Emergency. Coon attacked 7 hens heads skinned but alive

[MasterofNone]

Don't have time to explain everything but can't find threads I have seen about this. Short version faces swollen, combs torn off, some beaks torn off. We just got them separated and need to know how to treat... So many quickly. Do we flush the wound and with what? Thanks

 

[coach723]

So sorry. You can flush wounds with Chlorhexidine (hibiclens), diluted betadine, or plain, mild soapy water. For the beaks, be careful that they don't aspirate any while flushing, be careful there. Work on stopping bleeding first if necessary. Treat for shock first, try to get them drinking, electrolites if you have them, gatorade can work, room temperature or slightly warmed for birds that are shocky. For birds with beak injuries, those can be very painful and may put them off food and water. Tubing might be necessary if they don't start eating and drinking on their own. Put food (moistened with water to make a soft mash) and water in larger, deeper, open dishes for them, it will make it easier for those with injured beaks. Once the wounds are cleaned and dry, apply some plain neosporin or plain triple antibiotic ointment to keep the wounds covered and moist (hard to do with a beak injury), reapply as needed.
Beak injuries harden up over a few days and get less painful then. When you have time, some pictures of injuries would be helpful for specific advice.
If birds lose their beak, they can often adapt and do well with a little extra help.
Link to one story, when you have time:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-has-no-beak.73534/
I had a bird scalped, treated as above and she recovered fine, picture below.
Info on tubing fluids and food, if it becomes necessary:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/go-team-tube-feeding-updated-12-29-2019.805728/

 

[MasterofNone]

Ok
Everyone got a saline flush, picked debris out with tweezers, then liberally sprayed with vetricyn. We syringed water with electrolytes to each and assessed. Turns out we have 9 with head injuries. 2 of them are extreme and we have chosen to give them peace, one with a broken jaw and another with no beak left at all. 2 more of them are swollen and definitely wounded, but seem like they will heal well with some watchful care.

The others are varied. Right now they look absolutely atrocious. Its hard to tell the extent of many injuries. One other lost a lot of her beak. I have seen here that they can grow back, but I don't know about it. She is very responsive so for now we are choosing to wait, treat her as best we can and pray she has the grit to get thru this.

We lost 4 hens and 2 were very special to me. I think I am in a bit of shock myself right now. I will try to post pics later. Of course our vet does not treat chickens and nobody sells antibiotics anymore. What a sad day.

 

[MasterofNone]

So sorry. You can flush wounds with Chlorhexidine (hibiclens), diluted betadine, or plain, mild soapy water. For the beaks, be careful that they don't aspirate any while flushing, be careful there. Work on stopping bleeding first if necessary. Treat for shock first, try to get them drinking, electrolites if you have them, gatorade can work, room temperature or slightly warmed for birds that are shocky. For birds with beak injuries, those can be very painful and may put them off food and water. Tubing might be necessary if they don't start eating and drinking on their own. Put food (moistened with water to make a soft mash) and water in larger, deeper, open dishes for them, it will make it easier for those with injured beaks. Once the wounds are cleaned and dry, apply some plain neosporin or plain triple antibiotic ointment to keep the wounds covered and moist (hard to do with a beak injury), reapply as needed.
Beak injuries harden up over a few days and get less painful then. When you have time, some pictures of injuries would be helpful for specific advice.
If birds lose their beak, they can often adapt and do well with a little extra help.
Link to one story, when you have time:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-has-no-beak.73534/
I had a bird scalped, treated as above and she recovered fine, picture below.
Info on tubing fluids and food, if it becomes necessary:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/go-team-tube-feeding-updated-12-29-2019.805728/
View attachment 3517915

Thank you so much. We just did a fast triage basically. But all need something. I will look into tubing. Do you have a link by chance? If not I will see what I can find. I really appreciate it.

 

[MasterofNone]

Here are a few pics. We were so busy we sort of forgot to take pics after a bit.

That first pic is the worst one that may make it. I am a little concerned that maybe its cruel to try and heal her. Does she even have a chance?

