Possible Frostbite

[MizzClucker]

New to BYC, and fairly new to chickens. I’ve been learning a lot through constant internet research.

I have 7 chickens; 5 Miller browns and 2 barred rocks. All are about 8 months old. It has been very cold up here in Canada for the last week or so. We have a heated, insulated coop with a heated waterer. They have been fairing pretty well in -40*C weather I think. Eating, laying, drinking etc. The coop has been staying about -12*C ish. Well my husband was trying to get the bobcat started last night and must have bumped the plug for my coop. So this morning there are no lights, no heat lamp, and frozen water with a temp of -25*C in the coop. Frozen and cracked eggs all in the bottom of the coop. I got it all going again but I noticed one of the flightey barred rocks has a couple of small white tips on her comb. She has the biggest comb. I’m assuming it’s frostbite, is there anything I can do for her? I don’t want to remove her as they haven’t yet sorted out their pecking order completely. She is also very hard to catch. Ideas?

 

[Welshies]

It is frostbite, but as long as it stays on the tip it is fine. Don't touch it. It may turn black and fall off. If it affects the whole comb, that's when you step in. It is -33°C here in Alberta, and my chickens are doing okay with minimal frostbite, except for my little chicks.

 

[MizzClucker]

We are also in Alberta. South of Calgary. I’m right sick of this deep freeze.

Thanks for your help. Do you heat your coop?

 

[MrsMistyReal]

Welcome aboard to BYC family gr8 people tons of information, loads of fun, enjoy

 

[Welshies]

We are also in Alberta. South of Calgary. I’m right sick of this deep freeze.

Thanks for your help. Do you heat your coop?

Nope, although right now I have a heat lamp out for my adults and brought 5 frozen chicks inside. Usually though they are as hardy as can be!

 

[MizzClucker]

Nope, although right now I have a heat lamp out for my adults and brought 5 frozen chicks inside. Usually though they are as hardy as can be!

What kind of waterer do you have. The one I have and paid $50 for I absolutely loathe.

 

[Welshies]

What kind of waterer do you have. The one I have and paid $50 for I absolutely loathe.

I provide them with snow (in case my waterer craps out, they can eat it). Some even choose it over the water which I find funny. But they do always have a heated dog waterer available- works like a charm!

 

[MizzClucker]

So upon tucking my ladies in for the night in -44 degree weather, I noticed all have a bit of white. Very minimal though. My other barred rock with a floppy comb seems to be the worst now. But she is low on the pecking order, and doesn’t like to roost with the others under the lamp.

Anywho, I’m noticing that 4 out of 7 of my chickens have two ruffled patches directly above their wings. Same spot on all of them. Because my lights didn’t come on this morning at 5am (I manually turned them on at 7:30) could it have sent them into a molt? We have only owned chickens since September so I don’t know what molting looks like. Any ideas on what else it could be?

 

[MizzClucker]

I provide them with snow (in case my waterer craps out, they can eat it). Some even choose it over the water which I find funny. But they do always have a heated dog waterer available- works like a charm!

Do you find they are always scratching shavings and poo and stuff into it? When I leave the waterer on the ground they have it jammed up with crud within hours with all of their crazy scratching.

They always have access to snow but refuse to put one toe in it. Therefore they haven’t been to the stock waterer to drink.

 

[Welshies]

Do you find they are always scratching shavings and poo and stuff into it? When I leave the waterer on the ground they have it jammed up with crud within hours with all of their crazy scratching.

They always have access to snow but refuse to put one toe in it. Therefore they haven’t been to the stock waterer to drink.

Spreading hay across snow can help them move around. Mine had to be pushed out to learn to walk on the snow but do fine just now. This morning it was -32° and they decided it would be a dandy time to go run around! I was like NOPE lol.
Use something to raise it above shaving level... or, you can try to invest in a hanging poultry nipple waterer.