Chicken Attacked by Raccoon

[Corn CribMarket]

Nellie my 1 yr old Araucana was attacked by a raccoon 24 hours ago. She was found in shock in tall grass standing over her egg, 5 hours later.
Her head was bloody and her eyes not opening with part of comb and waddle missing. Bites on her back were open. She had labored breathing but is now calm but appears to still be in shock? She just stands and doesn't move around.
I put her in her own pen with food and water. She hasn't shown interest in either. I used wet warm compresses on her head to remove dried blood and to hopefully aid in opening her eyes. I saw movement in one eye, so I believe it is still in tack.
I have placed Neosporin on her open wound on her back. It was suggested to redo every 24 hours for 3 days.
How long can she go without eating or drinking? What can I do to help her? Should I make special food? I put Vital in her water and dip my finger to wet her beak.
We live in Northern Indiana and it is rather chilly right now. Should I bring her inside or will she be o.k. in the coop? Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

 

[EggDropSoup]

Chickens who are in shock need lots of warmth and fluids to recover. Get her into the house. Put her in a bathroom with an overhead heater or a space heater, or put her in a box with a heating pad covered in a towel. Get some fluids into her--look up "rehydration solution" on the internet. It's usually salt, sugar, and water mixed together.

I have discovered that if they can get over the initial shock, and if you can keep infection at bay, they will usually recover from this sort of thing. She definitely needs to be inside, though. The warmth should help her snap out of it. I had a hen get very, very badly attacked by a dog. She had to live inside for two weeks, but it was worth it. Two years later, she's still with me.

If you can, go to the feed store and get some injectable penicillin, a plastic syringe, and some small disposable needles. It can be intimidating to give your chicken an injection, but once you learn how, it's easy, and the penicillin could save her from a systemic infection from the nasty raccoon bite. Neosporin may not be enough if the wounds are deep.

Hope this helps!!

 

[Corn CribMarket]

Great. Thank you so much for your help. I will post her recovery.

 

[Corn CribMarket]

Thank you Egg Drop Soup. I started Nellie on antibiotics plus hydrating fluids through a dropper, which she handled well. Unfortunately I believe her injuries to have been to severe to survive.
I appreciate your quick response and the information given. I will learn from this experience.
BYC is a Great tool and I appreciate their site to help me to be a better poultry farmer.