Eating a chicken killed by a raccoon

[Earnest the Gray]

A raccoon just got into my sister's backyard coop and killed one of her egg hens. We chased the raccoon off but the bird quickly died. She was not very mangled, a small amount of blood on the head is the only sign of injury. Now we are wondering if we can eat the bird. I hung it by its feet in our shed. It's 55 degrees tonight. I have never butchered a chicken. Does it have to be bled right away? And eviscerated? Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Regina Larsen]

A raccoon just got into my sister's backyard coop and killed one of her egg hens. We chased the raccoon off but the bird quickly died. She was not very mangled, a small amount of blood on the head is the only sign of injury. Now we are wondering if we can eat the bird. I hung it by its feet in our shed. It's 55 degrees tonight. I have never butchered a chicken. Does it have to be bled right away? And eviscerated? Any advice is appreciated.

With rabies always present in raccoon populations i would never advise eating a bird that was coon killed.

 

[Acre4Me]

No. There are serious illnesses humans can get specifically from raccoon droppings or urine. I’m going to make the assumption that those contaminants could be present. In addition, the chicken was likely not by the raccoon, snd remained alive for a short while. The saliva could contain rabies, and the blood circulated in the chicken’s body until death. So, no, the risk is too high for safe handling or a human meal.

 

[McChooky]

Raccoons spread disease to other animals and people.You can get sick by touching anything they've touched much less eating or drinking after them. They cause diseases that can lead to a rash,fever, kidney & liver failure,coma and paralysis just to name a few.Some can kill you obviously.Throw the dead chicken in a bag and bury it and clean everything good(including yourself) https://collin-county.aaacwildliferemoval.com/blog/raccoon/raccoon-diseases-transmitted-to-humans/

 

[Folly's place]

It's really important to wear disposable gloves when handling any animal killed or injured by a wild animal, because the saliva from that critter may contain rabies, especially, and expose the person to a fatal disease.
If at all possible, kill that raccoon, skunk, fox, or bat (the most frequent carriers) and have it tested at your state lab. In most places in the USA, the local Animal Control, or your veterinarian, will know how to handle things.
Mary