Some slight frostbite on combs. Roost issue?

[ZerkerChicken]

Hey all first winter with the chickens and I'm wondering if this setup is right for winter. Just noticed some light frostbite on the comb tips nothing bad they seem to be fine no infections etc I'm monitoring it daily. But I'm pondering if the coops roost is too high/close to ventilation. I live in the mountains of northern UT and while been pretty mild thus far it still has been cold they get to free range still while the ground isnt fully covered in snow yet then once it is ill have a run open for them thats covered.

The top roost sits at about 6ft tall the lower roost is around 4ft. Its a leanto style coop I built 8foot at the back wall behind the roost, about 2 feet from the back wall to the bar, should I add some insulation at the eaves to reduce air flow a little bit? Should I move the roost down?

 

[talkinboutchickens]

I do not think that the ventilation is too close to the roosts at all. Think that when your chickens are sleeping at night, they are not standing on the roosts but rather hunched down in a little ball.
Sometimes a tiny bit of frostbite is inevitable. A lot of times its not about moisture or drafts, but just the sheer temperature.

 

[Eggcessive]

What have the temperatures been? Do you have any pictures of the frostbite? Those are some high roosts. Is the window closed? They need high overhead ventilation in the coop where they have no direct drafts in winter. Personally, I would lower them nearer the floor, since when they grow heavier, they can hurt their legs and get small cuts in foot pads which can lead to bumble foot infection.

 

[ZerkerChicken]

What have the temperatures been? Do you have any pictures of the frostbite? Those are some high roosts. Is the window closed? They need high overhead ventilation in the coop where they have no direct drafts in winter. Personally, I would lower them nearer the floor, since when they grow heavier, they can hurt their legs and get small cuts in foot pads which can lead to bumble foot infection.

Temps have been recently 20s at night and have has a few mid teens. The windows are closed they're mostly for getting natural light into the coop. And some extra breeze during the summer when I'm working in there to evacuate more dust and such.

Yeah I know they need that high vent but was wondering if I should close (just put some insulation that still breathes in some of the eaves) to reduce it perhaps. The back wall is 8ft the front wall is 11.5ft tall I believe. Both eaves are wide open minus the hardwarde cloth across them so was figuring maybe too much air movement from it.

I'll look at the height they are in deep litter so quite a bit of cushion for them to drop onto. But its like 4 screws to move the roosts they're just resting in post caps so easy to do. The nesting boxes are at like 2ft high at the top of them just about. And they jump from the nesting boxes to the roosts.

 

[ZerkerChicken]

Here's some comb pictures I just took as well as them chilling while I did so

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Here's some comb pictures I just took as well as them chilling while I did so

That looks like scabs from minor wounds to me. In the first stage of frostbite, tissue is yellow. The damaged tissue won't start to die and fall off until much after it gets damaged. So its likely not frostbite. My personal opinion.

 

[Eggcessive]

I usually don’t see frostbite on combs until temps get close to zero at night.

 

[ZerkerChicken]

Good to know. We haven't been that cold yet but its coming usually see a few days-weeks where highs are single digits