# Yikes!! Blood!!



## Mamachickof14 (Aug 28, 2012)

I need help again...I have stainless steel waters and feeders...its been cold here...I think their combs are sticking to the water and feeder when they go to eat or drink??? I checked them all very well and don't see any blood or anything different with their combs??? You know...if you would stick your tongue to a flag pole, your tongue would stick?? Could this be happening and what should I do?? Has this happened to any of you? Thanks for any info. Jen


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

Mamachickof14 said:


> I need help again...I have stainless steel waters and feeders...its been cold here...I think their combs are sticking to the water and feeder when they go to eat or drink??? I checked them all very well and don't see any blood or anything different with their combs??? You know...if you would stick your tongue to a flag pole, your tongue would stick?? Could this be happening and what should I do?? Has this happened to any of you? Thanks for any info. Jen


Can you try plastic feeders over the colder months....


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## CharlieEcho (Nov 25, 2012)

*heated waterer;*

Are the waterers and feeders heated? Our feeders are made of wood so I don't think they will have a sticking problem there. Our waterers are heated and turn on at 35 degrees. One is plastic and in the barn while the metal one is in the hen house.

We had a really cold spell a while back with lots of wind and some snow. The chickens hardly left the hen house. They ate all their feed and drank all their water that day. It's their first winter. At any rate I can feel the warmth in the hen house coming off the water heater. It's a small shed well sealed against the wind.

I would try to keep them off and away from any cold metal. We have straw on the floors of the barn and hen house.


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## Mamachickof14 (Aug 28, 2012)

Thanks for getting back with me so quickly...I'd still like to hear more ideas if anybody has them??? I have a plastic water can outside and the metal one in the hen house...it just partly froze last night. It was around 20*. I thought I could wrap a towel around it where their combs touch and use masking tape to hold it on?? We live in New York and I'm sure we will get much more cold weather. How do you like the water heaters you set the can on? Jen


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## Australorp (Dec 28, 2012)

*Frozen water*

Mamachickof14, I have not had that problem with my girls since I have been using an overhead waterer.It only gets down into the 20's a few times a winter here in N. CA but I have not had any freeze ups with this waterer. I suppose you could shine a heat light on it to keep it from freezing in colder temperatures. Mine is undercover inside the pen so that might help to keep it from freezing.


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## fuzziebutt (Aug 7, 2012)

You can rub vaseline on the combs to protect them from frostbite, and it should keep them from sticking to metal, also. Or rub the vaseline on the metal, also. And on wattles.


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

Have you ever used coco butter I stead of Vaseline? I like coco butter much better and I imagine its healthier.


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## chickflick (Sep 23, 2012)

If you have electricity in your coop, a heated dog bowl works great. If not, switch to the rubber water bowls and each morning you can pop the frozen ice out and refill it with water. Combs and wattles bleed a lot and can get stuck on the metal bowls.


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## Mamachickof14 (Aug 28, 2012)

Thanks for all your ideas...so far I wrapped the hand towels around the feeders with masking tape...nobodys comb was bleeding today!  I will try the coco butter or vaseline...do I do that every day? It's suppose to get in the teens early this week...I check on them often during the day and swap their watering can.They do not like the snow...when I let them out in the morning I'd love to know what they are saying!! They make all kinds of cackleing noises...they sound mad!! Just love my girls...Jen


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