Identifying frostbite on ducks and geese feet

[Goose_Goose]

How can you identify frostbite on a duck or geese foot from the cold? If my ducks and geese do have frostbite in their feet how can I help them before it is too late?
Please help.

 

[sourland]

Subscribing to see what others have to say. I have never had ducks or geese with frostbite.

 

[Kkrista123]

Duck and geese feet are much more like human skin than the rest of their feathery bodies. They don't have a layer of feathers and warmth there so their blood has to maintain proper circulation for proper temperature. If there is any kind of severe temperature drop on their feet causing frostbite, the feet will appear different in some sort of way. Sometimes this can be a foot curling at a weird spot (kind of in wards) or a foot changing colors. Frostbite is easy to diagnose by looking and seeing a physical difference in the feet. They will obviously be cold to the touch too. They might also start swelling in random areas of the foot. Vaseline helps a lot to treat the frostbite but keep the feet warm and dry. Warm the feet up but not too quickly. A room temperature pre-soak followed by a little bit warmer soak would help. They will need soft and very dry bedding for their feet to heal. Unfortunately if frostbite is very severe there isn't much you can do. Once completely thawed apply neosporin in case of any open sores so they don't get infected. Vaseline will also help waterproof the feet while they heal. Just remember don't warm them up too quickly because it will hurt, just like when you spend the day out in the snow and the hot shower hurts your cold skin. You can add epsom salt to the soaking water for extra helpful benefits including anti-swelling. Once the feet are done soaking and back to a safe temperature, they will need to stay dry with the vaseline and neosporin for a while. Provide them with extra drinking water and add vitamin B complex to their water if you feel they will need an extra boost after this. An extra boost can never hurt though after trauma. Good luck and I hope your ducks and geese are okay!

 

[Kkrista123]

Here are some images from google to help you identify, you can always tell with your eye's something is off. Best wishes!

 

[LlamaGirl4]

Duck and geese feet are much more like human skin than the rest of their feathery bodies. They don't have a layer of feathers and warmth there so their blood has to maintain proper circulation for proper temperature. If there is any kind of severe temperature drop on their feet causing frostbite, the feet will appear different in some sort of way. Sometimes this can be a foot curling at a weird spot (kind of in wards) or a foot changing colors. Frostbite is easy to diagnose by looking and seeing a physical difference in the feet. They will obviously be cold to the touch too. They might also start swelling in random areas of the foot. Vaseline helps a lot to treat the frostbite but keep the feet warm and dry. Warm the feet up but not too quickly. A room temperature pre-soak followed by a little bit warmer soak would help. They will need soft and very dry bedding for their feet to heal. Unfortunately if frostbite is very severe there isn't much you can do. Once completely thawed apply neosporin in case of any open sores so they don't get infected. Vaseline will also help waterproof the feet while they heal. Just remember don't warm them up too quickly because it will hurt, just like when you spend the day out in the snow and the hot shower hurts your cold skin. You can add epsom salt to the soaking water for extra helpful benefits including anti-swelling. Once the feet are done soaking and back to a safe temperature, they will need to stay dry with the vaseline and neosporin for a while. Provide them with extra drinking water and add vitamin B complex to their water if you feel they will need an extra boost after this. An extra boost can never hurt though after trauma. Good luck and I hope your ducks and geese are okay!

Here are some images from google to help you identify, you can always tell with your eye's something is off. Best wishes! View attachment 1633395 View attachment 1633396 View attachment 1633397 View attachment 1633398

 

[Goose_Goose]

