Recently I have been asked a lot about frostbite and have noticed that there is a great deal of misunderstanding surrounding how to treat and prevent it. With temperatures dipping into the negatives in more northern climates, it can be a tricky time, for roosters in particular. Frostbite can cause varying degrees of damage from very mild to deadly in chickens, but most cases are not life threatening, and there are a number of ways to prevent, mitigate and treat your flock in cold temperatures.
First, it’s important to understand what frostbite is, and what causes it. There seems to be a widespread misconception that its simply caused by cold, but it’s a little more complicated than that. Frostbite is a condition wherein the fluid cells in the skin and underlying tissues freeze. In cold temperatures a chicken’s body works hard to stay warm. They are able to reserve body heat by limiting circulation to the outer extremities, like combs and wattles and sometimes toes. While this preserves the animal’s overall body heat, it does mean that those tender bits have decreased warmth and become more susceptible to frigid temps. But it isn’t the temperature alone that is dangerous. The risk of frostbite is massively influenced by humidity, wind chill and water.
Humidity and ventilation are probably the biggest and trickiest obstacles when considering frostbite. In temperatures that regularly drop below freezing it is imperative to have a well ventilated, moisture-free and draft-free, coop. This is where people often get confused because while it’s important not to have a draft, it is very important to still maintain ventilation. This may seem counter intuitive to some, but over-insulating and “sealing” a coop can cause as much damage as not having a well enough “sealed” coop. Without adequate ventilation the moisture from all those tiny chicken breaths and little chicken poos is trapped in the coop and clings to bare skin, increasing the likelihood of freeze and in turn, frostbite. In addition to having proper ventilation, its important to not keep any water or food in the coop and to avoid using anything that will absorb and hold moisture such as old rugs, fabrics, cardboard or paper. It’s also imperative to keep a clean coop as chicken droppings will add a significant amount of moisture in an enclosed space.
Contrary to common belief, it is not usually a good idea to heat your coop. I will say that again. In most cases it is counterproductive to heat your coop in below freezing temperatures, here’s why; Chickens are not great at regulating their body temperatures quickly, this means that they cannot adjust to drastic changes in temperature. If you have a weak, poorly or injured chicken, the back and forth between heated coop and freezing run could be enough to shut down their immune system. In a healthy chicken it could weaken the immune system making them susceptible to illness, and in chickens that have already experienced frostbite, the freeze-thaw-freeze will do significantly more damage.
Lastly, if possible, supply water for your birds in a manner that does not require them to dip their wattles in water. Nipple feeders can be tricky in winter, but if you have access to electricity, a heated nipple feeder could save your rooster a lot of pain.
Luckily frostbite in chickens is fairly obvious and easy to diagnose. The affected area, most likely on a comb or wattle, will turn white or creamy colored, and then eventually black. There may be blisters and swelling in severe cases as well. While instinct will likely have you wanting to treat your chicken immediately, it may not be the wisest move. As discussed earlier, the freeze-thaw-freeze-thaw is not good for frostbite. If the affected area does not look too severe its best to leave it until spring and monitor the healing process. In most cases frostbite wounds will heal on their own, although slowly, sometimes taking several months to fully recover. Rubbing or touching the affected area is not recommended. Likewise, blisters should be left alone and never burst. Once the warming process begins, the chicken will experience discomfort, so it’s important to make sure they are still eating and drinking a healthy amount. Eventually the black areas of the comb or wattle will fall off and the chicken will feel much better.
If you feel that the frostbite is too severe or will not heal on its own, for instance if it has reached the head or if the bird is refusing to eat or drink, and you need to bring the bird into warmer temperatures, it’s important to know that you will have to keep that bird indoors until outdoor temperatures are consistently above freezing again.
To treat frostbite, make sure that the bird is well hydrated and has access to healthy and nutritious food. Adding electrolytes and vitamins to water is also a good idea. If the bird is suffering or has very obvious scabs it can be a good idea to remove it from the flock to avoid its being picked on and pecked at. But do not touch or try to remove said scabs. Monitor the area and at the first sign of infection spray with antibiotic spray. Note that spray should NEVER be used in freezing temperatures as it will only exacerbate the issue by adding moisture. In some cases, chickens with severe frostbite may need a full course of oral antibiotics from a vet, or, sadly, to be put down.
Good prevention practices and breed choice is the best way to mitigate frostbite in the first place. This goes back to that all-important factor, which is, a well ventilated, draft-free, low humidity coop environment. Wide perches are also a must. The chickens should have enough space to perch flat-footed, allowing them to lower their bodies onto their feet and protect their toes with their fluffy feathers. Coops should generally not have heaters, water should never be provided indoors, and any moisture-retaining materials should be avoided. If you are in an area that is well below freezing consistently for many weeks on end and you feel that added heat is necessary in the coop, make sure the difference from outdoor to indoor temperature is not significant or drastic.
Having a wind protected run or an area of their territory that is draft free is also important. The more things that chickens have to hide under or behind, the better. Feed is also important. Feeding a higher protein feed just before roosting on cold, cold nights will keep the bird’s digestive systems working, resulting in higher body temperatures. But perhaps most important is how you choose your breeds. If you know that your area frequently falls below freezing in winter, seek out birds that have small combs and wattles, are particularly large and fluffy and have feathered feet. If you aren’t sure, most hatcheries and feed stores will have “cold hardy” recommendations.
There are some very common tidbits of advice out there which are utterly counterproductive when combating frostbite. Like heated coops and towels over windows, you also want to avoid the mistake of putting Vaseline on combs as a preventative. Vaseline or similar products have many uses and should be a part of your chicken first aid. They can work wonders for keeping wounds clean and diminishing chapping in dry windy weather, but they are NOT recommended as a frostbite preventative. If you feel you must coat combs to protect them, its recommended to use something with a wax base that will not retain moisture and will not itself freeze, however in most cases a bare comb is actually a safer comb.
At the end of the day though, it’s important to understand that some minor frostbite may occur, it’s part of keeping chickens. Mild cases are nothing to worry about, and more severe cases are often fine when monitored and treated carefully. Visit your chickens daily and take a moment to check on everyone. Regular interaction with your flock will mean earlier detection of any issues allowing time to mitigate if necessary.