Take Precautions
Having lived in the northern United States all my adult life, I chose Orpingtons with their gorgeous but cold-susceptible single combs as the main breed we raise on our farm. We’ve fortunately had very little incidence of frostbite over the years, thanks to two things: sturdy, draft-free coops and, for my Orp boys, little knit hats to protect their combs from the cold. Friends who keep microflocks have always chuckled at my chicken hats, but I find them to be more effective — and hygienic — than slathering combs with petroleum jelly. Both create barriers against the cold, but applying a coat of
Be careful when letting your chickens roam around the barnyard during the winter, especially if snow is on the ground. In cold weather, chickens are prone to frostbite on their feet and combs. When frostbite happens, the chicken’s leg will be very warm to the touch. It won’t want to put weight on it and will perhaps limp, as well. Unfortunately, the lameness is permanent.
Frostbite is most commonly found on the combs of males because they have a larger surface area. Hens’ combs can also be affected, particularly in a chicken breed with a large comb, such as a commercial Leghorn, as opposed to those with a pea or rose comb.
For the most part, preventing frostbite comes down to choosing the appropriate type of environment for your chickens. Some people choose to keep chickens outside during the winter, but it’s probably a good idea to keep them in a coop. You can still provide your birds access to the outdoors, but most will stay inside or only venture a few feet from the coop.
Depending on the temperature, you might want to provide your chickens some supplemental heat, too — 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit is best. If you have an insulated coop, just button it up for the winter, but monitor the moisture in the coop; excessive moisture can cause health issues. Put one or two heat lamps somewhat close to the perch so the birds can get radiant heat; however, because heat lamps can also overheat poultry, making them inadaptable to ambient temperature variations, low heat is recommended.
If the heat lamp is not overly bright, you shouldn’t notice a significant change in egg production. You can keep it on until the spring. As the days grow warmer and the natural light comes in, you can turn the heat lamp off without a change in productivity.
Also consider a heat lamp’s potential as a fire hazard, especially if you use shavings or cereal straw for bedding. Keep adequate distance between the heat lamp and bedding, and be sure your heat lamps have lamp guards to prevent feather and comb burns from direct contact with the birds. People also put hot water bottles in the coop so the birds can nest against them at night.
Many people choose to clean the coop in the fall, but really, you can wait until spring. That extra layer of litter in the coop over winter will help insulate the building. Ammonia needs moisture to develop, so occasionally top dress the bedding with shavings or straw to prevent it from building. Also make sure you have adequate ventilation with vents at the top of the ceiling where air can be pulled in one side and vented out the other, as poorly ventilated coops can cause respiratory-health problems. — Darrin M. Karcher, PH.D., poultry extension specialist for the Department of Animal Science at Michigan State University petroleum jelly might be more a panacea than a preventive measure.
“Applying petroleum jelly might delay the development [of frostbite], but I wouldn’t think that it would be very protective,” Fulton says.
TREATING FROSTBITE
Davey, however, was beyond wearing a hat or being slathered with petroleum jelly. The points of his comb were gray-black with dry gangrene, although the base of his comb was healthy and red. While I itched to cut off the affected areas, I knew that it was best to let nature take its course.
“If left alone, the dead structures will fall off and the remaining skin will heal over,” Fulton says. “In this instance, the body is really good at healing itself. Nothing needs to be done.”
In rare instances, frostbite can be so severe that the afflicted bird needs medical attention. “If the amount of tissue death is increasing and moving toward the healthy tissue, amputation of the affected site is important,” Fulton says.
If your chicken is suffering from frostbite, carefully examine every inch of the ailing bird to determine the extent of the frostbite. The afflicted area should have very little to no feeling and can vary in color from slate gray and purple to dark blue and black. If you cannot determine the degree of your bird’s frostbite, contact your veterinarian or your county
extension for assistance. Make sure you examine all of your birds, especially those sharing the coop with the cold-injured chicken, as they experienced the same chill and drafts that caused the frostbite.
“Bottom line: Keep your coops warm, and [frostbite] won’t happen,” Fulton says. “On very cold days, don’t allow your birds to leave the coop. At this time of year, the attraction of sunlight and being outside is tempting, but your birds do not understand the consequences.”
Davey was a model patient, standing cooperatively on our exam table while I checked his body for advanced frostbite. He allowed me to apply veterinary sealant to his dry-gangrenous comb and even allowed me to plunk a hat on him. He didn’t seem too happy to be put back inside a shut coop, because it was such a sunny morning, but better to keep him in there until spring’s warmth is here to stay.
Ana Hotaling and her husband, Jae, own FMA Farms, a heritage-poultry farm in southeast Michigan. When not writing or chasing after chickens and children, Hotaling teaches martial arts and yoga and is a competitive triathlete and runner. Follow her poultry adventures at www.facebook.com/fmafarms.