Duck and geese feet are much more like human skin than the rest of their feathery bodies. They don't have a layer of feathers and warmth there so their blood has to maintain proper circulation for proper temperature. If there is any kind of severe temperature drop on their feet causing frostbite, the feet will appear different in some sort of way. Sometimes this can be a foot curling at a weird spot (kind of in wards) or a foot changing colors. Frostbite is easy to diagnose by looking and seeing a physical difference in the feet. They will obviously be cold to the touch too. They might also start swelling in random areas of the foot. Vaseline helps a lot to treat the frostbite but keep the feet warm and dry. Warm the feet up but not too quickly. A room temperature pre-soak followed by a little bit warmer soak would help. They will need soft and very dry bedding for their feet to heal. Unfortunately if frostbite is very severe there isn't much you can do. Once completely thawed apply neosporin in case of any open sores so they don't get infected. Vaseline will also help waterproof the feet while they heal. Just remember don't warm them up too quickly because it will hurt, just like when you spend the day out in the snow and the hot shower hurts your cold skin. You can add epsom salt to the soaking water for extra helpful benefits including anti-swelling. Once the feet are done soaking and back to a safe temperature, they will need to stay dry with the vaseline and neosporin for a while. Provide them with extra drinking water and add vitamin B complex to their water if you feel they will need an extra boost after this. An extra boost can never hurt though after trauma. Good luck and I hope your ducks and geese are okay!

Thank you so much. It helps alot I just hope they are okay as this is their first winter.

 

[Kkrista123]

Thank you so much. It helps alot I just hope they are okay as this is their first winter.

No problem! Try not to stress too much as there isn't much you can do other than reverse the frostbite and hope there's nothing underneath of it. Usually there isn't and the simple warming up is all that's needed. If you realize later the frostbite is more severe than you thought, you can rub vitamin e cream on their feet for healing and cover with non stick bandage/gauze. If they're in severe pain you can add a tiny bit of aspirin to their water. If that's the case, there are people on BYC that can help you with the right dosage of medication per water. Also forgot to mention limping is a huge sign of frostbite! They should be alright for winter but preventing it is the BEST way of treating it! Here's some tips to make it easy. Make sure bedding is lose and dry to prevent humidity build up in the coop. Make sure they're locked in the coop at night if temperatures are too cold. Keep poop out of the coop and choose a bedding wisely. Try to keep a path clear of snow for them if needed. When it's cold out, make sure those feet get to the dry, warm ground shortly after. Keep coop insulated and ventilated. I hope they're feeling alright!

 

[Goose_Goose]

No problem! Try not to stress too much as there isn't much you can do other than reverse the frostbite and hope there's nothing underneath of it. Usually there isn't and the simple warming up is all that's needed. If you realize later the frostbite is more severe than you thought, you can rub vitamin e cream on their feet for healing and cover with non stick bandage/gauze. If they're in severe pain you can add a tiny bit of aspirin to their water. If that's the case, there are people on BYC that can help you with the right dosage of medication per water. Also forgot to mention limping is a huge sign of frostbite! They should be alright for winter but preventing it is the BEST way of treating it! Here's some tips to make it easy. Make sure bedding is lose and dry to prevent humidity build up in the coop. Make sure they're locked in the coop at night if temperatures are too cold. Keep poop out of the coop and choose a bedding wisely. Try to keep a path clear of snow for them if needed. When it's cold out, make sure those feet get to the dry, warm ground shortly after. Keep coop insulated and ventilated. I hope they're feeling alright!

Thank you again, another question which bedding would be best. I have straw bedding for them.

 

[chickens really]

Hello. I have straw down in my Runs. My Runs are covered.
I only use straw in one corner to keep the mess down. I have Calls and they have never frozen their feet.

 

[learycow]

The first signs of it on the feet will be light pink/pale color and stiffness. They will act like their feet hurt (because they do!). From there it will turn bright red, black, and then the dead tissue will fall off.

If you first notice signs of it, cold stiff feet, bring them in where they can slowly warm their feet up. If you are too late then they will progress to the next stage even if kept warm.

To prevent it, keep their coops or shelters bedded deeply with straw. They will nestle into it to keep their feet warm when needed. And try to keep them dry if possible. On severely cold, windy days limit their water to a container they can drink out of but not play in.