Rooster with frostbite concerns

[KobeFarms]

My 8 month old Bielefelder rooster has frostbite. Theres no doubt. Wattle and comb are turning black. We've had over a week of below freezing temps and many days below 20 degrees. I struggled to keep water from freezing and probably made the mistake of placing water in their coop, therefore causing humidty etc and resulting in the frostbite. My concern though is his feathers. He looks like hes molting but hes too young for that. He looks as if hes lost half his body weight. He has no bald spots but hes covered in fluff instead of his usual feathers. Is this a result of the frostbite or could it be dehydration? Should I worry? Warmer temps are headed this way and we should have a week of 40-60 degree temps but itll be raining. Ive rain guarded the coop/run to keep mud to a minimum and keep food dry. Bedding is fresh and dry and I added hot water to dethaw any frozen water in their water jug system. Anyway, just wondering if I should do anything more.

 

[Sally PB]

That sounds like more than just frostbite. Can you post some pictures of him?

Also, what do you feed, including any treats?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Pictures please?

 

[KobeFarms]

That sounds like more than just frostbite. Can you post some pictures of him?

Also, what do you feed, including any treats?

He gets a 16% protein layer feed with added Omega 3s and oyster shell. As far as treats usually mealworms and bugs.

 

[Eggcessive]

That is pretty severe frostbite. He will surely have a small comb and wattles later on. Do you have another rooster, or could he have been feather picked recently by the other chickens? I suspect he has been kept from food and water if he has lost weight. Or he could he suddenly gone into a stress molt if he has not been getting food or water. I’m no expert, but just making suggestions. Can you describe your coop and set up? Are they out of the wind inside the coop with some room overhead for air circulation?

 

[MysteryChicken]

That doesn't look like any frostbite I've seen. This is what it looks like at the severest. The tissue has died.

 

[MysteryChicken]

That diet isn't great for roosters/cockerels, or none laying chickens in general.

 

[KobeFarms]

That is pretty severe frostbite. He will surely have a small comb and wattles later on. Do you have another rooster, or could he have been feather picked recently by the other chickens? I suspect he has been kept from food and water if he has lost weight. Or he could he suddenly gone into a stress molt if he has not been getting food or water. I’m no expert, but just making suggestions. Can you describe your coop and set up? Are they out of the wind inside the coop with some room overhead for air circulation?

No other rooster. 7 hens and my 1 boy. 2 of my hens have bare spots from his spurs. I wonder if they are pecking at him? Run is 10 feet wide and 20 feet long. Coop is the medium sized OverEz coop. Has two roosting bars, 3 nesting boxes but not sure of the exact dementions. Coop sits at the back of the run but they have the ability to go all around and under it. I keep the run tarped over the coop always and then during the rain times I tarp the other half so their food stays dry and it minmizes the mud since they have pecked all the grass down to just dirt. Stress molt is possible due to the water constantly freezing and me having trouble keeping it thawed. Food has been abundant for them so I think hes eating ok. I did notice he was in the coop away from the hens earlier which is unusual for him.

 

[Eggcessive]

His diet is pretty much what most feed when they have a layer flock with a rooster. You also can feed an all flock 21% feed, but you would need to make sure the hens have access to crushed oyster shell for the extra calcium that layer has.

 

[KobeFarms]

His diet is pretty much what most feed when they have a layer flock with a rooster. You also can feed an all flock 21% feed, but you would need to make sure the hens have access to crushed oyster shell for the extra calcium that layer has.

I keep extra oyster shell for them now but I do want to go up to a 21% feed