Coon attack!!! She's still alive

[Chicken Crazy12]

Ok, I need a little advice. Our D'Anvers got attacked by a coon last night. The rooster had his head ripped off through the chicken wire and one of the little hens got her leg ripped off. The rooster was dead of course, but the little hen was still alive so we moved her to another pen with the other remaining hen. We expected her to die, but she is bright eyed and eating. So what should I put on her wound since she shows signs of possibly pulling through? The fly's are out and I don't want it to get infected with maggots.

 

[Gingersprite]

Oh jeez, that's awful! I still grieve the loss of my hen Lily to a raccoon a month and a half ago. I personally would take the surviving chicken to a vet, you will need an antibiotic, I would guess, at the minimum. Is the wound gaping? Hopefully a more experienced responder will counsel you on treating it but I would say you need to get a triple antibiotic/painkilling ointment, like a fancy neosporin: I have used human strength OTC stuff like that on my birds to (so far) good effect, but the key is acting fast to prevent infection! Oh boy, I will send good thoughts your way. I am so sorry for your roo but will hope your girl, my gosh, if she lived through that, she needs a chance.
And kill the raccoon to protect the rest of your flock.

 

[Dora'smom]

I would be cautious about using any antibiotic with a pain-killer in it. There have been chicken deaths associated with that particular combination, but I don't know if it would always be fatal.

 

[Chicken Crazy12]

The coon was captured last night and delt with this morning. No more Coon, but I'm gonna keep setting the trap for any others that might have played a part in it or show up on their own. We didn't have much meds on hand last night, but owning horses and having supplies on had for them we used a great product that is made for really bad wounds on horses. It's called Underwood it keeps fly's away and works wonders on bad wounds. My biggest concern was maggots getting in there. It's hot and fly's love wounds but with the underwood I think they should be ok. I really got to inspect it yesterday evening and it's not a huge wound, just the leg was pulled off and a hole about the size around of your index finger is left. So if she lives what kind of life do you think she will be able to live? She eats, drinks, and talks to her sister.

The coon ended up killing 5 of our birds over the past week.

So hopefully we can get things under control and get the pens and yards up to par a little better.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

the will to live is an amazing thing... have you considered a house chicken?

 

[Gingersprite]

I love your smileys, they are great. So she's coming along? I have, as I imagine you have, read mixed things about one-legged chicken quality of life here, but I will say that in my personal experience birds are amazingly resilient despite their reputation otherwise, and so i would say see how she does, and I would second the house chicken comment (even though that wouldn't fly in our house in 100 years) just because I know of 2 families locally who have a couple of "indoor chickens" that basically live like cats inside, wow, I can't imagine but I do bring one inside once in a while and except for having to run after it with a paper towel they seem very calm. I think you have more points in your favor if the breed is not a heavyweight, thinking it's easier to balance on one leg if lighter. Mind you I have seen ducks and other birds in the wild who seem to be coping as best as can be expected (read as no obvious distress) with one leg. I suppose part of it is when they lose it in their development, and keep up with the anti-infection treatment and exposure to the chatty sister

 

[brwneggs]

How is your little hen? Is she doing ok?
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