Help bear attack... should I euthanize?

[MysteryChicken]

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.

The wounds needs too breath.

 

[CCinVT]

The wounds needs too breath.

None of her bandages are wrapped or secured in a way that her wounds cant breath. The gauze on her back is just lightly covering the iodine strips and open part so she doesnt pull at the strips, get it dirty or touch the wounds with her wing feathers.

 

[CCinVT]

her tub set up while I do Laundry. The coloring on her gauze is iodine not blood

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I just hopped on here to say a few things: First, chickens can survive some amazing injuries so as far as injuries go I usually try to treat before euthanizing. I do euthanize when appropriate.

Second, we have a major bear problem. Once they find a source of food they WILL come back. I didn't read every page so I don't know every detail, but if you haven't started bear proofing, you need to NOW. They tend to hit up the same place every 2-4 weeks as they cover a large territory. I have had my coop torn apart on three occasions from the same bear. I've lost birds to him. I've also had one survive being hit by his paw, slammed into the wall, dislocating her wing and breaking possibly the wing and some ribs. She also had a lot of missing feathers and some small puncture wounds. She showed a strong will to survive so I treated her and a year later, she is still running around, albeit a bit on the lopsided side. Her entire right side is droopy.

To bear proof we set up a powerful electric fence. I'm a young woman, never had to do anything like that myself, and BYC and Google taught me all I needed to know. I installed the system myself. The summer was dry so I had to water the ground regularly. Without a camera I do not know how effective this really was since he came back twice after setting up the fence. I even rubbed bacon grease on it to encourage him to make contact with sniffing. Finally I had to set up unwelcome mats. These are large pieces of plywood with nails sticking straight up. Every single night I lay the mats out surrounding the coop. Thus far, the bear has never gotten into the coop since using the mats.

 

[ryneaeiel]

When I get a chance to change her packing gauze today will it be stuck? And if so should i use saline to moisten/pull it out? Specifically thinking of the one under the edge of her skin. I'm less worried about the deep gash amd more shallow puncture.

Yes, if it's stuck you can dab it with saline to help loosen it.

I'd also recommend bringing her outside with the hens for a few minutes. She should stay in a crate/carrier so they can't peck at her or anything, but seeing her friends will help lift her spirits a bit.

 

[CCinVT]

I just hopped on here to say a few things: First, chickens can survive some amazing injuries so as far as injuries go I usually try to treat before euthanizing. I do euthanize when appropriate.

Second, we have a major bear problem. Once they find a source of food they WILL come back. I didn't read every page so I don't know every detail, but if you haven't started bear proofing, you need to NOW. They tend to hit up the same place every 2-4 weeks as they cover a large territory. I have had my coop torn apart on three occasions from the same bear. I've lost birds to him. I've also had one survive being hit by his paw, slammed into the wall, dislocating her wing and breaking possibly the wing and some ribs. She also had a lot of missing feathers and some small puncture wounds. She showed a strong will to survive so I treated her and a year later, she is still running around, albeit a bit on the lopsided side. Her entire right side is droopy.

To bear proof we set up a powerful electric fence. I'm a young woman, never had to do anything like that myself, and BYC and Google taught me all I needed to know. I installed the system myself. The summer was dry so I had to water the ground regularly. Without a camera I do not know how effective this really was since he came back twice after setting up the fence. I even rubbed bacon grease on it to encourage him to make contact with sniffing. Finally I had to set up unwelcome mats. These are large pieces of plywood with nails sticking straight up. Every single night I lay the mats out surrounding the coop. Thus far, the bear has never gotten into the coop since using the mats.

This bear is a mama with 3 large cubs. She has been coming back daily. We have always been aware of our feed,compost and garbage so never been bothered. This year she is super focused on my birds. I'm hoping to have electric set up this weekend. And I guess I am going to consider these "unwelcome mats". Alot of people In our area are having particularly persistent and destructive bears this year, but i don't want my yard to be the reason she, and her Cubs think human Yards are safe food sources. Thank you for your feedback. I also will treat before euthanizing. While she still has a will to live I will stick with her

 

[humblehillsfarm]

This bear is a mama with 3 large cubs. She has been coming back daily. We have always been aware of our feed,compost and garbage so never been bothered. This year she is super focused on my birds. I'm hoping to have electric set up this weekend. And I guess I am going to consider these "unwelcome mats". Alot of people In our area are having particularly persistent and destructive bears this year, but i don't want my yard to be the reason she, and her Cubs think human Yards are safe food sources. Thank you for your feedback. I also will treat before euthanizing. While she still has a will to live I will stick with her

Our issue arose because of the heat and drought limiting food sources. It's looking like this year will be the same. He started coming around because he got into our trash. Then he found our flimsy shed where we kept the feed. Then he found our neighbor's feed. Then he finally got into the neighbor's coop and killed 14 hens. I believe it all started because he got the taste for the feed, then he got the taste for the meat. It only escalates. Given what you told me, I think your bear will only continue to get worse as far as behaviors go. I still support electric, but in my experience it isn't foolproof.

 

[CCinVT]

She got outside for some air, and everyone did come over to say hi l. They are talking to her and all picking around the grass near her.Shes nibbling grass, and hobbling around, and making chicken noises. I included a photo of a fresh poo that does not look so good.

Her under the wing area is no longer as hot, and has no smell. The strips were not as stuck as I thought, and saline got them off no problem. I cut them skinnier this time and was able to pack them better than last night in some of the nooks. There are def some small holes on the back tear that go all the way through and come out in another spot on the skin. Just big enough for the syring tip. I stuck the syringe in and rinsed them out. The back area is still hot and smells slightly. I have not irrigated or packed the wound that was breathing. I just rub the outside and edges with iodine, and neosporin. I'm having a hard time getting full antibiotic doses in her. I'm gonna try shoving them.in her mouth again tonight. I'm almost wondering if she would have to swallow it more if it was a bit of a paste? She had a chunk of her comb ripped off and the tip of her back chipped which wasnt worth mentioning in comparison but I think she has adjusted to her beak and is peaking around, and the comb is healing nicely.

 

[ryneaeiel]

I'm having a hard time getting full antibiotic doses in her. I'm gonna try shoving them.in her mouth again tonight. I'm almost wondering if she would have to swallow it more if it was a bit of a paste?

That sounds like a good idea. When I had a lizard with MBD that wouldn't take calcium, I mixed the powder with water and put it in his mouth with a syringe. If you crush up the pills and mix them into a paste with water and use the syringe to give her drops, it may be easier to get them in her.

Also, can we have a photo of her full right leg? It's looks very discolored and has me a bit concerned.

 

[CCinVT]

That sounds like a good idea. When I had a lizard with MBD that wouldn't take calcium, I mixed the powder with water and put it in his mouth with a syringe. If you crush up the pills and mix them into a paste with water and use the syringe to give her drops, it may be easier to get them in her.

Also, can we have a photo of her full right leg? It's looks very discolored and has me a bit concerned.

The leg with bruising is her right if shes facing me. It's the side under her "skinned wound" under her wing. The whole leg is that dark blue, from the thigh down and I could see no clear puncture wounds/broken skin. She got fiesty taking the picture and started to mess up her dressings. I can try to get a better one tonight if it would help