Please help us... does our Cluck-Cluck have Frostbite?

[berg_Family]

Greetings, our family is new to the BackYardChickens Forum, but are hoping that the chicken community may be able to help us determine if our pet chicken is suffering from frostbite, and what we can do about it. Here is a picture of his comb, where the black lines ahve appeared and also (it's hard to see) but a puch like blister towards the back part of his comb.

We are eager to hear what this is, any info would be very helpful.

Thanks
Berg family

 

[SandraChick]

First- welcome to the BYC family! and let me help you get your pic up....(that's weird, the first time I looked at it--all I saw was code--hmmmm)

I do think it's frostbite, and there's not much you can do about it now. You can prevent it from getting worse.

1. Make sure you roo has a DRAFT FREE coop
2. As a preventative measure, many people will put vasoline on the comb and wattle (epecially of large combed and wattled breeds like yours) --you can still do this, but take care NOT to rub the current black parts and blisters. Frostbite acts very much like a burn--thus the blisters.
3. Watch for signs of infection-- however, expect the tips the shrivel and fall off.
4. Give your chickens some cracked corn or scratch just before their bedtime---it's considered a HOT food and helps your chickens keep warm (it takes energy to process the corn-thus giving off heat)
5. You might consider bringing this roo inside until he heals- or at least until the temps get higher.

Good Luck
Sandra

 

[Chicken_Lover]

Am I seeing the picture correctly? Is the beak trimmed way back?

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Quote:
I think the color of the beak is making it look like it is short. There is a dark spot that looks almost like the end of the beak.

 

[TOFFOWNER]

You are correct the chicken has been De-Beaked....Probally was a hatchery bird.

um..My thoughts are frostbight as well...The best thing to do, is keep him in a draft free area, and hope for the best..only prob is somtimes it gets nasty when it falls off....if it is that bad. You cant tell.

 

[berg_Family]

Thanks for fixing our picture. I've read about the de-beaking thing, it was that way when we got him. We're really new to taken care of chickens. Right now he is in our garage, and it is pretty draft-free. I instructed my husband to put a blanket around the surrounding open walls to help contain the heat from the lamp we have out there for him. We have no space in our house for a chicken. Would it help to have a heater going too?

Thanks
Berg_Family

 

[SandraChick]

Just be careful that you're not creating a fire hazard.

Regarding the heater....probably shouldn't need one with a heat lamp, but it's hard to tell without knowing your specific situation.

Good Luck
Sandra

 

[SpottedCrow]

He definitely has frostbite...not much you can do about what he's got already, though. My Hen Slifer got frostbite and lost all the points on her comb. They just dropped off.