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

[Bogtown Chick]

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...

It sure is. I’ve put several large posts on here with valuable information with multiple likes. I’ve also poked fun at cold living conditions to lighten it up for our readers who may find themselves overwhelmed, stressed, dealing with frostbite lesions on chickens or ducks that they love and care for.

I think most people appreciate some comic relief and a good sense of humor. To hear from those that have went through the most horrific of frostbites and know how to hold it together with some lighter content to keep others going is of value I personally think.

We’re not just trying to help the bird on here. Something that everybody must understand.

I see your statement to a point. But nothing seemed too overboard for chit-chat upon my review of this whole thread.

 

[preciouspanda]

Hello everyone I live in north Texas you never know what weather gonna do one minute to another I had chicken 10 Year’s ago didn’t know anything about frost bite but I started another flock in February this year and they are different mix as well as ducks,geese,turkeys, and guineas bought 3 coops and turned old shed into one for the big kids I just wanted to know how bad it is if they stay inside closed coops if weather gets that bad?

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Well it depends on your space per bird/ I guess bird types (guineas can be gangsters ive heard) how ‘bad’ the weather is and are they on the roost or active. If they’re just staying in the coop covering their feet then close the door and let them stay in. They are able to handle colder than you think. But if conditions are freezing rain or moisture then maybe not a bad idea to keep a roof over their head.

Hello everyone I live in north Texas you never know what weather gonna do one minute to another I had chicken 10 Year’s ago didn’t know anything about frost bite but I started another flock in February this year and they are different mix as well as ducks,geese,turkeys, and guineas bought 3 coops and turned old shed into one for the big kids I just wanted to know how bad it is if they stay inside closed coops if weather gets that bad?

 

[Bogtown Chick]

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!

I think bag balm is better of the two. Some personal experience with both. But they both do wear off and I think winter dubbing is going to happen anyways. If you’re not showing birds then maybe just let it happen.

I do think with the deep litter you get more moisture. I’ve never found it successful in our freezing climate. I saw cold wet poop freezing to their feet and it just looked cold and no good. I personally keep shavings in the coop. Thick and dry. I know it has been proven method else where. But I can’t do it without putting a hot plate in the mess to keep it going or to open my coop door for that matter. Lol.

The dryer my coop is the more successful it is for winter.

 

[Harry'sMom]

Thank you for posting this! I have a rooster with feet that are very stiff. His feet froze about two weeks ago... they thawed out in 2 days and he was fine! Now his feet are changing colors and look like yours!! Did you do anything to save them? I'm going to soak them in epson salt tomorrow morning... I just hope I am not too late?? It's been in the negatives and I can't keep him in my house so he's been in a barn and I've been too afraid to soak them then put him back outside

*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 very tips coming off 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

I tried and tried vaseline that first winter. It was a winter from Hades. It could help I suppose but it's really a delay for the inevitable. ...Wasted time...

No disrespect on your previous post, friend.

 

[BantyChooks]

Thank you for posting this! I have a rooster with feet that are very stiff. His feet froze about two weeks ago... they thawed out in 2 days and he was fine! Now his feet are changing colors and look like yours!! Did you do anything to save them? I'm going to soak them in epson salt tomorrow morning... I just hope I am not too late?? It's been in the negatives and I can't keep him in my house so he's been in a barn and I've been too afraid to soak them then put him back outside

Unfortunately it's too late to save the toes at this point. He'll lose some or all of them.

 

[Harry'sMom]

Unfortunately it's too late to save the toes at this point. He'll lose some or all of them.

I have accepted the fact he's going to lose some toes, I just don't want him to loose a whole foot or both of them... poor baby

 

[BantyChooks]

I have accepted the fact he's going to lose some toes, I just don't want him to loose a whole foot or both of them... poor baby

Even if he does, he should be able to get around.

That pullet ended up losing 2 whole toes and about half of a few others plus the skin off her whole foot. She had permanently stiffened joints but ran around as fast as any normal bird and required no special care afterwards.

 

[Harry'sMom]

Thanks everyones help!! I just want to keep him as comfortable as possible and hope for the best!

 

[wabbit1964]

I was happy to read this whole thread with the information from a variety of posters.
I recently brought 3 birds into my basement in a dog crate to recover from frost bitten feet.

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.

This is what I'm worried about I know one is a young roo and I'm not looking forward to him being an alarm clock. Epsom salt baths and nutritiional support seem to be the top needs for treating bad foot frostbite. Thank you all for sharing your stories for folks like us who are experiencing frost bite for the first time. I've had issues with combs before but never feet.