Why Birds Don’t Get Cold Feet • Hacker News Board

Re: Why Birds Don’t Get Cold Feet

#41

Post by ravel-bar-foo » Sat, Feb 20, 2021, 7:22 AM UTC

thaumasiotes wrote: post #15

serf wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Looks can sometimes be deceiving with regards to one-legged birds. My pet goose (yeah, weird pet, but she was from an egg I saved and incubated) does a trick where when she sleeps she puts her head under under a wing and lifts a leg up -- she sleeps on a single leg with her head tucked like a big ball of balanced feathers with tremendous balance and grace. She tucks her leg up so high into her down fluff that you can…

> My pet goose (yeah, weird pet, but she was from an egg I saved and incubated) Did you find the egg in the wild? I was under the impression commercial eggs were generally not fertilized. On a different note, how does your goose behave toward people? My dad still tells stories of the cute easter chick he raised, which grew into a non-cute rooster that took over the back yard and terrorized everyone except my grandmot…

Outside of the US it is not uncommon. I believe US eggs are washed with a detergent which kills salmonella and sterilizes any fertilized eggs. As a side effect, US eggs are more prone to spoiling at room temperature.

Anyway, in Europe or Asia one can buy 30 eggs, incubate them for a few days, and hold them up to a lightbox one by one. Probably at least one of them will be fertilized.

Re: Why Birds Don’t Get Cold Feet

#42

Post by forgotmypw17 » Sat, Feb 20, 2021, 7:40 AM UTC

DoreenMichele wrote: post #40

forgotmypw17 wrote: post #25

This is anecdata. I am also not a bird. Inspired by Wim Hof, I've started doing short barefoot snow walks. Within days, even between multiple walks on the same day, my feet became more cold-tolerant. They now recover from the cold faster, stay warm in the snow longer, and when I'm indoors, my feet are no longer cold without socks. My feet used to be cold to the touch and feel cold subjectively without socks.

Hot and cold treatments were used to kill infection before we invented antibiotics. Not sure how pertinent that is to your experience, but it's the first thing that comes to mind.

Yep, immunity strengthening is a nice bonus.

Re: Why Birds Don’t Get Cold Feet

#43

Post by DoreenMichele » Sat, Feb 20, 2021, 7:44 AM UTC

forgotmypw17 wrote: post #42

DoreenMichele wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hot and cold treatments were used to kill infection before we invented antibiotics. Not sure how pertinent that is to your experience, but it's the first thing that comes to mind.

Yep, immunity strengthening is a nice bonus.

Well, what I was actually thinking was that cold treatments could be killing off unrecognized, low-grade chronic infections and that may be leading to improved circulation and improved homeostasis.

Feet are notorious for being impacted first and worst by any circulation (blood) problems, which is why diabetics sometimes lose one or both feet to it (have them amputated, cuz reasons). And oxygen is a known means to kill certain kinds of infections (a la HBOT for Gangrene).

Re: Why Birds Don’t Get Cold Feet

#44

Post by forgotmypw17 » Sat, Feb 20, 2021, 7:48 AM UTC

DoreenMichele wrote: post #43

forgotmypw17 wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, immunity strengthening is a nice bonus.

Well, what I was actually thinking was that cold treatments could be killing off unrecognized, low-grade chronic infections and that may be leading to improved circulation and improved homeostasis. Feet are notorious for being impacted first and worst by any circulation (blood) problems, which is why diabetics sometimes lose one or both feet to it (have them amputated, cuz reasons). And oxygen is a known means to kil…

I think it's more likely a circulation workout.

But, sure, anything is possible.

Re: Why Birds Don’t Get Cold Feet

#45

Post by _Microft » Sat, Feb 20, 2021, 8:05 AM UTC

umvi wrote: post #12

pfdietz wrote: post #7

Countercurrent exchange is a remarkable thing that every engineer should know about.

Can you list some examples of where this is used in engineering (software or otherwise)?

