Topic of the Week - Frostbite, prevention and treatment - Graphic images in thread

I live in alabama, but winter nights (especially on those rare nights it snows) can drop below freezing. I keep sand in the coop and run, then I dry out hay and leaves for carpet. I am not a rich person. But my farm animals are inportant to me, and I enjoy them. I will do whatever I can to protect them from cold! I notmally mive my bantams and smaller chickens inside the shed during cold months, also I board up windows. This wil be my first winter with ducks, so I will appreciate any advice!
 
I live in alabama, but winter nights (especially on those rare nights it snows) can drop below freezing. I keep sand in the coop and run, then I dry out hay and leaves for carpet. I am not a rich person. But my farm animals are inportant to me, and I enjoy them. I will do whatever I can to protect them from cold! I notmally mive my bantams and smaller chickens inside the shed during cold months, also I board up windows. This wil be my first winter with ducks, so I will appreciate any advice!
Enjoy hauling water for them messy sponges called ducks, lol. As an alternative to that, I suggest running a hose in the day and draining it at night if temps go into the 20s. Would be worth the effort, since you live far enough south for freezing pool water to not be an issue.
 
This is like post #2, but Bantychooks, what happened to that duck? Can he/she still walk? Did you have to tend it every day? Also, (this is all just sheer curiosity, but) what have other people done when their fowl lose a foot?
Frostbite after a mink chewed her thigh up, rendering her unable to pull her leg under her. It was a cold-ish night (I don't think it went too much below -5 to -10F) and I didn't find her until morning. She could still walk, yes, albeit more of a hop. What do you mean by 'tend'?
 
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Like help it do things and clean its wound/change bandages every day.
I kept her in a dog crate with food and water within reach. Every few days I'd take her out, clean her pen, and let her take a swim in a sink or bin. It was December, so I couldn't take her outside. I changed her bandage daily until it was just as nub protection w/no raw areas and then I changed it about weekly. They're pretty adaptable.
 
Wait so heat lamps cause humidity? I use a heat lamp, and switched to red bulb this year. I have had several chickens with minor frostbite on their combs, but I think it was from the steamy chicken bedding full of composting poop, IDK. I really need that lamp, because the little bantams are so sensitive to cold. Even today was only upper 30's or so, and they stayed inside for most of the day. Also, any good tips on keeping the cop warm? The roof is insulated but the walls are just wood, and the doors have these annoying cracks where cold air and drafts get in.
 

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