What will help my roo's frostbitten comb to heal quickly?

[Wynette]

Any time!

 

[lilshadow]

My guys combs have already fallen off. They were pretty bad, black and pus filled. I didn't do anything and they are just fine, but they have no combs now.

 

[Wynette]

Thanks, lilshadow. Do you recall how long, after they turned black, that they fell off?

 

[lilshadow]

Quote:
About 3 months for my guys. They were black in Dec, and fell off this month. I would just watch to make sure the other birds do not pick at them is what I would do.

 

[chickorama]

What makes them freeze is that usually when they drink, their comb flops down and gets water on it. Then in a minute it freezes on their skin, and gives them frostbite. Put vaseline on their combs. Then it resists water and doesn't freeze.

 

[pafarmgirl]

I have a three year old Leghorn. The last two winters here in NE PA he got frostbite and amazingly it just healed up as the temperatures stopped being so constantly cold. Hes too tall for any of my other 25 chicks to reach his head !!!
My polish the first year all had trouble with head pecking, I had to separate as many as three at once to stop it from progressing ,dog cages in the barn work great. It seemed to happen in the coop about 95% of the time, not outside.We did hang apples to occupy them when it was raining or too cold, this distracts them.

 

[Wynette]

pafarmgirl, I do all sorts of things to occupy my birds like your hanging apples idea. I have a suet feeder that I stuff with nutritious treats such as leafy greens, cabbage, apples, melon, etc. I have Flock Blocks that I put in during the bad weather, and I have "chicken trees" for them to fly up in, and spend time in during the day, etc. So, I doubt the pecking is a symptom of them being bored, but I could be wrong. It just looks wrong to them, I think, fo ra comb to have black tips, which is why they are pecking (out of curiosity).

My boy has only lost ONE tip...it's taking FOREVER for the dead parts to fall off. He's going nuts being inside 24/7, but I did put a girl in with him that is much shorter than he is so she can't reach his comb, and she's not as curious as the others, either. It's working out great in that respect. I have him in a horse stall that is 12x24, so plenty of room for the 2 of them, and I've been giving them fun snacks and things to do, but I can tell he's bored. Poor boy.

Chickorama - I DID coat his comb, every 2 days, through winter. He still got frostbitten, unfortunately.