Help bear attack... should I euthanize?

[CCinVT]

Ugh thank you all for the support! I put a thick layer of ointment on her and just loosely draped gauze over top for tonight because her wings sit right on top of the wounds. She is drinking and just gobbled up an entire scrambled egg. Shes had one watery poo but no blood I could see. I'll give her rest now and try some acctual feed tomorrow. That was a long process to clean her up but I was as thorough as i think i could be. I pulled out 3 whole feathers from under one of the skin flaps. Ugh my poor girl. Thank you all! I'm gonna do my best.

 

[TropicalBabies]

I don't know if you noticed the link I added but that was my process. Maybe you can glean something from it.
So, I know you got it together way more so than I did lol. The main thing was to keep the Neosporin on her and cater to her every need lol. The first 2 weeks were hard , she was in pain and depressed because she could not be with flock. I had great advise and support to walk me through and I am wishing you both the same.

 

[CCinVT]

I don't know if you noticed the link I added but that was my process. Maybe you can glean something from it.
So, I know you got it together way more so than I did lol. The main thing was to keep the Neosporin on her and cater to her every need lol. The first 2 weeks were hard , she was in pain and depressed because she could not be with flock. I had great advise and support to walk me through and I am wishing you both the same.

I had not noticed the link! Thank you. I started going through it last night. I'll keep checking it out. I'm gonna go get more neosporin today, not so far this morning shes still alive.

 

[ryneaeiel]

I had not noticed the link! Thank you. I started going through it last night. I'll keep checking it out. I'm gonna go get more neosporin today, not so far this morning shes still alive.

It's great to hear she's still kicking. How is she doing?

 

[Peppercorngal]

I'm sorry your girl was hurt in this attack. Give her a chance, give her scrambled eggs and moist cat food for nutrition so she can heal. I'm pulling for you! I HATE bears! We had a bear attack (2017) of 3 bears that killed and carried away all my chickens except for two, who had the sense to hold still and "hide". Did I say that I HATE bears?

 

[CCinVT]

It's great to hear she's still kicking. How is she doing?

She's resting. not moving around, but can stand unsteadily. She ate some more egg and rice today, and drank more electrolyte. i'll offer her some softened food later, but thought for today just keeping it dark, and letting her rest. I lifted her gauze this morning before i had to run out and there still seemed to be a heavy layer of ointment so I let her be. It was such a long ordeal to get her as cleaned up as I did. I think she needed the rest, and she's definitely in pain. I'll give her fresh ointment this afternoon, and drape more clean gauze over it. when my husband is home to watch the baby so I can do that. She has had multiple poos that look small but normal. I'm cautiously hopeful right now. I know how quickly they can go downhill, but also she's still hanging in there will me so I'm gonna keep going.

I'm sorry your girl was hurt in this attack. Give her a chance, give her scrambled eggs and moist cat food for nutrition so she can heal. I'm pulling for you! I HATE bears! We had a bear attack (2017) of 3 bears that killed and carried away all my chickens except for two, who had the sense to hold still and "hide". Did I say that I HATE bears?

Thank you. The way the bear is carying the hen in the photo is exactly where her punctures are and she is skinned! It's a mama bear and 3 cubs I've seen them. I scared them away last night when I went out to get this girl from the coop, and they came back! They ripped the chicken door right off the coop! We have a beefy coop too it's all milled lumber, and we've never had a problem. I am all for accepting we live in the woods with nature, but last night while i was cleaning up this girl they got another hen and my daughters pet duck! The duck showed up back at the house late this morning. she has a bonded sister who kept her company today, but my husband had to come home from work, and we did put her down. She was a wonderful pet, but she had insides on the outside. I hope the hen makes it. We are gonna screw the doors shut tonight, and i guess look into electric fencing? They are just leaving such carnage it's awful! ugh that was a long reply to say I'm glad someone out there understands. I'll support this hen the best I can for as long as she tells me she has will to live. I'm nervous about infection of coarse and the deep puncture wounds.

