Frostbite on Rooster

WannaBeFarmDad

Chirping
Jun 5, 2023
17
31
52
Near Peoria, Illinois
My rooster, MJ, has some frostbite on his comb. It has been -15 the last couple of days. I put him and a couple of hens in a heated shed that is about 45 degrees.

Should I leave him in the shed until it gets warmer? Should I give him any medicine? He is shaking his head so I assume it hurts.

My coop is 12x12. The eaves are open several feet above the roost. I clean the poop board daily. I don’t think moisture is an issue. Is my coop too large and open for a flock of 9?
 

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My rooster, MJ, has some frostbite on his comb. It has been -15 the last couple of days. I put him and a couple of hens in a heated shed that is about 45 degrees.

Should I leave him in the shed until it gets warmer? Should I give him any medicine? He is shaking his head so I assume it hurts.

My coop is 12x12. The eaves are open several feet above the roost. I clean the poop board daily. I don’t think moisture is an issue. Is my coop too large and open for a flock of 9?
Looks pretty minor and it may be causing some discomfort, but there's not much you can do about it. Not sure leaving them in a heated shed too long is a good idea.
Your coop is not too big(no such thing) and as long as the ventilation is not allowing strong airflow at the roost level, it's fine.
You might think about baffling some of the openings.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/ventilation-baffling.75434/

It’s minor but what you should do is put a warm damp cloth on his comb for 15-20 minutes
NOT a good idea....please stop telling people that.
 
Nice coop Dad. It looks like a nice setup.Do you have good circulation? I would leave in shed a little longer IMO.
Do they free range?
I do keep my girls in; if weather gets too windy and cold. I live in SW Neb and it's been negative wind chill for a week. We put up wind barriers on run otherwise I would have kept them in ( which they hate. ) But my girls HATE SNOW more !!! They see it and start squawking like crazy. Since we were facing a whole week of this we put up wind barriers this year.
Chickens really do have poor circulation in their combs.
I have some leghorns that have gotten frostbite every year and my theory is once they freeze those points off ( which I leave alone and they scab over and fall off) then they'll be winter hardy. I hope that didn't come across as heartless as it sounds. I really do love my girls but in bitter cold it's a bad design if you know what I mean. I love my sweet leghorns such sweet and good egg laying girls. I have heated water in coop for them if I do have to lock them in. Right now it's -6 with wind chill @-24. Good luck he's a handsome fella. and a great looking coop.
 

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