Chicken bald back

[AndyRoo]

Hello all,

 

I think a couple of my girls have just the tiniest amount of frostbite on their combs. Just the teeniest tips have gone a little black... now I am feeling bad for not closing the coop door!

 

Is there anything I can do for them? Other than close the door and attempt to put a little vaseline on them?

 

Also, will the blackish bits sort themselves out? I assume it's like when a human gets frostbite: provided you sort it quick enough, the skin will heal itself?

 

Thanks,

Andy

[The Dogmother]

Hi Andy

 

Unless you've had much colder weather in Bristol than we've had in Oxfordshire, I doubt that it's frostbite More likely that they have caught their combs on something and formed a tiny scab.

 

I wouldn't worry about i; they will be fine and the combs will heal.

 

I only ever close the door on my lot when it's way below freezing, and never had any frostbite among them.

[AndyRoo]

It's been getting down to 2 degrees or so. Is that not low enough to affect them?

 

It's meant to get to sub-zero next week I believe, so I guess I should be out there with vaseline then?

[sjp]

mine never got frost bite back in that cold December we had 3 or 4 years back and most of mine are full or part naked necks even Boris my stud cockerel (a full naked neck) at the time spent all day outside with no ill affect

it's probably a bit of comb pecking going on at night I get that with my mob from time to time this time of year

[Hippie Chick]

I don't know about other breeds/types of chickens but if one of them is the Bluebelle then it's a characteristic of theirs that they have dark/puce markings on their combs - not all do but it's very, very common.

[AndyRoo]

I don't know about other breeds/types of chickens but if one of them is the Bluebelle then it's a characteristic of theirs that they have dark/puce markings on their combs - not all do but it's very, very common.

 

No, it's not the Bluebelle, although her comb has gone a little pale, so I am keeping an eye on her. That being said, she seems in perfect health.

 

It's just the very tips of a couple of their combs. Just the tiniest bit.

[Blackrocksrock]

We had minus 8 last few nights and mine are always fine! I doubt its frostbite!

[Olly]

I never close the coop door, and have never had frostbite - even the year when it was so cold that the eggs froze.

[Blackrocksrock]

Ours is the same but I do have the run covered with corrugated plastic so its warmer. Its the eglu run and its down the sides too. The water freezing is the worst problem I have.

[AndyRoo]

Out of curiosity what temperature does everyone consider too cold? It's meant to drop to around -5c here tomorrow. Is that cold enough that I should shut the door?

[Cat tails]

If you feel it's too cold, just shut the door. There is no magic temperature. If you feel better with them shut in, why not. Mine sleep with the door closed year round. And on cold days I close up early. I find the little banties huddled in the nestbox. As soon as I close the door, they move to the roosting bars.

[Blackrocksrock]

It is personal choice - I never shut mine in - its frosty here again right now and it was minus 18 a few years ago - I did not shut the door as it would freeze shut and difficult to open. They were all fine

[sjp]

mine get shut in every night for safety but the window is fully open at the moment it will get partly closed soon

[Beantree]

There are lots of factors when deciding at what temperature it is too cold and the pop-hole needs closing Andy. The design and location of the coop being important, as are the breeds and ages of the chickens.

 

I know one person who decided it was too cold to go outside and didn't bother to shut the pop-hole when it was -18C. In the morning three young buff Orpingtons were found in the coop frozen solid. She then had the audacity to ask us if we would sell her replacements. Of course we refused.

 

Our bantams suffer the most and below -4C they come inside at night. Our TNN's also suffer, due to their lack of feathering. Wyandottes have rose combs which are small enough not to lose much heat.

 

We only leave the pop-holes open mid-Summer, because all the coops have plenty of adjustable ventilation which means in cold weather they are closed in stages or completely shut down on the windward side.

 

If any combs start to look blue we apply Vaseline which stops water evaporation and therefore limits heat loss. We remain vigilant because continuous cold weather runs them down and they can get ill. Any doubts and they are taken inside at night.

[mullethunter]

Personally I would shut the door at -5. It's forecast to be -1 with me tonight and I'll probably shut mine.

 

As Blackrocksrock said though it's personal choice, and I'm sure mine would be fine at -1. I just like to think of them all snuggly!

[Chickabee]

I should have shut mine in last night but forgot. My little white silkie roosts in the doorway of the cube, so I can't slide that all the way. The other runs/eglus are in quite sheltered positions and I've got a few who

Live in the stable. Everyone survived. The ducks were moaning early as I'd removed their food (rats). Guess being cold makes you hungry

[Chickabee]

Remembered to shut them in. So glad I did. Everything was frozen solid. When I went to shut the cube Fifi wasn't in her usual position, so she must have been a bit cold. Even the quails water in the stable was slushy, and that gets fully shut

[chickencam]

I haven't shut mine in yet and it was -5 here last night. I would if I only had a couple living together but I think that 6 can huddle together quite well. If it gets any colder or stays cold for a sustained period then I will.

[Cat tails]

My two tiny ones huddle underneath Ginger. Altogether squashed in the nestbox. I let them to it and just clean it out more regularly. Those tiny chickens don't have so much meat on their bones.