so.

Placing it on the walls could give a false reading as any condensation from the walls could affect it.

 

[RoyalChick]

Vaseline the combs and wattles. Mushers Secret works well too. It's kinda like Vaseline, but thicker.

Do research on this before using vaseline. I have looked into this and many scientific sources will strongly advise against using vaseline or anything similar.

 

[Ponypoor]

So at about 3:00pm I checked the humidity % both outside and in the coop, and inside the coop it was 94%, which seems high, except that outside it was 99%. It has been raining a bunch this last week, so the humidity has been in the high 90's outside. My logic says that no coop with airflow could get too much lower than the outside air, so I thought 94% was pretty good considering the situation. The coop/shavings do not feel wet, nor is there any condensation on anything. I keep all my food and water outside the coop. Should I be worried about these numbers? I can check again when they are all sleeping, if that would help.

If you have had rain then yes expect the reading to be elevated.

 

[RoyalChick]

Good luck with your chooks, oh and absolutely do not use Vaseline or oil on their combs and wattles - it will act as a barrier to prevent moisture from escaping the skin and will cause frost bite. This has been studied in northern climates and shown to be detrimental to skins integrity. Keep them dry and out of drafts!

Yes. This. I have seen a number of studies confirming that vaseline or oil increases the risk of frostbite

 

[Ponypoor]

Do research on this before using vaseline. I have looked into this and many scientific sources will strongly advise against using vaseline or anything similar.

Yes this is so, I read a study (did you send me the link?) that the Norwegian military did on the use of creams, oils etc on skin and frost bite.

The oils etc, causes skin to remain moist and increased the likelihood of frost bite.

Keep everything dry, and out of drafts etc.

 

[RoyalChick]

Yes this is so, I read a study (did you send me the link?) that the Norwegian military did on the use of creams, oils etc on skin and frost bite.

The oils etc, causes skin to remain moist and increased the likelihood of frost bite.

Keep everything dry, and out of drafts etc.

Yes. I read about the military (Norway or Finland) and it was pretty compelling not to use ‘ointments’.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Place the meter in the centre of your coop - if you have to hang it do so.

Placing it on the walls could give a false reading as any condensation from the walls could affect it.

I cant do that because it is impossible to hang it. It is made to stick onto a wall. I do have it out of direct drafts and at perch level. Thats the best I could do.

 

[Ponypoor]

Yes. This. I have seen a number of studies confirming that vaseline or oil increases the risk of frostbite

Northern climates - we know all about frost bite - ow very painful just thinking about it makes my cheeks, fingers and toes ache….. (or maybe it just that I was out digging out of 40cm of snow hahaha).

@ChickenShepherd_6116 you have a lovely coop design, I think you have a combination of a damp climate and some condensation going on, a Sweeter Heater will help keep delicate combs/wattles warmed up, and help dry them also. Next year think about adding some insulation to help prevent condensation m cold walls, and you can also look at getting a fan to vent air outside, like you would have in the bathroom, this will help pull any moist air from inside and get rid of it.

Don’t we all just love miserable weather?! Rain snow cold - all are four letter words!

 

[Ponypoor]

I cant do that because it is impossible to hang it. It is made to stick onto a wall. I do have it out of direct drafts and at perch level. Thats the best I could do.

Attach it to a piece of 2x2 or 2x4 and use that to position it in the middle.

The things we do for our pets!!!

 

[Ponypoor]

Yes. I read about the military (Norway or Finland) and it was pretty compelling not to use ‘ointments’.

I do not put hand cream on before I go out to do chores - I have found it keeps my fingers moist and I tell you grabbing a metal barn door handle with bare hands is just stupid - owwww!

The one thing with have found with the chooks is that they can handle the cold better than the heat. At 25C they start getting heated up, of course it’s also very humid here in summer.

The temps I have found that they are good with, range from -3C to about 20C. Any hotter or colder and they start become stressed; of course as with everyone individuals handle it differently, and age also plays a part. Then add in breed and it gets complicated. My Silkies do poorly in the heat, but they do ok in the cold as long as no snow, rain or wind.