HELP!!! Our chicks got attacked last night by a Raccoon!! Help!!!!!!

[itspebbl]

I walked out to the brooder to take care of our 4 chicks and 1 is dead and 2 others have no toes what so ever and the last one is missing her back toes!! What do we do!!!!!!!

 

[bobbi-j]

That almost sounds more like rats than raccoons. If a coon had gotten in there, it would most likely have killed all of your birds. I'd put rat poison out where the chickens can't get at it, and tighten up the coop. Rats are hard to keep out, though. They can squeeze in through the smallest of spaces....

 

[itspebbl]

We Know its a raccon because it just reached in and grabbed them

 

[itspebbl]

Do you have an idea on what to do for the living ones other than putting them down

 

[itspebbl]

We cant do that

 

[Shellz]

I have a live trap that I bait with marshmallows & have it set up in the chicken yard. This is done at night after birds are locked up in the coop. Its legal for me to shoot the coon the next morning. I keep setting up this trap in the evenings until no more coon problem.

If chicks can still function (eat, drink & move around), no need to put down. I've never had any birds survive a predator attack.

 

[bobbi-j]

Not knowing the extent of their injuries, I couldn't advise you on what you should do with the survivors. Being an animal owner, you need to decide if they are suffering or not, and if you are keeping them alive because they will have a good quality of life, or if you are keeping them alive for your own feelings. This is something everyone should think about when they have animals of any kind. And I do practice what I preach here. We had to put down our 10-year old lab this summer. It broke my heart, but he had gotten cancer in his mouth, the vet wouldn't touch it (he said that it was contained and was worried that if they messed with it, it would spread). Well, it got to the point where I had to wet down his food because he couldn't chew well and then the tumors started bleeding. DH and I both decided that he deserved better than that, so when I was leaving for a week, DH waited until I was gone and then took care of the dog. I have also put down chickens (well, I haven't, but have asked DH to do it - I would if I absolutely had to) that were sick or injured because I learned the hard way that most of the time, "trying to make them better" only prolongs their suffering before they die anyway. So, you have to ask yourself if they are in pain, if they will be able to function this way, if they will always be suffering or if they will heal. If you decide that you want to try to fix them, then you need to think about how long you are willing to work at it, and if you are really helping or not. It's not easy. It's one of the hardest parts about having animals. Just remember that sometimes the hardest thing for us to do is the kindest thing is for the animals. If you feel they need to be put out of their suffering and can't do it yourselves, find someone who can.

If chicks can still function (eat, drink & move around), no need to put down. I've never had any birds survive a predator attack.

I would say if they can still function WITHOUT UNDUE PAIN AND SUFFERING on their part.

 

[Shellz]

I absolutely agree. No animal should have to suffer. Very well said bobbi-j.

 

[Mattemma]

I have healed some nasty injuries,but there were times when a chop with the hatchet was best. Best wishes.

 

[bobbi-j]

Just wanted to add one thing so you all hopefully don't see me as an ogre. What I said about putting down a suffering animal or trying to make it better? Sometimes I do still try to make it better. Like yesterday. Found a 6-8 week old kitten out by the chicken coops almost dead. I decided that if the poor thing was going to die anyway, it was at least going to be warm when it died. So, I brought it in, wrapped it up in a towel and my microwaveable heat wrap. Three hours later she was in my lap purring, and she spent most of the day today terrorizing my adult house cat who is NOT happy with this new development! I guess what I'm trying to say is, you need to figure out when it's best to help, and when it's best to get out the hatchet. I had decided that if she wasn't better when my DH came in from the field, I'd have him put her down. I'm glad he didn't have to.