 

[coach723]

I gave you a link in my post above for tube feeding. If you have questions on that, PM the original poster, @casportpony, and I think she will help you with that.
I also gave a link to a story on a bird that lost most of it's beak and survived and did well. There are others as well, if you search.. That is entirely up to you, we all have different levels of what we are willing and able to do, and different philosophies on animals, do what you are comfortable with. I personally usually try to give them a chance if I think they have one and it's not causing unneccessary pain or suffering, and recovery would mean some quality of life. If the bird is fighting, I will too. But again, that's a personal decision. If they survive the shock, and you can prevent infection and they have no internal injuries, they have a good chance to recover. Even a bird that has lost an eye or a beak can often adapt and live a good quality life.
It sounds like the racoon tried to pull them through wire? If that's the case you may need to change that in your set up to prevent it happening again. Predators will often return to where they had success before. Particularly at night, nothing with openings larger than 1/2" is truly secure. 1/2 or 1/4 inch hardware cloth is the best for securing your coop and run.
I'm very sorry for your losses, I know it's heartbreaking. I've lost them to hawks and foxes.
My coop and run are very secure, but my birds semi-free range during the day in a large fenced area, so there is always a risk then.

 

[MasterofNone]

Thank you. Sorry I missed it. I really appreciate it.

Our coop is as close to Alcatraz as possible. Hardware cloth everywhere. The coon was inside the coop. It was a long day yesterday and I am sick (just a cold). So were out there just before dusk and shut them in the run (they open range) because the automatic pop door closes at dusk I never even thought there could be a raccoon that wandered in during the daylight. We had our german shepherd out there last night too and he never indicated anything could be amiss. Then I went to bed early, cuz ugh. I should have checked the nesting boxes. It never crossed my mind to at that time of day tho.

When we woke up, the auto door didn't open. Went to get eggs and saw how quiet it was. It was bad.

Anyway, the raccoon had tried to escape overnight, but was locked inside with the chickens. I am so ashamed that I missed it. There is no entry/exit, but it tore up the inside of the coop a lot. I am amazed any chickens survive tbh. Needless to say, we dispatched the raccoon immediately so that one won't be back. I just can't believe it waltzed right thru the popdoor during the daylight and we never saw it. Just

 

[coach723]

I'm so sorry. No matter how careful you are, stuff happens. I've had some head slappers too. Hard for a human to think like a chicken, or a predator. I've got a mating pair of foxes hanging around right now, so stress is high, trying to get everyone in earlier, and letting them out later. Then she'll be feeding the kits. Fingers crossed. Don't beat yourself up, things happen. I hope they all recover.

 

[MasterofNone]

Well, last night we lost 1 more and after assessing the rest of the injured we decided to euthanise 2 more. Their suffering is immense and their will to live is just gone (those are the ones in the above photos, and also very special to me. So that is tearing me up.) Smudge, with the broken beak, has a split right down the center of her lower beak all the way to her jaw and I just can't see that ever growing back properly the way its split in 2. And with so many injured, we just don't have the ability to treat so many. We are blessed to have the ability to give them mercy from their suffering.

We lost more than the seven I counted right after the incident. Total losses were 12 birds so far, out of 23.
One more wyandotte, Prim, who looks better than many, seems also to be going further into shock. The swelling has subsided a little, but she is unresponsive. And I really love that little bird too. So we are going to keep giving her electrolytes and antibiotic treatments, but it looks bleak.

Today actually feels a little harder than yesterday, if only because our own shock has worn off, the emergency has become intensive care and a lot of tough choices, and the sad reality is really sinking in. Why must raccoons be so cruel in their preferred attack method?

But, in a slightly better, or at least touching way, our rooster is staying right with his injured hens. I found him this morning cooing and purring atop their cages, and they were talking back to him. Utterly heartbreaking, but sweet. As we took individual birds for treatment, he just stays right there. He took a bit of damage himself, but has suddenly become quite tame and trusting of us humans after months of aloofness. Anyway, here is a photo of Cockadile Dundee just being a supportive roo to his ladies. I think he is more intelligent than we give him credit for, as well as more sensitive.

 

[coach723]

I'm very sorry for all your losses. That is a lot of birds to have in ICU at the same time, I'm sure overwhelming. If a beak injury doesn't damage the quick too much, then it may grow back. But it happens very slowly. I hope you are able to save the ones you have left. It's always possible that there is damage that you can't see when a predator attacks, so all you can do is try. Fingers crossed for you.