Rooster Combs vs Jack Frost

[rsleghornchicki]

Winter is really close. im worried about my leghorn rooster named Seneca Crain. his comb is really big and i want to keep it like that. so i can show him next year. any thoughts?

 

[rsleghornchicki]

hello?

 

[samidodamage]

I live in Georgia so my winters are probably spring for you. Also, I don't show my birds, but know people who do. They use petroleum jelly on the combs to help prevent the discoloration from frostbite.

 

[centrarchid]

Large single combs are more of a challenge in extreme climates like provided by South Dakota.

Keep ambient humidity low by providing adequate ventilation. As always recommended block direct wind which if housing is indoors that will cover. Reduce cold stress during day by allowing rooster to walk on surfaces that are poor conducters of heat like wood or dry straw. If electricity present and reliable consider use of a heat lamp placed near roost but be aware of added fire risk and affects on utility bill.

I supply adult birds with a relatively constant but restricted supply of nutritients like protein, vitamins and minerals but vary the energy cominng from carbohydrates and fats. When it gets cold I up the amount of scratch and BOSS (black-oil sunflower seeds) offered in evening since as temperature drops, energy needs for keeping warm increase. I also check roosting birds at night for crop fill, ideally a food will still be in crop until at least midnight, to ensure they have plenty of fuel for furnace all night. Try to make so all addtional scratch consumed before birds go to roost otherwise scratch may make up too much of overall intake. If a bird gets sick or injured, it greatly increases odds of getting frostbite.

Finally, if keeping birds for show, then keep more than one as insurance against issues like frostbite that does not effect all.