Check Wikipedia, the article has examples:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countercurrent_exchange

Re: Why Birds Don’t Get Cold Feet

#46

Post by brnt » Sat, Feb 20, 2021, 8:09 AM UTC

rapnie wrote: post #39

forgotmypw17 wrote: post #25

This is anecdata. I am also not a bird. Inspired by Wim Hof, I've started doing short barefoot snow walks. Within days, even between multiple walks on the same day, my feet became more cold-tolerant. They now recover from the cold faster, stay warm in the snow longer, and when I'm indoors, my feet are no longer cold without socks. My feet used to be cold to the touch and feel cold subjectively without socks.

I have this with cycling. In the winter I never wear gloves (hate to carry these around), and when going about in the first cold days your fingers quickly go numb. By wriggling them and with body heat generated after a while they become warm, and you can even place them comfortable on the iron parts of the steering wheel. After some days in cold weather like this they don't go cold at all anymore.

I wear gloves for the first 3 minutes of cycling. After that heating has booted up, circulation has made a first full cycle and unless its very windy and snowy, I take my gloves of and my hands stay warm for the rest of the ride. Nice feeling actually.

Re: Why Birds Don’t Get Cold Feet

#47

Post by brnt » Sat, Feb 20, 2021, 8:14 AM UTC

forgotmypw17 wrote: post #25

This is anecdata. I am also not a bird. Inspired by Wim Hof, I've started doing short barefoot snow walks. Within days, even between multiple walks on the same day, my feet became more cold-tolerant. They now recover from the cold faster, stay warm in the snow longer, and when I'm indoors, my feet are no longer cold without socks. My feet used to be cold to the touch and feel cold subjectively without socks.

I used to never be cold. Could sit in open below 0C air after a shower without cooling down. I never really wore thick sweaters, where some would insist in them.

Then I moved to a Mediterranean climate. When I go back now, I find I've become a wuss. Can't handle cold at all anymore.

Re: Why Birds Don’t Get Cold Feet

#48

Post by tbyehl » Sat, Feb 20, 2021, 8:14 AM UTC

safog wrote: post #32

I feel like I’ve read articles about birds feet not getting cold from four different sources (Reddit, YT, Twitter and now HN) in the past week. Why is everyone suddenly so interested in birds?

IDK but I picked up one of my hen this morning and thought "Wow, her feet are COLD."

Bird feet may not normally get frostbite or whatever, but they certainly do get cold.

Re: Why Birds Don’t Get Cold Feet

#49

Post by kayoone » Sat, Feb 20, 2021, 8:29 AM UTC

rapnie wrote: post #39

forgotmypw17 wrote: post #25

This is anecdata. I am also not a bird. Inspired by Wim Hof, I've started doing short barefoot snow walks. Within days, even between multiple walks on the same day, my feet became more cold-tolerant. They now recover from the cold faster, stay warm in the snow longer, and when I'm indoors, my feet are no longer cold without socks. My feet used to be cold to the touch and feel cold subjectively without socks.

I have this with cycling. In the winter I never wear gloves (hate to carry these around), and when going about in the first cold days your fingers quickly go numb. By wriggling them and with body heat generated after a while they become warm, and you can even place them comfortable on the iron parts of the steering wheel. After some days in cold weather like this they don't go cold at all anymore.

Unfortunately doesn’t work for me. I have (self diagnosed) what is called raynaud syndrome where my body sends a signal to immediately draw the blood out of the hands when it’s very cold. They literally turn white. I need to cycle really hard and stop for a couple of minutes so that there is less cold airflow to get them back and usually they get cold again over longer rides. This is only a problem at below say 5-6 degrees but it’s very annoying.

Re: Why Birds Don’t Get Cold Feet

#50

Post by unixhero » Sat, Feb 20, 2021, 9:15 AM UTC

brnt wrote: post #47

forgotmypw17 wrote: post #25

This is anecdata. I am also not a bird. Inspired by Wim Hof, I've started doing short barefoot snow walks. Within days, even between multiple walks on the same day, my feet became more cold-tolerant. They now recover from the cold faster, stay warm in the snow longer, and when I'm indoors, my feet are no longer cold without socks. My feet used to be cold to the touch and feel cold subjectively without socks.

I used to never be cold. Could sit in open below 0C air after a shower without cooling down. I never really wore thick sweaters, where some would insist in them. Then I moved to a Mediterranean climate. When I go back now, I find I've become a wuss. Can't handle cold at all anymore.

Wool my friends. It is the only way.