New Roo has FROSTBITE! Help.

[operator16]

Last month I bought a tiny OEGB Roo at the Stock Show. We live in Colorado and I asked the owner if he needed special care or housing since he is so much smaller than my 12 big girls. He said it would be helpful if I have a heat lamp at night.

I do have a cozy coop with 3 lights actually (I know many folks are cursing me now)... It has 2x4 roosts that are laid flat so their toes stay warm. I have deep bedding and heated water... etc... etc...

My little guy has gotten frostbite on each tip of his little comb and it seems to be getting worse by the night. We did have a few -20 nights last week but I keep a temp guage in there and it stayed in the 30s. I know some of the gals let him roost right next to them.

I'm worried about his comb. It's got black tips now and the remainder of the points all the way down to the main part of the meaty comb are inflamed, and kind of translucent pink. OUCH!!! I put Vaseline on his comb every couple days and the last three I've been pasting it up with triple action antibiotics.

He seems in good spirits and is eating, making a lot of noise, drinking, and running to me to hold him when he sees me.

Is there anything else I should do?? Poor guy. Here is a pic of him before I froze his head...

 

[BrianT]

I'm no expert but he seems to be dealing with it pretty well. My OEGB roo got som on the tips of his comb but they healed. I would just watch for signs of infection. They seem to be pretty tough animals.

 

[MattalynsBarn]

QUICK!! Put Vaseline on it!!!! ASAP

 

[ailurophile23]

My rooster had something similar happen - it has been one heck of a cold, windy winter here and his comb became frost-bitten on the tips. I think a lot of it is because the chickens prefer to be outside even on the cold, windy days. The real problem for our roo began when the hens decided to peck at the black tips and spots - major blood bath in the coop and the run (all of it from his comb). We isolated the roo and tried cleaning the wounds with betadine, bluekote, and antibiotic cream but infection set in. Had to resort to four days of penicillin shots which solved the infection quickly and we left him isolated a while longer to encourage healing of the tips. It took a couple of tries to re-introduce him to the hens but by the third try he had had enough of their pecking and he re-asserted himself as top of the flock. The tips of his comb look great as the weather gets above 30 and then redevelop some black when we have yet another windy, cold snap. I am hopeful that the coming warm days will clear up his comb completely. Good luck with your roo!