 

[ryneaeiel]

She's resting. not moving around, but can stand unsteadily. She ate some more egg and rice today, and drank more electrolyte. i'll offer her some softened food later, but thought for today just keeping it dark, and letting her rest. I lifted her gauze this morning before i had to run out and there still seemed to be a heavy layer of ointment so I let her be. It was such a long ordeal to get her as cleaned up as I did. i think she needed the rest, and she's definitely in pain. I'll give her fresh ointment this afternoon when my husband is home to watch the baby so I can do that. She has had multiple poos that look small but normal. I'm cautiously hopeful right now. I know how quickly they can go downhill, but also she's still hanging in there will me so I'm gonna keep going.

Thank you. The way the bear is carying the hen in the photo is exactly where her punctures are and she is skinned! It's a mama bear and 3 cubs I've seen them. I scared them away last night when I went out to get this girl from the coop, and they came back! They ripped the chicken door right off the coop! We have a beefy coop too it's all milled lumber, and we've never had a problem. I am all for accepting we live in the woods with nature, but last night while i was cleaning up this girl they got another hen and my daughters pet duck! The duck showed up back at the house late this morning. she has a bonded sister who kept her company today, but my husband had to come home from work, and we did put her down. She was a wonderful pet, but she had insides on the outside. I hope the hen makes it. We are gonna screw the doors shut tonight, and i guess look into electric fencing? They are just leaving such carnage it's awful! ugh that was a long reply to say I'm glad someone out there understands. I'll support this hen the best I can for as long as she tells me she has will to live. I'm nervous about infection of coarse and the deep puncture wounds.

She'll definitely need the rest, but it's great that she's eating and drinking.

Electric fences are a great idea. Do you have any firearms by chance? Bears are very skittish and will usually bolt if they hear a gunshot.

 

[CCinVT]

She'll definitely need the rest, but it's great that she's eating and drinking.

Electric fences are a great idea. Do you have any firearms by chance? Bears are very skittish and will usually bolt if they hear a gunshot.

Not really much of a firearm house. We have a 22 that we keep for occasion like having to put the duck down, but I'm home alone with a toddler all day so we don't keep it loaded or that handy. Our house is on a hill, and all woods behind us. our property backs national forest. the coop is behind our house, and from what i can tell they have perfect view of our house/ coop from the bottom of the hill where they just come and go. They are coming right into our yard though for the coop. They ripped the hardware cloth that is our run like it was paper. then last night pulling the chicken door right off hinges, latch and all and are getting birds each time. I was up cleaning this hen till 1:30 am, and didn't hear any commotion. Ugh our poor duck. it was awful. I was so excited when we saw her show back up this morning. I've never had to set up electric fence before do i just surround the coop and turn it on at night? I am gonna loose all my birds at this rate.

 

[ryneaeiel]

Not really much of a firearm house. We have a 22 that we keep for occasion like having to put the duck down, but I'm home alone with a toddler all day so we don't keep it loaded or that handy. Our house is on a hill, and all woods behind us. our property back national forest. the coop is behind our house, and from what i can tell they have perfect view of our house/ coop from the bottom of the hill where they just come and go. They are coming right into our yard though for the coop. They ripped the hardware cloth that is our run like it was paper. then last night pulling the chicken door right off hinges, latch and all and are getting birds each time. I was up cleaning this hen till 1:30 am, and didn't hear any commotion. Ugh our poor duck. it was awful. I was so excited when we saw her show back up this morning. I've never had to set up electric fence before do i just surround the coop and turn it on at night? I am gonna loose all my birds at this rate.

The .22 will definitely work for scaring off bears. You can also throw things at them, or just outright scream at them if you see them.

As for the fence, yes, I'd surround the coop, but I'd keep it turned on 24/7 for a few days, just in case the bears get brave and try to take a bird during the day. All it takes is one touch and they'll bolt. After that I'd just leave it on at night.

 

[CCinVT]

The .22 will definitely work for scaring off bears. You can also throw things at them, or just outright scream at them if you see them.

As for the fence, yes, I'd surround the coop, but I'd keep it turned on 24/7 for a few days, just in case the bears get brave and try to take a bird during the day. All it takes is one touch and they'll bolt. After that I'd just leave it on at night.

great this is helpful. I yelled at it last night, and it did run, but obviously came back... which is disappointing. At this point they are coming regularly for sure. Would you keep your birds in the run with the electric fencing for the first few days or let them free range in case the bear got back in? We have 3 big areas of hardware cloth to repair on our run before they can be enclosed during the day again. I'm thinking of screwing the doors closed tonight