Show Birds and Frostbite

[LilJoe]

Is there a better way to prevent frostbite on show birds other than Vaseline?

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

Answer: Yes! Your coop isn't apparently warm enough at night. Here is what we do.

The coop has two separate parts, mainly because it's big. If you have a small coop, it's not necessary. I keep an eye on the weather, and pretty much when it gets below the twentys, I have a heat lamp that hangs about two feet above the roost, that I turn on. Works great! Haven't had any frostbite at all. There is a wood door that works as the divider, and there is a hole just large enough for the chickens to go through, to keep the heat in there. I don't know what you keep our Chickens in, but even if they are in cages, just put the cages in a place where you can turn a light on. I understand a lot of coops don't have electricity in them, so in that case, you could either run a cord, or do big project and insulate. Our chicken coop isn't insulated.

 

[LilJoe]

I, too, have a large, two part coop. But, I don't use heat lamps in my coop unless I have chicks, do to the fire risks.

 

[getaclue]

Heat is less of a requirement than moisture control. Be sure there is adequate ventilation.

 

[LilJoe]

There is ventilation. Six windows on each side are covered with plexiglass, but there is a large vent/window on each side. Plus ventilation in the middle/storage area.

 

[BantyChooks]

@duluthralphie lives in MN & shows single combed birds. He keeps combs whole by spending a truckload on electricity.

 

[Abriana]

I use prima heat lamps that are set to turn on when the temperature hits thirty two degrees.
Here are some ways to prevent frostbite:
Make sure your coop is well insulated and has good ventilation.
Put Vaseline on their combs and wattles at night, make sure not to get too much on the feathers because everything and I mean every will stick to them. This is not a garanteed method for preventing frostbite but it can help.
Make sure the rooster are wide enough at the top (2 by 4s work) that when they are sleeping their feathers cover their toes. Don’t use round roosts in the wintertime.
Use a heat lamp (or two depending on the size of your coop). Prima heat lamps are the best because they have a protective covering over the bulb so that debris cannot reach the hot light and catch fire.

If your birds do happen to get frostbite, bring them into the house and put them in a spacious cardboard box (preferably in your basement). Use a soft cloth and gently thaw the wattles in luke warm not hot water. Don’t rub, more like pat gently or just soak the cloth and hold it on the frostbite area. Frostbite is extremely painful. The tissue will eventually turn black and slough off (but that does depend on the severity of the frostbite. My roosters watttles turned black but healed and are healthy now, though a little deformed). The dead tissue can be heavy and my rooster would hang his neck, to help don’t use a roosting bar. Let him/her sleep on the floor of the box in a deep layer of pine shavings. Your birds may not do this though. Be careful about infection, keep the area clean. When completely healed, continue to be vigilant about the temperature.
If you don’t want to bring your bird inside, you can put a dog crate in the coop with a heat lamp. Make sure he has plenty of space to move around.
Frostbite is very painful, so your bird would appreciate a nipple waterer to drink from.
Make sure your other birds don’t peck at the frostbitten bird.
Sorry this is so long, I hope you can prevent frostbite in your birds!

 

[LilJoe]

Thank you Abriana!

My cockerel has a large single comb and it's just the tips of his points and his blades that have frostbite.
Thankfully not severe, just purple.

 

[LilJoe]

@Fanci Feathers Marans

 

[sourland]

Much to the chagrin of the Princess my show roosters spent the winter in the cellar. Did get a bit noisy at times.