Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[BullChick]

Okay, first breathe. You will get through this. I have known one legged chickens. I would give it a try.
I know that temporary housing is not 100% predator proof. Don't beat yourself up.
If you can put something up, or put the chicks in a safer place, it will help you sleep tonight.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I'm so mad. I had a predator attack last night. Nothing got into my "coop" setup, but some of the smaller chickens were near the edge. This was their first night in the big run and I thought they would be okay. A couple were near the edge on a cinder block, and I think a raccoon grabbed them. Two had heads missing, and the third one is alive, but barely. She has her leg almost completely bitten off. Is there any chance of me cutting her leg the rest of the way off and saving her? I just removed her from the enclosure and put her in a critter cage inside. I have to decide to do something in an hour or so.

I feel like such a jerk. I tried to predator proof it the best I could, but I didn't put hardware cloth around the bottom because it was temporary. I was supposed to have my shed delve red by now, but the guy called yesterday because his truck broke down. . I don't know what to do...

Edited to add: She is chirping and alert, raised her head to look at me. I put some flour on her temporarily as a styptic. I think I might clip the leg and see if she makes it.

I am so sorry for your loss For your injured girl, how big is she? Can you tie off her leg, just above where it's bitten off? Maybe worth strong thread? Think of it like a turniquet (sp?) I once had a little finch with an injured leg which was pinched in a door at the store. It turned black and eventually fell off. If you can tie it off very tight and wait a day (clean it of course) then you slums be able to snip it safely. Good luck, I hope she pukka through. Some scrambled eggs and electrolytes would do get good right now and maybe some antibiotics to stave off infection.

 

[Chaos18]

I'm so mad. I had a predator attack last night. Nothing got into my "coop" setup, but some of the smaller chickens were near the edge. This was their first night in the big run and I thought they would be okay. A couple were near the edge on a cinder block, and I think a raccoon grabbed them. Two had heads missing, and the third one is alive, but barely. She has her leg almost completely bitten off. Is there any chance of me cutting her leg the rest of the way off and saving her? I just removed her from the enclosure and put her in a critter cage inside. I have to decide to do something in an hour or so.

I feel like such a jerk. I tried to predator proof it the best I could, but I didn't put hardware cloth around the bottom because it was temporary. I was supposed to have my shed delve red by now, but the guy called yesterday because his truck broke down.

. I don't know what to do...

Edited to add: She is chirping and alert, raised her head to look at me. I put some flour on her temporarily as a styptic. I think I might clip the leg and see if she makes it.

Sorry to hear about the attack.

Sounds like a raccoon to me.

If the injury is below the "knee" joint then you should have a better chance of keeping a one-legged chicken.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Okay, first breathe. You will get through this. I have known one legged chickens. I would give it a try.
I know that temporary housing is not 100% predator proof. Don't beat yourself up.
If you can put something up, or put the chicks in a safer place, it will help you sleep tonight.

I'm so mad. I had a predator attack last night. Nothing got into my "coop" setup, but some of the smaller chickens were near the edge. This was their first night in the big run and I thought they would be okay. A couple were near the edge on a cinder block, and I think a raccoon grabbed them. Two had heads missing, and the third one is alive, but barely. She has her leg almost completely bitten off. Is there any chance of me cutting her leg the rest of the way off and saving her? I just removed her from the enclosure and put her in a critter cage inside. I have to decide to do something in an hour or so.

I feel like such a jerk. I tried to predator proof it the best I could, but I didn't put hardware cloth around the bottom because it was temporary. I was supposed to have my shed delve red by now, but the guy called yesterday because his truck broke down. . I don't know what to do...

Edited to add: She is chirping and alert, raised her head to look at me. I put some flour on her temporarily as a styptic. I think I might clip the leg and see if she makes it.

I am so sorry for your loss For your injured girl, how big is she? Can you tie off her leg, just above where it's bitten off? Maybe worth strong thread? Think of it like a turniquet (sp?) I once had a little finch with an injured leg which was pinched in a door at the store. It turned black and eventually fell off. If you can tie it off very tight and wait a day (clean it of course) then you slums be able to snip it safely. Good luck, I hope she pukka through. Some scrambled eggs and electrolytes would do get good right now and maybe some antibiotics to stave off infection.

I'm so mad. I had a predator attack last night. Nothing got into my "coop" setup, but some of the smaller chickens were near the edge. This was their first night in the big run and I thought they would be okay. A couple were near the edge on a cinder block, and I think a raccoon grabbed them. Two had heads missing, and the third one is alive, but barely. She has her leg almost completely bitten off. Is there any chance of me cutting her leg the rest of the way off and saving her? I just removed her from the enclosure and put her in a critter cage inside. I have to decide to do something in an hour or so.


I feel like such a jerk. I tried to predator proof it the best I could, but I didn't put hardware cloth around the bottom because it was temporary. I was supposed to have my shed delve red by now, but the guy called yesterday because his truck broke down. . I don't know what to do...


Edited to add: She is chirping and alert, raised her head to look at me. I put some flour on her temporarily as a styptic. I think I might clip the leg and see if she makes it.

Sorry to hear about the attack. Sounds like a raccoon to me.

If the injury is below the "knee" joint then you should have a better chance of keeping a one-legged chicken.

