Frostbite

[pseag]

Have you ever had a problem with any of your animals getting frostbite in the winter? Last year got pretty cold here and I thought that one of the calves had frostbite on their ears. Any of your animals get this?

 

[RichZ]

The only animals that I've ever had get frostbite is my hens and roosters. Their combs can get frosbite. I try to put vaseline on them as soon as it gets cold, but most won't allow me to do that, and then once it gets really cold their combs get frostibte. Amazingly, it never seems to bother them.

 

[TammiT]

Interesting Rich. Our chickens have never gotten frostbite. I do have to chuckle at the sight of you trying to put Vaseline on them. I bet that's a fun process.
We haven't had any animals have this issue.

 

[OhSusanna]

I use bag balm, but lots of other things work too. I just coat their combs and wattles when it's dipping down into the teens or lower. I just apply it every three days, because it seems to get too sticky if I apply it more often.

@RichZ, do you trim it off? Mine are pretty easy to do, but I don't have as many birds as you do either.

 

[RichZ]

Susanna, trim what off?

 

[OhSusanna]

Susanna, trim what off?

The frostbitten parts. I would assume no, because the dead tissue is protecting the healthy tissue and cutting it off would leave a wound and infection might set in But I could also see other chickens pecking at it, especially if it's a hen.

 

[RichZ]

Oooohhhh!!! I should have figured out what you meant!!!!

No, I never trimmed the dead part off. The other chickens don't bother each other and the dead part eventually just falls off, with no problems. The chickens never even seem to be bothered, though the first time I saw the frost bite on some of their combs I freaked out and called my vet. She had to come over for a routine health check for my goat herd and she checked out the chickens and told me they were fine...and they were.