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

[Abriana]

My rooster gets frostbite really easily because he has sich huge comb and wattles. I decided to put a dog crate in the coop with food and water and a heat lamp that automatically turns on when it hits 32 degrees. Luckily all has been well since then. Before he would be in my basement. Crowing at four in the morning. Lol, but I still love him.

 

[Abriana]

*Warning for those with weak stomachs---graphic images ahead*

I live pretty far north, where frostbite is constantly lurking around the corner. The best thing you can do to prevent it is open up the coop. Yep, seems counterintuitive but nothing else is going to work. For temperatures in the neighbourhood of -40*C or below you might want to close up some more to keep drafts away from your birds, but DON'T seal the coop up! I can repeat that if needed to drill it into your brain... lol. Humidity is your enemy here.

If I have single combed roosters, they are going to get frostbite. No way around it, I refuse to bring 10 roosters in the house all winter and heating just doesn't work for my situation. If you have valuable showbirds then the insane electricity bill might be worth it but for a regular backyarder it just plain isn't. Having foresight and choosing breeds with combs better for your climate will go a long ways towards reducing headache that comes with monitoring frostbit cockerels. I am switching over to just Chanteclers and Ameraucanas.

A side note: dubbing might be useful in preventing it. I am not well-versed enough to safely attempt it but if you can find a mentor it's certainly a viable option.

As for what I do with "treating it"---I don't. Thawing and maybe saving some of the comb/wattles just means he gets to go through it again. Unless there is excess swelling, like if the wattles are affected, I leave the bird outside. I have never had one die from it yet. If there is swelling, I'll bring the bird inside for a bit and monitor for infection until it goes down a bit, then he goes back outside. Next year he'll be fine and shouldn't get frostbite again.

I don't have many pictures of roosters with frostbite because my camera stays inside in winter. I did find this one, though, of a cockerel that was almost done healing from frostbite. There's only a little chunk left of the frostbit parts.
View attachment 1184785

If you are getting hens with frostbite, then that means you're doing something wrong. Open up the vents more and make sure they're in a place where they won't blow on the roosts. I have Leghorn hens right now and they don't get anything more than maybe the tips turning a bit yellow even in some pretty cold weather.

That's all for frostbite on combs and wattles. Frostbite on legs and feet does require treatment and is a real headache. I have only dealt with it once and that was when I foolishly hatched in late August and the pullets (bantams) weren't ready for the cold. I won't do that again.

Here's a picture of the frostbit bantam. She lost all the skin off her feet, a toe or two, and all her toenails. Her feet are stiff to this day.
View attachment 1184769
Because of how much swelling there was, I popped the blisters on the bottom of her feet with a needle. That way she could walk instead of tumbling around like those blow up punching bags. Then I slathered antibiotic ointment on the feet and bandaged with a cotton pad and vetwrap. After a few months she was good to go.

Oh, I just remembered. Chrissy, a WH duck, also lost a foot to frostbite after a mink attack left her unable to pull her web under her in the December chill. That was different in terms of treatment---it shriveled and dried without swelling or pus, so I didn't do anything with it. I just changed her bedding frequently, gave her baths, and it fell off on its own. She recovered well from that, but later she lost her life after another accident which I won't go into.
View attachment 1184772

Foot after it fell off. Rather neat in a sick way, eh?
View attachment 1184771

Here's the stump that was left. No infection, just healthy tissue. I bandaged this up with antibiotic ointment and vetwrap & changed the dressing daily.
View attachment 1184773

Poor birds! And does the duck get around ok?

 

[BantyChooks]

Poor birds! And does the duck get around ok?

Duck died later due to an accident.

 

[chickens really]

Is this not a topic of the week and not a chat session?..I'm confused...
@sumi takes time to get these threads going....I think others should take their chats else where...

 

[hilashens]

First year chicken mom, flock of 6 barred rocks, 1 OE, 1 comet, 2 Ameracaunas, and 1 ameracauna roo. Living in central Vermont, currently experiencing temps of 15-30 degrees at night, no higher than 45 during the day. Birds are free range during the day.

Coop situation: 8x12ft, ventilation at top of coop on south and north facing direction, 1 window, a 8 foot roost approximately half way up the coop using a 2x4 (adding a second roost today). Poop boards in use (being destroyed today- the upkeep is too much- switching to deep litter method). Pellets available 24/7, throw BOSS on the pine shavings and hay on coop floor for the girls to "turn", and provide a few handfuls of scratch daily- usually in the mornings ( I get home late, the boyfriend currently locks the coop door at night). Water available in a bowl near the hose spicket so I don't have to lug out waterers twice daily.

My BRs are currently experiencing "drooping" combs with mild frostbite. Someone had blood this morning- which made me panic but I had to leave today (here's to hoping I don't come home to a pecked mess). Should I use Vaseline or something thicker? I feel I should use badger balm or something that is like wax to prevent it freezing.

