raccoon attack hens beak chewed off.

[Jman45]

Good job for caring for her keep us posted

 

[PetesChicks]

How is she doing? Any new updates?

 

[nightowl223]

Wow! That’s a lot of raccoon and opossums!

We killed at least 18 two years ago. Maybe more. We could easily have lost count. They were coming in from multiple directions, attacking multiple coops, and we couldn't be multiple places at once. The last straw was when I had to watch my favorite hen, a beautiful blue Frizzled Banty Cochin hen, die in my lap while I was desperately (and i knew, hopelessly) trying to help her. It was almost like she was holding on long enough to say goodbye to me, and then could pass away. I was devastated, but that's when I went to war.

We moved everyone that survived into two coops next to each other, where we could defend them, and I spent the next few nights (sometime with help, sometimes not) ridding the world of murderous coons, one after the other. They refused to stop, to change their minds, and go elsewhere - there are hundreds of acres of wooded area all around us, where they could have hunted in peace, but, nope, they were determined. I was more determined, though.

I took time to mourn my dead after the war was over. There are still 2 coops sitting, unused, on the other side of our property. They aren't safe for any of them, though, until I can figure out a way to protect them 100%. I lost an entire flock of Dominiques save one hen, an entire (BEAUTIFUL!) flock of Light Brahmas save one pair, and all but one trio Banty Cochins - I still haven't been able to replace the Frizzled hen and Frizzled rooster. I also lost several barnyard mixes, which were our regular egg-layers - and that produced a beautiful rainbow of egg colors.

I had been certain every one of our coops was safe and raccoon-proof until that awful few days. They broke through hardare cloth. They opened latches to our nestboxes, and got in that way. They squeezed through 2" gaps. They tore OUT a window. They ripped apart a screen door that had been reinforced with hardware cloth and metal straps. They even somehow knocked down and broke an electric fence charger. If I hadn't caught them in the act of some of those things, I never would have believed it! I have come to believe that there is NO coop that is 100% raccoon-proof. If there is a herd of them determined to get your birds, they WILL get them, or you will have to kill them first.

 

[micstrachan]

Oh my goodness! That is downright SCARY! I’m so sorry you had to go through that. Thank you for the warning. We have raccoons, visiting every night, too. It helps that we no longer have a leaking hose (they were attracted to the water), but I need to get rid of the tiny pond out back and green jacuzzi water (jacuzzi is no longer functional, but collects rain water and gets neglected).

 

[nightowl223]

Oh my goodness! That is downright SCARY! I’m so sorry you had to go through that. Thank you for the warning. We have raccoons, visiting every night, too. It helps that we no longer have a leaking hose (they were attracted to the water), but I need to get rid of the tiny pond out back and green jacuzzi water (jacuzzi is no longer functional, but collects rain water and gets neglected).

I'd fill them with soil and plant veggies or flowers in them. That's just me, though. I hate to throw things out that can be reused for something else.

 

[zinia8]

We killed at least 18 two years ago. Maybe more. We could easily have lost count. They were coming in from multiple directions, attacking multiple coops, and we couldn't be multiple places at once. The last straw was when I had to watch my favorite hen, a beautiful blue Frizzled Banty Cochin hen, die in my lap while I was desperately (and i knew, hopelessly) trying to help her. It was almost like she was holding on long enough to say goodbye to me, and then could pass away. I was devastated, but that's when I went to war.

We moved everyone that survived into two coops next to each other, where we could defend them, and I spent the next few nights (sometime with help, sometimes not) ridding the world of murderous coons, one after the other. They refused to stop, to change their minds, and go elsewhere - there are hundreds of acres of wooded area all around us, where they could have hunted in peace, but, nope, they were determined. I was more determined, though.

I took time to mourn my dead after the war was over. There are still 2 coops sitting, unused, on the other side of our property. They aren't safe for any of them, though, until I can figure out a way to protect them 100%. I lost an entire flock of Dominiques save one hen, an entire (BEAUTIFUL!) flock of Light Brahmas save one pair, and all but one trio Banty Cochins - I still haven't been able to replace the Frizzled hen and Frizzled rooster. I also lost several barnyard mixes, which were our regular egg-layers - and that produced a beautiful rainbow of egg colors.

