Remember Margaret? I prevented any such infection by the use of coconut oil. Worked very, very well. It took almost a month for her toes to come off. I did assist one that wasn't falling off and cut it off (on the dead part) she didn't flinch. The way it was out was like a claw, making it difficult for her to relearn to walk. I wanted to see her try the quickest way possible.Delisha, You read my mind. Its above zero so I kicked the flock out yesterday and moved water and feed outside. Cleaned out most of the frozen poopsickles. Enough to fill up a cooler! had to be contributing to the cold temp inside the coop.
When I was shooing the hens out, Booster defended one of his hens by attacking me - I tell you there isn't much room to move in the coop so that was interesting. I ended up holding him by the feet upside down and then carried him around for awhile. Poor baby's comb is blistering.
On another thread, someone detailed weeks of care for a rooster with a similiarly frozen comb and wattles. Wattles so swollen the roo stopped eating. Hand feeding. Antibiotic treatment since that rooster's comb was smelly. Debriding the wound, etc. Has anyone had a rooster with badly frostbitten comb and wattles ? I was thinking it would turn black on its own and fall off.
Kigot I can't afford the shavings although if hay keeps going up it'll be cheaper. But they also eat the hay and sort of forage in it. Delish maybe I should try pdz but does it work in subzero
And I am done, done, done with snow.
her death had no relation to the frostbite except maybe that she couldn't roost and would bed down in a kennel that was somehow infested in mites. I am not sure how she was the only one who had them... I checked everyone in the same barn.. but she did hang out under the baby barn a whole lot. I'm wondering if something is going on under there... The rabbits do as well.
We are in the midst of a blizzard right now. I am not letting the chickens out today. I have some young males who seem to like to stay outside no matter what the temperature. just roosting on a shovel.. So I am not letting them out when it is heavy snow or as cold as it was yesterday. Really there is nothing for them to eat outside right now, so I am not going to risk it in extremes. Anything like today without the snow would be fine. We are getting 35cm of snow up to 50cm. (FYI 50cm is 20 inches).
I'm going to be snow blowing a lot today.. I'll do it more than once because my snow blower is new (on the tractor) and I find it hard to operate if it gets to be too much...
I have my hot chocolate and for now I'm relaxing...
