Help! Need advice for chick injured in racoon attack.

[misspoundie]

I have a flock of 7 week old chickens that we just moved out of the brooder to an outside chicken tractor this past week. Two nights ago we woke up to a racoon and her gang attacking the tractor. We were lucky enough to catch them early, out of our 12, we only lost 1 and have 1 injured.

The injured gal was my runt from the getgo, it appears the coon grabbed her by the leg and appears broken. She has one puncture wound. Immediately that morning I moved her back into the brooder in the unattached garage and turned the heat lamp on her. I put vaseline on her wound and gave her sugar water.

Upon further research on the forums yesterday I have ordered triple antiobotic and Vetericyn Hydrogel spray that should be here today. I gave her a boiled egg yesterday and she seems to be a trooper, eating and drinking. With the constant care of the wound I moved her into the house in a dog carrier with an open top. Since she was inside I turned off the heat lamp, I would guess it's about 73-75 inside the house. This morning when I went to treat her wound she was shaking/shivering.

Should I turn the heat lamp back on her? I don't want to overheat her either. Or could she be shaking because she's still scared? I am pretty new to this and would appreciate any advice.

 

[fried green eggs]

Sorry about your lose. She may be shaking due to shock. Make sure she is out of all drafts and keep her in a quite area. Did you splint the leg to support it? I like using Neosporin w/pain reliever on wounds. Hope she pulls through.

 

[savnnah07]

I would keep the heat lamp on her as long as she can get around well enough to get out of the heat. I had some chicks that were about 8 weeks old that I had to bring inside one night and thought they would be warm enough (my AC doesn't get set any lower than 75) but when I woke up they were all almost dead because they were so cold. I hope I am not wrong in my suggestion, but I would keep the heat light on just in case.

 

[tehachapichick]

Last Friday night my RIR got attack by a raccoon also. My dog alerted me to something in the run. When I got closer with a flash light the raccoon was coming out. I did not notice anything was wrong until the next morning. What is did was I first cleaned her wounds(she had 3 under her wing) with peroxide and pulled some feather off, and then put neo on it. I also have her separated in a large dog crate in the house. I check her wounds daily and they are dry and healing. She is eat, drinking, going and she even laid an egg. I hope to put her back with the others soon but she is still limping. Good luck

 

[misspoundie]

Thank you all for your feedback. I knew BYC was just the place to come for advice.

My lil red seems to be pulling through like the trooper she is. She stopped dragging her leg by day 5 and started trying to carry it on her own. Hardly any weight is being put on it but she is acting lively. The past few days she has tried to run or fly away when I take her out, which makes me so happy, she used to just lay there.

The heat lamp has helped, I usually turn it on when I am home and can monitor if she's in the shade or basking in it. And I did start crushing some baby aspirin up for her with her boiled eggs (25mg/pound, I'm only giving her about 20mg)

Hows your girl doing tehachapichick? Hope you are having good luck as well!

 

[tehachapichick]

Hi thanks for asking...my RIR is doing great I put her back with the others a week after the attack. She is still limping a little. Glad to hear your chick is doing well also.

 

[dolihen1]

I am trying to treat my year old Orpington, badly injured by a coon(we think). She has a gash behind one leg and a bad gash on her neck. She barely raises her head and I can only drip sugar water on her beak, she does take a little in. I have treated the wounds with peroxide and neosporin, but she can not stand, but somehow lurches around to change position. She has been in a box beside my bed since I brought her in, and mostly sleeps and will eat nothing. This is the 5th day, and still so little response. How long can she live with no more than a little water. I an getting electrolyte water with vitamins today, but I am really worried. She is my favorite girl.