HELP aggressive chicken

[Eggie232]

Hehe! I'm having a good giggle reading about chickens with straw and aubiose stuck to their heads!

 

I've been applying it (to the few hens in my flock that I can actually catch!) and I can already see a difference. It's definitely worked on Margot's comb. The black bits are disappearing gradually, but then she's been 'greased up' every night since my last post. I actually think she's starting to enjoy it, either that or she's just resigned herself to the annoying lady covering her fleshy bits in chip fat every night! But then she does get a handful of corn afterwards for her trouble, lucky lady!

 

*Must just point out- I don't actually use chip fat but good old vaseline!

[jill the potter]

Bet if it was chip fat they would all be pecking/licking it off one another .......well it's food isn't it????

[ClaudetteDay]

hi there, I've run out of vasaline. I've ordered some and it was supposed to arrive a couple days ago but because of the weather the post is on the slow side.

 

does anyone have any ideas on what i can use in the meantime?

 

many thanks

[Egluntyne]

Calendula ointment, moisturiser, anything along those lines.

[Redwing]

vaseline isnt good for combs although its often recommended

 

Battles do a comb and wattle balm but udder cream or a gentle hand cream also work well

[CluckyBucks]

Hello forum,

 

It appears one of my girls has developed frostbite on the tips of her comb. I have just read somewhere on the forum that vaseline is bad for the comb (i have been using it to prevent this from happening ) so was wondering if E45 moisturising cream would be of any use?

 

Rogina sleeps inside at night, as the temperatures here have been as low as -12 and she goes into the eglu during the day, which i try to make as clean and dry as possible.

 

Any advice or suggestions welcome

 

xx xx

[Redwing]

Plenty of people do use vaseline on their chooks combs, I dont as I have been told that its really bad for the comb

 

I use gentle hand cream on my chooks instead. I reckon that E45 would be fine just use a little first time just to be sure there are no adverse effects

[peebles]

Can I ask why exactly vaseline is bad for combs? Is there an adverse effect with long term use? Just want to know so I can give the chooks the best stuff, spoilt as they are!

[Redwing]

Apparently over use can make the comb sore, I dont risk it and use gentle hand cream on my chooks

 

Most people dont bother with anything and their chooks are ok, I only use the hand cream on my show chooks who must not get frosted combs

[Old Speckled Hen]

How does the vaseline work?

We've had -12˚ here and everybody including the cockerel seem fine. I don't much fancy chasing him around to grease his headgear

[Daphne]

I'm not sure how it works, somehow keeps the cold out???

 

However, I have been using it the odd time (like twice) on my cockeral as in this very cold snap his quite large comb has been looking a bit mauvy on the tips and generally a bit pasty. Its like a miracle - he's bright red now and looks the picture of health

 

I hadn't heard about possible problems so thats a useful heads-up. However, as I don't use it much at all I'm not worried.

[Eggie232]

Two of my hens who have very large combs are really suffering with this cold weather.

The points of their combs have turned creamy white and the very tips have turned black!

It's really worrying me what to do for the best! After reading several recommendations, I have been using vaseline but it doesn't seem to be preventing frostbite. As it's oil based and not water based, it's supposed to lock out moisture and will not freeze. I'm willing to try something else. What handcreams are people using? I use Neutrogena on my own hands which get severely chapped in the winter. But I'd be interested to hear what others are using? Thanks!

[Daphne]

Can't help on the handcream recommendations I'm afraid, but I've since read that vaseline works best in non-extreme temperatures and I think it helps if you use it early and rub it in - ie massage the comb (thats what I did but only because otherwise I ended up with the vaseline stuck to my fingers and not on the bird ). The message seems to be that birds need to be kept as dry as poss so that condensation doesn't add to the freezing problems. There also seems to be advice that the birds need to be kept as warm as poss (!) but if a bird is frost bitten and then warmed and then goes back into a cold environment its even worse. I don't think I've helped much as we can't do anything about the prolonged extreme temps.