I had been certain every one of our coops was safe and raccoon-proof until that awful few days. They broke through hardare cloth. They opened latches to our nestboxes, and got in that way. They squeezed through 2" gaps. They tore OUT a window. They ripped apart a screen door that had been reinforced with hardware cloth and metal straps. They even somehow knocked down and broke an electric fence charger. If I hadn't caught them in the act of some of those things, I never would have believed it! I have come to believe that there is NO coop that is 100% raccoon-proof. If there is a herd of them determined to get your birds, they WILL get them, or you will have to kill them first.

That is absolutley horrible. My property is also surrounded by many acres of wooded area and we are very close to state game lands. I have been keeping chickens for quite some time and have very few losses to predators 2 to the neighbors dog 1 to bird of prey and now 1 to the raccoons. Never had a problem with them before even though the have always been here.
Number 3 caught in the trap this morning. I have been saving up some money to get electric fence set up. I am so done with raccoons.
I pulled some of the scabs/ yellow skin of the poor bird and the one bad on her backside which had a feather attached to it that was wedged deep in the wound. She didn't like that at all and let me know it. It is all pink and the edges are setting closer together. I packed it full of antibiotic ointment. We will see if starts to heal. Now if her beak starts to heal up some more and she would actually eat on her own. Time will only tell.

 

[zinia8]

So here we are at 3 weeks since the attack. 5 raccoons taken care of 3 males 2 females gone.
Poor broken beak is still chugging along but now her top beak is totally gone.

I don't think it will ever grow back and she still can not eat on her own even though she tries. She fights me like the devil when I try to clean the food off her face.I am thinking that the bottom beak is to long and when she tries to pick anything up her tongue flips everything out of her mouth. Should I try trimming the bottom or just see if it to falls off. I would hate to cause her anymore pain. With the top beak gone she is more interested in eating I actually don't have to physically grab hold of her wattles and open her beak. I let her out to free range with the rest of the flock but bring her in during the night and then turn her out when I let everyone out to range. I don't know if she can escape the other hens if the gang up on her in the run.

 

[Tesumph]

So here we are at 3 weeks since the attack. 5 raccoons taken care of 3 males 2 females gone.
Poor broken beak is still chugging along but now her top beak is totally gone.
View attachment 1455842 View attachment 1455851
I don't think it will ever grow back and she still can not eat on her own even though she tries. She fights me like the devil when I try to clean the food off her face.I am thinking that the bottom beak is to long and when she tries to pick anything up her tongue flips everything out of her mouth. Should I try trimming the bottom or just see if it to falls off. I would hate to cause her anymore pain. With the top beak gone she is more interested in eating I actually don't have to physically grab hold of her wattles and open her beak. I let her out to free range with the rest of the flock but bring her in during the night and then turn her out when I let everyone out to range. I don't know if she can escape the other hens if the gang up on her in the run.

She looks good! I think it will eventually grow back, just very very slowly. Like having a nail ripped off. It’s probably less sensitive now that the broken piece is gone.

Have you tried wetting her food and putting it in a very deep bowl? I’m not sure about trimming her bottom beak.

 

[zinia8]

I have tried everything wet mash, dry crumbles, worms etc. deep bowls bowls set up at shoulder height.She just can't get the hang of it. She chases bugs and can knock them down but she just can't pick them up.

Now she takes off running when she see me coming because she knows I am going to bring her back into the house and she just wants to stay out with the flock. I wait until they all go into the coop at night and pick her off the roost. Bring her in stuff food into her and she is hungry she gobbles everything down. Then I put her in the cage at night feed her in the morning go to work feed her when I get home turn everyone one out to range then repeat. I have seen her drink on her own so that is a plus.

 

[Tesumph]

I have tried everything wet mash, dry crumbles, worms etc. deep bowls bowls set up at shoulder height.She just can't get the hang of it. She chases bugs and can knock them down but she just can't pick them up.

Now she takes off running when she see me coming because she knows I am going to bring her back into the house and she just wants to stay out with the flock. I wait until they all go into the coop at night and pick her off the roost. Bring her in stuff food into her and she is hungry she gobbles everything down. Then I put her in the cage at night feed her in the morning go to work feed her when I get home turn everyone one out to range then repeat. I have seen her drink on her own so that is a plus.

Sounds like you have a good system down. I think she will adapt when it grows a little more.