Raccoon Attack! Broken leg and puncture wounds on pullet.

[ChicknCharm]

Awoke to frantic chirping from our 8 week pullets and found a raccoon in their outer cage; somehow two were in the outer cage and not the inner cage. One has a completely floppy, broken leg with puncture marks and one large gash. Her leg is swollen and bleeding, but only a slow drip/ooze from the holes.

My questions:
1.) will the oozing wound need bandages changes (there is one up high, a gash, where I had to attach a splint) if I keep removing the splint to change bandages, will it negate the function of the splint?
2.) should I administer oral antibiotics? If so, which one and what dosage in about 1/4 cup water for such a tiny pullet. Or do I need to inject? Again, what and how much?
3.) I have her in traction according happyhenhouse pics; but the broken leg does not dangle evenly with the OK leg; I am no vet tech, is this OK?
4.) Her bad leg and toes are swollen; is that just the break or an infection already (this happened at 2:00am this morning).

Please see my pics below and offer any advice that will help us. She is breathing a bit heavy (it seems); but is drinking and eating and not fightly the sling. THANK YOU.

 

[ChicknCharm]

ALSO, her toes are all limp, does not seem able to wiggle them at all.

 

[ChicknCharm]

Pics are added; can someone look and read my questions? I need help with antibiotic choice and treatment if infected; and to know if I have handled the broken leg correctly.

 

[dawnangel]

I can't really help too much. Not that experienced. Where is the break at? above or below the joint. The punctures on her toes seem fine, will probably heal. Probably want to wash, and place some neosporin or benadine. She probably has swelling because of the break, I'd watch it and see if it goes down as it heals or gets worse? It's also possible that the wrap is too tight, pictures of the foot might help. I'd also look into some antibiotics, raccoons can have some gnarly bacteria in their mouths. There's some good forums about antibiotics, I know there's injectables you might be able to get from the supply. You have a nice swing set up, should help her keep off her feet. Make sure she can get plenty of water, electrolytes, calcium, and protein. Some scrabbled eggs with some ground egg shells might help.
Hopefully my post will help bring out some more experienced help.

 

[ChicknCharm]

I am so inexperienced with anatomy, especially birds. I am not sure where the break is; their legs attach along side the body almost and her ENTIRE leg dangles, so I am guessing at the hip joint. I put on an angled splint, but don't know if it goes up high enough. Hopefully the swing will keep things together enough to knit if I have splinted wrong. I am so mad at our neighborhood raccoons, this is our third attack that has caused trauma, we lost a hiding broody, and another hen lost two toes, and now this poor little thing.

Thank you for your suggestions, I am going to get to benadine tomorrow morning, we had peroxide and neosporine readily available.

I looked up breaks and mauling wounds, found some good information, but as this situation is a COMBO; I am nervous on how to treat both.

We have inject. pen. in the fridge; I will see how she looks tomorrow.

ANYONE ELSE out there ever had a chicken with trauma and a broken leg????

 

[dawnangel]

I've read that peroxide can actually cause more tissue damage, might want to just do warm soapy water. I guess the break might be higher up on the femur. Might want to look into a sling, or something to hold the leg. What you have her in now might do the job. Someone with more experience might be able to have a good way to hold the whole thing still as it heals.

 

[ChicknCharm]

I have read the same about peroxide and will get the alternative tomorrow, today I was trying to make a swing and lost time!!!! Thank you again.

ANYONE out there ever had a mauled an broken legged chicken????

 

[dzdork]

Call or email:
Peter Brown-The Chicken Doctor
[email protected]
410-546-6137
firststatevetsupply.com

He helped me when my hen was attacked by a raccoon and again when 2 of my hens had a respiratory illness. He is awesome!

my raccoon victim had punctures in a few places, lots of ripped out feathers and her beak bitten off.
happened 9/10/11 and it hasn’t grown back, but she has learned to eat and drink without it.

 

[ChicknCharm]

Thank you, I have emailed him before. It is worth a try!

She is now on antibiotics and breathing poorly; I hope I have at least started the treatment correctly.