Frostbitten comb?

[floralace]

Hello, this is my first winter keeping chickens and I’m pretty sure my cockerel (6mo Faverolles) has frostbite in his comb. Last week, I was pretty sick after getting my COVID vaccine booster, and I didn’t clean their coop as well as I should have. I left the air vent closed and didn’t clean up a water spill that froze in their coop. The next day I noticed a purple tinge on the last 3 spikes of my cockerel’s comb, and after a few days of watching him (and improving ventilation in the coop and removing the waterer at night) it only seemed to spread and on a particularly cold day he seemed lethargic. So I brought him into my house in a dog crate and have been applying Veterycin twice a day. The first day I brought him in, I applied a warm wet cloth to his comb, like most online guides say to do. I just want to know if I’m right about the frostbite, if I should call a vet and get him some pain meds, and if there’s anything else I should be doing. Also, any tips on how to keep a bored teenage cockerel occupied? I’ve been bringing one of his hens inside for the day to keep him company, but is there anything else? Thanks!

Picture below. His head is a bit grimy from dirt that got stuck to the petroleum jelly I was putting on him after I first noticed the frostbite and before I brought him inside. Seems it either didn’t help or was too late.

 

[bhawk-23]

Looks like my rooster's frostbite last year but someone with more experience should confirm.

My first winter was tough, and quite the learning adventure, for me here. Glad you are feeling a bit better now!

 

[Gearhead846]

you are correct that is frostbite but i do not believe that it will hurt him because it is just dead tissue now but DO NOT clip or cut it off as it protetcts the tissue underneath i have had this happen to 1 or 2 of my hens but they are still doing great! i also have heard that rubbing vaseline on their combs on very cold nights helps but i have not tried this method and do not know if it works


im glad you got better and good luck!

 

[MysteryChicken]

you are correct that is frostbite but i do not believe that it will hurt him because it is just dead tissue now but DO NOT clip or cut it off as it protetcts the tissue underneath i have had this happen to 1 or 2 of my hens but they are still doing great! i also have heard that rubbing vaseline on their combs on very cold nights helps but i have not tried this method and do not know if it works


im glad you got better and good luck!

Vaseline, or petroleum Jelly doesn't work that great.

 

[Gearhead846]

thats kinda what i figured but i did not have any supporting evidence

thanks!

 

[MysteryChicken]

thats kinda what i figured but i did not have any supporting evidence

thanks!

I've used it for a couple years. Despite combs being covered, frostbite still happened.

 

[Gearhead846]

maybe i should invent a chicken comb insulator???

 

[Gearhead846]

sorry thats just my weird humor

 

[MysteryChicken]

maybe i should invent a chicken comb insulator???

At one point I actually thought of knitting comb warmers.

 

[floralace]

you are correct that is frostbite but i do not believe that it will hurt him because it is just dead tissue now but DO NOT clip or cut it off as it protetcts the tissue underneath i have had this happen to 1 or 2 of my hens but they are still doing great! i also have heard that rubbing vaseline on their combs on very cold nights helps but i have not tried this method and do not know if it works


im glad you got better and good luck!

Thank you so much, I’m glad to know he’s not in pain. I think one of my hens has a bit of frostbite too, she has a particularly big floppy comb so I’m not surprised. I think in the future I’ll keep breeds with smaller combs instead since the weather where I live can stay below freezing for weeks in the winter. Anyway, should I continue to keep him inside until he heals/until it’s warmer?