Thoughts appreciated!

 

[chickens really]

First year chicken mom, flock of 6 barred rocks, 1 OE, 1 comet, 2 Ameracaunas, and 1 ameracauna roo. Living in central Vermont, currently experiencing temps of 15-30 degrees at night, no higher than 45 during the day. Birds are free range during the day.

Coop situation: 8x12ft, ventilation at top of coop on south and north facing direction, 1 window, a 8 foot roost approximately half way up the coop using a 2x4 (adding a second roost today). Poop boards in use (being destroyed today- the upkeep is too much- switching to deep litter method). Pellets available 24/7, throw BOSS on the pine shavings and hay on coop floor for the girls to "turn", and provide a few handfuls of scratch daily- usually in the mornings ( I get home late, the boyfriend currently locks the coop door at night). Water available in a bowl near the hose spicket so I don't have to lug out waterers twice daily.

My BRs are currently experiencing "drooping" combs with mild frostbite. Someone had blood this morning- which made me panic but I had to leave today (here's to hoping I don't come home to a pecked mess). Should I use Vaseline or something thicker? I feel I should use badger balm or something that is like wax to prevent it freezing.

Thoughts appreciated!

Yes...Vasaline helps but proper vents should be open and some closed..Roost height also plays into frost bite..Moisture rises..

 

[Abriana]

Duck died later due to an accident.

I’m so sorry! Poor thing...

 

[Joann Nelson]

So far I’ve only had one with frost bite and his comb tips are black now and his the only one that doesn’t sit on the roost all night he stays away from everyone. My younger chickens and ducks haven’t had any trouble but then again they stay all huddled together

 

[ricksheltra]

Small farm with approx. 40 chickens, 10 alpacas , 9 rescue cats, 1- dog 1- goat and wife who tolerates it all!


The frostbite happened to one of my white chickens. I found her limping and started trying to take care of her and she eventually lost both feet. I never thought she was going to make it. I soon learned as long as I get her away from the rest of the flock in a cage she didn't have a chance. So I did what many mention and tried to clean it as good as possible and keep her separate and feed her well and now a year later she is doing very well.
Before I built my homemade chicken tractor I bought several books on the subject about cold weather and birds.
The best one I read in my humble opinion is about outdoor chicken coops. It was written I think in the late twenties however the author traveled (via ship) to many countries for the sole fact of finding out how the chickens survive in cold weather. It was very interesting and I built the coop around that advice.
I think my chicken got frost bite by being in the uppermost roosts. I tried to make it so the humidity would escape and minimal drafts but I think in my building I went to far. I kept making it bigger and bigger and now it takes a tractor to move it!

SO I am just adding my 1 cent and amen to much of the great advice given in this thread and also the value of research provided in that book. I am getting old, cant remember the name of the darn book. I am pretty sure I bought it via a link form backyard chickens.

I would say the summary of that book was chickens are birds that are equipped to handle the cold weather as long as they can mimic the conditions they would create on their own. They sure are creative as to where they go to roost however the humidity in the winter is deadly so I am starting to rebuild with that in mind.

I worked in the animal programs for many pharma's and the company I worked at had chicken in isolators to provide Merck with eggs for flu vaccine. The isolators had great ventilation so the chickens were always comfortable and provided the eggs needed for flu virus. WHile this may seem cruel if you have worked in that business you know they are treated with more care then many family pets. They MUST be socialized and have interaction Every day. If she doesn't feel comfortable she wont lay an egg that is, if you will, "stress free".
Please I am not trying to start a discussion about animal research. I did not do that and do not really approve of it. I provided the care and transportation for animals as I love them all.
Yesterday was a big day for us because we rid ourselves of the worst predators we have besides coyotes and that is the Maryland red fox. I think that's what it is called...I absolutely HATE killing anything but these have gotten at least 20 chickens, so yesterday 2 at one time... finally safe free range for a little while till their off spring grows up... thank you all so much who have posted all this great info on here it is always appreciated by many!
Respectfully,
Rick Sheltra

 

[NavyVetVetTech]

Well this will be my first winter with two Rocks, a RI Red, and Wyandotte. I don't think we usually get too close to 0 degrees (in Rhode Island). So far we havent gone much below freezing. I'm trying Vaseline, I find it fairly easy to apply at night when I go to close the coop up and they are sleeping on the roosts. They barely fuss. I'm waiting for my heated roost to arrive, so at least their feet should be heated. I decided against the coop warmer as I thought it better to give direct heat to their feet instead of ambient heat. I have a waterer with built in warmer which has been working well so far. I was planning on insulating the coop with cardboard as someone told me that's all I really need and helps avoid moisture buildup. Any thoughts on that?