Help! Flock attack!

[gdetorio24]

Please help! We had an early morning attack on our keets. We believe it was more raccoon(s). They are enclosed completely, but we have 3 low windows which are covered with 1"chicken wire.

Anyway, I didn't replace the glass windows last night as it was 90° overnight. At 5:30 this a.m. we found one had actually been pulled through the chicken wire and beheaded (body too big to pull through chicken wire), one completely had been pulled through although I can't see how it was physically possible as all we found was a wing and some entrails and a 3rd and 4th were/are missing a leg.

One of the fowl that lost a leg has already died. The other one is resting but seems healthy otherwise. Her/his friends are trying to care for it by bringing greens to it.

BIG QUESTION is...can she survive without intervention? I don't see that (s)he is bleeding any longer and I don't want to stress it out.

 

[Themellowyellows]

I think so, but you might want to clean that wound out and put more wire, if you see any more infections rap it maybe? If she is fine but they are pecking on her foot, put Blue-kote on, that way they wont peck on the blood and possibly cause more harm or pain.

 

[R2elk]

Please help! We had an early morning attack on our keets. We believe it was more raccoon(s). They are enclosed completely, but we have 3 low windows which are covered with 1"chicken wire.

Anyway, I didn't replace the glass windows last night as it was 90° overnight. At 5:30 this a.m. we found one had actually been pulled through the chicken wire and beheaded (body too big to pull through chicken wire), one completely had been pulled through although I can't see how it was physically possible as all we found was a wing and some entrails and a 3rd and 4th were/are missing a leg.

One of the fowl that lost a leg has already died. The other one is resting but seems healthy otherwise. Her/his friends are trying to care for it by bringing greens to it.

BIG QUESTION is...can she survive without intervention? I don't see that (s)he is bleeding any longer and I don't want to stress it out.

As you now know, chicken wire won't stop coons. Replace the chicken wire with 1/2" hardware cloth.

 

[gdetorio24]

As you now know, chicken wire won't stop coons. Replace the chicken wire with 1/2" hardware cloth.

Thank you. That's what we put on the floors all around so nothing could dig in either. It's under sand then brick then the hardware cloth. Those windows typically have the glass in them at night with the exception of last night.
I'm genuinely shocked that it was able to pull them through though.

Side note, We will more than likely place the hardware cloth on the outside of the framing of those windows. I appreciate your input.
Also- my main question was will he or she survive without intervention from me? Do you have any thoughts on that?

 

[R2elk]

Also- my main question was will he or she survive without intervention from me? Do you have any thoughts on that?

It might but will always be at a disadvantage.

I would cull it if it were mine.

 

[gdetorio24]

I think so, but you might want to clean that wound out and put more wire, if you see any more infections rap it maybe? If she is fine but they are pecking on her foot, put Blue-kote on, that way they wont peck on the blood and possibly cause more harm or pain.

Thank you for the input. I feel like I've failed my Lil guys. I'll pick up some blue kote today. Nobody seems to be pecking her. On the contrary, besides stepping on her, they seem to be being attentive. I keep calling it a she, but don't know the sex as of yet.

 

[gdetorio24]

It might but will always be at a disadvantage.

I would cull it if it were mine.

That's kind of what I was getting at. If we have to, we certainly will. No sense in it surviving only to be taken by a hawk when I turn them out.

 

[Themellowyellows]

Agreed, hope she makes it!

 

[SamLockwood]

Thank you. That's what we put on the floors all around so nothing could dig in either. It's under sand then brick then the hardware cloth. Those windows typically have the glass in them at night with the exception of last night.
I'm genuinely shocked that it was able to pull them through though.

Raccoons are very determined and freakishly strong for their size. They'll often work in groups, too.

 

[SamLockwood]

That's kind of what I was getting at. If we have to, we certainly will. No sense in it surviving only to be taken by a hawk when I turn them out.

The closest I had to that injury was a guinea hen that either broke a leg or got a severe sprain. She was immobile for 3 days, then figured out she could get around by hopping on the good foot and using the opposite wing to steady herself and push along. She even figured out how to roost with only one good leg, but I'm not kidding myself: if anything made a go for her she'd have been dead meat.

She ended up walking again about six weeks later, and a month after that I couldn't tell which one of the 3 young hens had been the limper.