Surviving Minnesota!

[MagpieDucks]

Oh bummer. Do you do anything for it? I might try to use coconut oil tonight if i get a chance on one of my hens that got it too. Or maybe all? I'm still not sure if I think it's necessary. There's so much info out there...

I usually bring them in and thaw then out a little. I wasn't doing anything to prevent it as none of them seemed to be getting any but I may have to start trying some stuff...

 

[NewbieMN]

Not normal, I don't think. Have never seen it before even in much colder temperatures.

RH is pretty high, but unfortunately I do not remember what it was on previous years.

I'm not sure when to stop adding vents or to close things up. Being brand new to this. I don't want to freeze my girls. But also know moisture is a hazard. :/

 

[NewbieMN]

I usually bring them in and thaw then out a little. I wasn't doing anything to prevent it as none of them seemed to be getting any but I may have to start trying some stuff...

So if the comb is just a little yellow. Would it need to be thawed out?

 

[BantyChooks]

Oh bummer. Do you do anything for it? I might try to use coconut oil tonight if i get a chance on one of my hens that got it too. Or maybe all? I'm still not sure if I think it's necessary. There's so much info out there...

Personally, I don't bother.

I let any birds that will get frostbite get it their first winter. Then there's no more issues; no more partially frozen combs every year and work to keep them only partially frozen.

I suggest being smarter than me and starting with breeds that have combs appropriate for the climate.

I'm not sure when to stop adding vents or to close things up. Being brand new to this. I don't want to freeze my girls. But also know moisture is a hazard. :/

Another Canadian and I were theorizing on some reasons why maybe adding too many vents is not a good idea, but there is not much in the way of solid evidence, and what we do have flies completely in the face of the conventional keep-your-birds-in-a-wind-tunnel advice, lol. I'll elaborate once we have some more solid data if it agrees with the theory.

 

[I Love Layers]

-26 today, birds are all doing good.
I had a rude awakening when I realized that county fair is in 6 months and I don't have anything hatched!

 

[NewbieMN]

Personally, I don't bother.

I let any birds that will get frostbite get it their first winter. Then there's no more issues; no more partially frozen combs every year and work to keep them only partially frozen.

I suggest being smarter than me and starting with breeds that have combs appropriate for the climate.


Another Canadian and I were theorizing on some reasons why maybe adding too many vents is not a good idea, but there is not much in the way of solid evidence, and what we do have flies completely in the face of the conventional keep-your-birds-in-a-wind-tunnel advice, lol. I'll elaborate once we have some more solid data if it agrees with the theory.

Thank you. This the the girls' first winter and the one with the largest comb was the one that got it...I appreciate your feedback!

 

[holm25]

-26 today, birds are all doing good.
I had a rude awakening when I realized that county fair is in 6 months and I don't have anything hatched!

Me too... I may but birds for our fair and hatch my own for Hutch LOL

 

[holm25]

Did any of your eggs hatch?

 

[BantyChooks]

Thank you. This the the girls' first winter and the one with the largest comb was the one that got it...I appreciate your feedback!

Good luck. My Leghorn hens have blue tips to their combs... most of my sets of them haven't gotten much at all, but with the frost issues this year it is looking like they'll come off.

 

[holm25]

Good luck. My Leghorn hens have blue tips to their combs... most of my sets of them haven't gotten much at all, but with the frost issues this year it is looking like they'll come off.

Do you breed Leghorns too?