White leghorn combs...so worried about frostbite!

[instar8]

Seriously, one of the big reasons i love Ameraucanas is their tiny combs and cold hardiness...but i picked up these two layers for $10...and boy-o do they lay...and they're so sweet-natured and cute with their big ol floppy combs...I'm kinda worried when the serious cold sets in...i have a 10x12 shed, and run one or two heat lamps depending on the temp. I have had buff and blue Orp roos get frostbite on their combs. What is your experience here in z5 or so for leghorns or other big-combed breeds?

 

[chicmom]

If you coat their combs with vasceline, that will help keep them from getting frostbite.

 

[Ukiah]

Humidity can cause frostbite. Be sure your coop is well ventilated, and not trapping in humidity.

Dubbing your birds will prevent frostbite on the combs, wattles & earlobes. Not many people are willing to
do this, though. Our birds are dubbed - never the slightest problem with frostbite.

Good luck!

 

[instar8]

Oh yeah...i read about the vaseline thing...what is dubbing? Like docking? Cutting off the comb?The old coop these girls are in is pretty well ventilated, it only gets funky after being closed up for weeks...which can happen anytime here in winter!

 

[Ukiah]

Quote:
Dubbing is removal of the comb and wattles, and earlobes - if you wish. Sounds awful painful, but theres usually
no fuss, and don't hurt the birds as bad as you'd think.

 

[nurse_turtle]

I think it mighty egotistical of us to think we can define how much pain any other creature on the earth experiences.

 

[Ukiah]

Quote:
Nurse_turtle, I didn't say they would not experience any pain. However they do go back to their normal
self afterwards, which tells me that they are not in enormous amounts of pain or shock. We dub our birds
simply to prevent frostbite. Frostbite can turn into gangrene, which can turn into blood poisoning - which
results in death. Some people dub birds with combs that flop over their eyes to make it easier for them
to spot predators. Either way, it's the owners choice. People have different opinions on this subject, and
that is fine. I personally do not think it's cruelty to the bird.

Edited to word it better..

 

[Tracydr]

I don't think chickens feel pain the same way we do. I hada Cornish x recently with a hole pecked in his thigh, literally meat showing, I could stick half my thumb in the hole. I got the infection under control with a little penicillin injection and the next day he was running around, even ran across ( well, they don't run, they waddle) the garden to beg for food. He seems totally normall despite a gaping hole in his thigh, no limp or anything.
I can't imagine a little comb surgery causing much pain, maybe a slight temporary discomfort but chickens are really tough.
If you don't believe me, watch the video on caponizing. That chick has internal abdominal surgery to remove his testicals and runs off like nothing ever happened. Let me see you do that!

 

[nurse_turtle]

My point is that humans do not have the right to think we can define how other living animals experience pain. Just because they don't respond to painful stimuli the way humans do or the way dogs do does not mean cutting their combs off isn't that painful.

 

[DTchickens]

Quote:
Nurse_turtle, I didn't say they would not experience any pain. However they do
go back to their normal self afterwards, which tells me that they are not in enormous amounts of pain
or shock. I don't mind people disagreeing with it, we dub our birds simply to prevent frostbite - which
would cause painful infections and possibly death.

I pretty much agree with Ukiah. However, dubbing is an issue that has been discussed over and over on this forum. Many topics have been closed because of this topic which both sides can exhibit good points. As I told another earlier, there is probably a lot in the poultry world I don't agree with. But because it is legal typically, or I can give nothing more than a opinion, I don't say anything. Different strokes for different folks- anyone can pass judgment and call names when they have never been around that situation. Any information passed along without direct knowledge or even intensive research can be considered nothing more than a opinion and isn't something to base the whole world off of IMO.

If dubbing is such a large issue to you, there are plenty of threads which have most likely argued all of your points and more. For the people who do it, it hasn't changed their opinion, and rarely ever does it change the opposing sides opinion of it. It is just like docking puppies, even if done in a way that it doesn't cause any pain for sure people would still find something to pick at about it because they view it as unnecessary/ not natural. Doesn't matter how you view it, they're not your birds and you're not in that persons shoes.

I don't say this to either Ukiah or nurse_turtle specifically, though they happen to be in the quotes. I speak at large, as I know someone else will come along and give into the temptation of stirring the pot until "Ta-da" a discussion breaks out and the thread will probably be locked as commonly happens when birds being dubbed is brought up.


God bless,
Daniel.