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

[goedric]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/oblio13s-underground-chicken-coop.47864/
Ah, here it is.

very cool! wonder how it worked out

 

[BantyChooks]

yeah that is an issue but maybe with a ft or two above ground with vents and light? since the ground has an unlimited supply of heat it might work.... i might experiment with it... would ahve to be easy tio get into etc so would need some space

Possibly. I would still be concerned about it being damp. It's certainly a neat idea and I'd love to hear about anything you try with the idea.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

@GldnValleyHens here's two heavy & one bantam ducks in the snow. Ignore the weird posture on the Swedish. She's a goof.
View attachment 1186345

Thx. Adorable ducks, love your bantam drake, is it a snowy Call?

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I personally do turn on a flat panel radiant heater at 0 F. It’s only 150 watt but it takes a certain edge off those frigid evenings. My birds stay on the roost at 0 and do not get down to eat or drink much. At 0 I just keep them in the coop and keep the pop door closed as they are just covering those feet anyways. I’ve learned by watching them. If they acclimate and get down and feed and drink at -5 I can adjust that pop door or turning on the heater. I don’t allow the coop above 32 though unless Mother Nature does so. Try to keep the poop frozen so it’s not putting out moisture and also removing access poop as much as possible. Topping bedding with dry shavings. Etc etc. dry vented cold coop.

 

[Crooked Chicken]

Don't put it on their feet, lol. All that will do is muck up their feathers when they try to tuck their legs in and if anything make it worse. I hope you aren't putting bag balm on your chickens' feet??

Muscovies can get frostbite on the caruncles but Pekins don't have those so no issues.

I have a couple of times, but very little on their feet. Mostly a light coat on combs and wattles.

 

[BantyChooks]

Thx. Adorable ducks, love your bantam drake, is it a snowy Call?

Yes! He's a new addition.

I have a couple of times, but very little on their feet. Mostly a light coat on combs and wattles.

Interesting. I have not heard of doing that before.

 

[black_dove2]

Last June we had a late cold snap and my Danish Brown comb was very blue on the tips. I was a bit concerned until later in the day her color came back. The RIR has much smaller comb and didn't look at all affected.

I'm glad this is a topic of the week because it gets very cold at night and add the wind from the pass here in lower desert of Coachella Valley in southern California. I now have some ideas on what I can do to prevent frostbite since I don't plan on heating a coop.

It may be sunny California but there is cold rain / sleet as well as wind blowing over snow a few miles from my home on mountain tops during winter here

Doesn't come anywhere near what others experience, but I still believe I should be better safe than sorry.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

To prevent my hens and roosters from getting frost bite on their combs and wattles I use Vaseline. When the weather gets cold and I start to notice frost bite even the slightest sign of it, I immediately cover the chickens who have large combs and wattles with the Vaseline. I have found it best to do it every day or every other day. Just don’t use too much Vaseline or the other chickens might start pecking at it. I rub it all over their combs and wattles and then remove the excess.

 

[greggooo]

That's been the case for everything I've tried so far. Sigh.


Isn't Hades generally known as a really hot place? Just sayin'.

Not in ancient Greek mythology. Was originally cold.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Ah-ha!

Not in ancient Greek mythology. Was originally cold.