Looking for info on frostbite

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I rescued some battery leghorns this summer. Of course their combs are not Alberta winter friendly.
I put Vaseline on their combs and wattles. Their poop tray has sand and zeolite both to act as a desicant. Their water is in the run not the coop. I'm using dlm with dried grass, leaves and pine shavings. The roosts are flat 2x4s.

With all that about half of them have frostbite already.

I've applied the Vaseline on thicker. I have noticed that their combs are so large that they're dipping into the water when they drink.

Will the frostbite do them serious harm? Or will they just lose the tips of their combs?

What else might I be able to do to help them make it through the winter?
 
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I can try to get some other ones in daylight.
 
I would get some electic dog water bowls to plug in, and place something over the top to let them dip into to drink, while not letting the wattles or the combs down into. You will also need to keep those filled to the top daily. I put 2 of the 5 quart ones for 24 chickens. They will freeze wattles if they get wattles into them. Insulation may help with your coop, but they do need high overhead ventilation to help let out moisture which is the main cause of frostbite . Air circulation from one end of the coop to the other is necessary. Keep them free of direct drafts, perhaps by lowering roost. Moisture plus freezing temps equals frostbite. Many in northern climates keep chickens with smaller combs.
 
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Make sure your coop is well ventilated. But really, it won't do them too much harm to lose the tips of their combs. My pop had a rooster with an excessive comb that lost about half of it when he stayed out in a storm (wasn't the brightest!) And he didn't seem any worse for wear.
 
I would get some electic dog water bowls to plug in, and place something over the top to let them dip into to drink, while not letting the wattles or the combs down into. You will also need to keep those filled to the top daily. I put 2 of the 5 quart ones for 24 chickens. They will freeze wattles if they get wattles into them. Insulation may help with your coop, but they do need high overhead ventilation to help let out moisture which is the main cause of frostbite . Air circulation from one end of the coop to the other is necessary. Keep them free of direct drafts, perhaps by lowering roost. Moisture plus freezing temps equals frostbite. Many in northern climates keep chickens with smaller combs.
I would love to try the electric bowls, however I'm on solar power and can't really have something running all the time without draining the batteries too much.
I agree about the combs. Hence the reason I'm transitioning to buckeyes. They're much better suited to this climate.
 
I would love to try the electric bowls, however I'm on solar power and can't really have something running all the time without draining the batteries too much.
I agree about the combs. Hence the reason I'm transitioning to buckeyes. They're much better suited to this climate.
I'm from Ohio and learned about that breed earlier this year. They seem like great chickens for your climate, and they're a heritage breed to boot, originated by a woman in the 1800s. You'd be doing them a huge favor considering the breed is threatened.
 

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