I am currently raising dual purpose birds and discovered a raccoon got to one of the chickens this morning. I scared it away and went to kill the chicken to prevent more suffering but it died before I got there. My question is, can I still butcher the chicken? My biggest concern is possible disease from the raccoon. I live in the Pacific Northwest and as far as I know rabies isn't as rabid around here as some parts of the country but still, Take no chances. Thanks in advance for the information!
Birds don't get rabies. However, if there is infectious saliva on the bird and you get some on a cut or wound, you might be at risk.
That racoon and it's entire family will be back tonight and every day thereafter until they are all trapped and killed. Fix the problem management issues ASAP and get those coons! Mary
If the coon was rabid, and if saliva is present on the bird, and if you ingested it, you still wouldn't get rabies for several reasons. (Time, cooking temp, and mode of delivery) But the concern is more about the other bacteria nasties in saliva. I wouldn't eat it. And JHM is right.. Chickens don't carry rabies, but since the bird died, it's not a question of whether she is a carrier, but whether something lingering on the carcass can infect you.
There is another thing to consider---Raccoon worms! Do a search on raccoon worms and read about them. Several children have died in Minnesota from them. They eventually migrate to the infected person's brain and cause death. NOT something anyone would want to endure.
I don't think I would, just heard on the radio this morning that two raccoons have been trapped that tested positive for rabies in our area, we haven't had a problem with the critters as we are surrounded by people with dogs. I guess my opinion on the matter is that I wouldn't eat any of my own animals that didn't expire by my own hand. You never know what they have that killed them or has been transmitted to them.
