wind chills -30 F, frostbitten combs, should I put in a heat lamp now?

[FarmingCityGirl]

I can't decide if I should put in a heat lamp for these few days. 2 of my chickens have some frostbitten tips on their combs. Those are the chickens with the extra long, floppy combs though, so the other chickens are fine. But I'm worried about this cold getting into their coop. I'm pretty sure today I'm going to put a tarp up on the outside of the west wall, where the wind is coming from and there is a door to get their eggs. How can I tell if it's warm enough?

And what about them coming out for a few minutes for food and water? I shoveled out their run and got 'em all out to eat and drink, but they went right back in. There isn't room in their coop for their food & water.

 

[Ruthster55]

Warm up a treat of some kind and put it in the coop. Put some warm water (from the house) for a few minutes into their coop. They'll really appreciate it.

There's a reason that Mediterranean breeds have large combs ( to radiate heat in hot weather) but Northern breeds have smaller combs (avoid frostbite).

Keep an eye on the ones with large combs and put them in a box or cage inside or in mudroom if it gets too bad. Large-combed chickens aren't bred to take wicked cold snaps.

You can clean up the messy box after the worst of the cold is gone.

 

[LaurieA]

Keeping moisture out is the most important thing in preventing frostbite.

 

[foreverlearning]

You can put vasseline on the combs to prevent frostbite as well.