Thanks everybody. Only you guys know how heartbreaking this is. When I saw the chicks huddled last night, I thought maybe I should move them. I should know better to listen to my gut about these things.

The injury is above her knee bone. The poor thing. Her leg bone is actually sticking out. I tried to see if I could cut it off with my sharpest pair or scissors, but she squealed and it didn't work. I hope I didn't make things worse. Then I tried the tourniquet idea, and put some tea tree oil on the wound. I will see how she fairs with that. She still seems reasonably alert considering. I scrambled her an egg and I am going to take her with me to work to keep a close eye on her. I work in a quiet office by myself so it will be better for her and me. Also, it looks like the raccoon managed to kill 3 chicks, and maim the one. I did not find the last body, but I can see where one was pulled through the wiring. I don't mind animals dying, but quickly and humanely, not getting their heads chewed off.

I may need some replacement from Dheltzel, but only when my coop setup is complete.

 

[dheltzel]

Thanks everybody. Only you guys know how heartbreaking this is. When I saw the chicks huddled last night, I thought maybe I should move them. I should know better to listen to my gut about these things.

The injury is above her knee bone. The poor thing. Her leg bone is actually sticking out. I tried to see if I could cut it off with my sharpest pair or scissors, but she squealed and it didn't work. I hope I didn't make things worse. Then I tried the tourniquet idea, and put some tea tree oil on the wound. I will see how she fairs with that. She still seems reasonably alert considering. I scrambled her an egg and I am going to take her with me to work to keep a close eye on her. I work in a quiet office by myself so it will be better for her and me. Also, it looks like the raccoon managed to kill 3 chicks, and maim the one. I did not find the last body, but I can see where one was pulled through the wiring. I don't mind animals dying, but quickly and humanely, not getting their heads chewed off.

I may need some replacement from Dheltzel, but only when my coop setup is complete.

Definitely coons. Now you know there is a lot of coon activity around. You could trap them to eliminate some of them (and exact some revenge), but more will fill the territory from other places. I've lost too many birds from having their heads chewed off by coons and now I always consider that possibility. I'm sure you will too.

It's pretty much a certainty that the coon will be back for more tonight.

 

[fisherlady]

Thanks everybody. Only you guys know how heartbreaking this is. When I saw the chicks huddled last night, I thought maybe I should move them. I should know better to listen to my gut about these things.

The injury is above her knee bone. The poor thing. Her leg bone is actually sticking out. I tried to see if I could cut it off with my sharpest pair or scissors, but she squealed and it didn't work. I hope I didn't make things worse. Then I tried the tourniquet idea, and put some tea tree oil on the wound. I will see how she fairs with that. She still seems reasonably alert considering. I scrambled her an egg and I am going to take her with me to work to keep a close eye on her. I work in a quiet office by myself so it will be better for her and me. Also, it looks like the raccoon managed to kill 3 chicks, and maim the one. I did not find the last body, but I can see where one was pulled through the wiring. I don't mind animals dying, but quickly and humanely, not getting their heads chewed off.

I may need some replacement from Dheltzel, but only when my coop setup is complete.

I am so sorry...

 

[emorems0]

I am so sorry Anne, raccoon attacks are gruesome. We had one last year attacking my FIL's birds that I was fostering/rehoming and it would come back every night. Finally hubs spotted it in the act early one morning and whacked it with the back of a shovel. It was stunned, but not injured and apparently learned its lesson because it didn't come back after that. They are brazen out here, we had one sneaking up onto our back porch (up a full flight of stairs) and stealing stuff off of our back porch.

 

[emorems0]

Does anyone have any RIRs or Black Australorp chicks? Or fertile eggs that we could hatch? Somewhere near Pittsburgh, Allentown, or anywhere near the turnpike?

 

[Chaos18]

Does anyone have any RIRs or Black Australorp chicks? Or fertile eggs that we could hatch? Somewhere near Pittsburgh, Allentown, or anywhere near the turnpike?

I have fertile eggs but not RIR or BA. They would hatch out mutts or with enough warning I could collect some Dominique eggs.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Quote:
Sneaky little boogers. I will make sure all of the chickens are roosting tonight. This is tragedy, but am still happy that nothing actually broke into the enclosure. Everyone else was safe. I will never make this mistake again. I'm going to be investing in hardware cloth by the mile for my run... I'm sorry, I know you hate to see this happen to birds you sell. I am trying to take every precaution I can.

Quote: Thanks.

I am so sorry Anne, raccoon attacks are gruesome. We had one last year attacking my FIL's birds that I was fostering/rehoming and it would come back every night. Finally hubs spotted it in the act early one morning and whacked it with the back of a shovel. It was stunned, but not injured and apparently learned its lesson because it didn't come back after that. They are brazen out here, we had one sneaking up onto our back porch (up a full flight of stairs) and stealing stuff off of our back porch.

Thanks, it really sucks.

So I left the one with the mostly detached leg home, in the warm attached garage. I have her in a critter crate, with scrambled eggs and water within reach of her beak. I tied off the leg, applied tea tree oil, and wrapped it in a paper towel to keep it lightly covered. Thinking back now, I should have put her on a towel, and not pine shavings, but I don't think it will matter much anyways. I doubt she will make it, but hopefully she will be comfortable.