possum attack

[Duckduckgoosie]

My girl Gray didn’t make it into the coop at lockup and I just found a possum trying to drag her across the yard.

She has a gash near her tail feathers and small one on her neck. What is the best way to treat/clean?

I have her in a small crate in a dark bathroom for the night.

 

[Lillith37]

Give her some sugar water or an electrolyte/vitamin mix by syringe to help with shock. Make sure she is kept warm. Flush the wounds with warm saline solution and then spray with Vetericyn or something like betadine.

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Thank you. She seems to be doing well. I found another one of my girls the nect morning, in the coop, with similar injuries. I think something must have got both of them earlier in the day and maybe then Gray was too scared to go in the coop, slept out, and then a possum found her.

Gray has one puncture. Daisy has lost all the feathers and skin at the base of her tail. It looks awful, whatever it was really filleted her. Hawk attack maybe?

Wash both’s wounds with soap and water, applying betadine 2x daily.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Sorry to hear about your girls, I hope they recover well.
Setting traps?

 

[HeritageFan]

Do you have triple antibiotic/ neosporin without the pain meds?

If so, I’d apply that 2-3x a day, instead of the frequent betadine applications, and also instead of the soap and water baths. Washing them that frequently is likely going to increase their stress levels...

And yes. Eliminating the predators is not a job that any of us like to do....but it is necessary to protect your flock

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Do you have triple antibiotic/ neosporin without the pain meds?

If so, I’d apply that 2-3x a day, instead of the frequent betadine applications, and also instead of the soap and water baths. Washing them that frequently is likely going to increase their stress levels...

And yes. Eliminating the predators is not a job that any of us like to do....but it is necessary to protect your flock

I can do neosporin. Will the loose skin resolve itself?

The big hen isn’t so bad, just one cut. The second pic is the little bantam who really got skinned.

Sorry for graphic pics- the dark is mostly last night’s betadine dousing.

I’m wondering if a daytime visitor (hawk maybe?) did this, and then the big hen didn’t make it into lockup. Then a possum found her at midnight. And I heard and got her.

The bantam’s injuries weren’t noticed till I was letting everyone out after breakfast. And she’s much worse but very fluffy so it was harder to see at first. And she had gone in at night like always.

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Both the injured girls are staying in the coop, not wanting to come out, and the less injured one just wants to tuck her head and sleep. Bad sign during the day?

 

[Lillith37]

I imagine they are in a lot of pain and feeling very vulnerable. Keep them warm and dry and hydrated. You can offer something like scrambled eggs to encourage them to eat.

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

I imagine they are in a lot of pain and feeling very vulnerable. Keep them warm and dry and hydrated. You can offer something like scrambled eggs to encourage them to eat.

Poor things, ok I will try these things. Thank you.

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

We lost Pearl today but the little bantam is inside now, and drinking well.