Raccoon attack survivor--eye closed, won't stand on one leg, now bugs?

[JessicaGrant]

I got home yesterday to two dead chickens and one injured seven week old australorp pullet. It has been a day and a half since the attack.

She has no open wounds that I can find, but has been sleeping more or less non-stop since I got home and has barely moved. I woke her last night and gave her water which she drank a lot of, and then she even ate some crumbles. I have lifted her and put her down and she will not stand on her left leg. Maybe it is broken, but I can't tell. The other thing is her left eye which she will not open. I don't see any injury or cut near it. This morning I noticed tiny white-ish bugs on her in the area of her eye. I washed the area with warm water and pulled her eye open gently. The eye itself doesn't seem to be injured, and is moving around under her lids but she won't keep it open.

Is there anything I can do 1) about her eye. I don't want her lids to seal shut over a perfectly good eye, and 2) about the bugs. Yuck! I don't want them on my other animals, or my children or in my house (she is staying in the bathtub for the time being) or if they are causing her problems! I have an order for DE in but it might be a while before it gets here.

Thanks so much!

 

[I*Eat*Chickens*Yum]

darn raccoons. The only good raccoon is a dead raccoon !

 

[kinardmommy]

I am not sure what the bugs are, but if she has open wounds you need to keep them clean and cover them with some type of wound dressing. There are some types that spray on and some people even use neosporin. If at all possible you should keep her in a comfortable place where flies and such cannot get to the wounds. If maggots get in them you will have an even bigger problem.

I had to get a large box once for a hen that was sick and I kept her in the house for about a week. If you could do that it would give her some time to recouperate. Give her some aspirin for pain. Five 325mg tablets per gallon of water or if you have a quart container use one and a half. Only give aspirin. Do not clean wounds with peroxide as it will damage good tissue. Keep the lighting low wherever she is so that she can rest.

My husband has killed eight racoons in the past two months. They have never gotten to my birds but we did it as a preventative measure. I would advise you to do the same. They are sneaky and smart little critters and ruthless when it comes to chickens. I am sorry tis happened to you. Good Luck.