*Urgent* Hen Attacked by Raccoon

cmonkey4

Chirping
6 Years
Mar 26, 2013
106
2
83
Pacific, MO
700

So, earlier this week a raccoon attacked my chickens just after dusk and carried one off. I heard it squawking and managed to scare the raccoon off before he killed her, and only a few of her feathers were missing. Last night, he came back just after dusk again and grabbed a different chicken. I ran out there and scared him off again, but this time, he had gnawed on one side of her head. I quickly put my other chickens up while trying to keep an eye on her when she disappeared and I thought the raccoon had gotten her again. This morning, however, she was walking outside of the fence, one side of her face is very swollen and bleeding, but the other side is fine. She's missing a lot of feathers but she is able to drink water at least. I'm not quite sure what to do.
 
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Keep her calm and comfortable. Apple cider in her water is good. Carrots collards apples and other nutrient rich fruits and veggies. Keep her separate
-Liv
 
Besides keeping your hen calm, and separating her from the flock until her wounds begin to heal.....
Carefully clean the flesh wounds with warm water and vinegar to stop the bleeding. Deep punctures need to drain so the area needs to remain soft. Honey or Neosporin can be helpful.

Looks like her eye is pretty swollen so you should check to see if the eye is injured. There are inner and outer eyelids so carefully spread the outer lids to check for injury. If you can see the iris of the eye and no blood, then the eye should heal quickly.. A little Neosporin on the eyelids will help sooth any scratches.
 
Back off on the vinegar as not effective. Apply Blue Kote to damaged area. Infection appears to be under way so I would be prepared to use antibiotics. Keep hen in cool shaded location. Watch for fly strike.
 
I use white vinegar(1/4 c) and water (1 c) to clean the wounds rather than hydrogen peroxide which it too drying. Then you don't need it anymore. You could use a few drops of Oxine in the water instead if you have it.

How does her eye look?
 

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