Raccoon!! Emergency!

[key west chick]

It will probably come down to how much you want to spend to save your girl. I would be willing to bet that they can make a new beak out of epoxy or something similar but it make cost big bucks.

 

[henmomma]

OK, here is what vet said.

In a nutshell, if she lives 48 hours we can save her life. Because there is so much dried blood just working a little at a time with warm wet gauze thingys I will try to soak off some - esp. from the bad eye side. She does not like this at all and with the added stress of vet visit I opted to wait until this evening to try that.

He gave me a blue antiseptic liquid to put on the wounds. She got a shot for infection and a shot to dry out her lungs. He said the skin on the neck is all ripped but no punctures to the trachea or anything like that. Wings and rest of body are good. He can't even tell if her left eye is even still there or not. I think it is, just under the mess.

Beak - top beak almost completely GONE. Bottom beak is there it's just split from tip to base. He said if she lives, we can actually glue the bottom beak back somehow. He said chickens learn to scoop up feed with the bottom beak to eat with no top one. He said Rhode Islands seem to grow back their beaks more often than other breeds he's seen. Since she is less than a year old there is the possibility she may grow SOME top beak back - again IF she lives.

She looked pretty bad while we were there and he said "I don't think she will make it through tonight". It's like she can freaking hear or something because this is the 3rd time she did this. After he said it, she stood up and using her good eye, turned and tilted her head and looked at him. I swear if she had a hand the middle finger would have come up! He laughed.

Now I have some tiny pills and a long skinny contraption that he showed me how to use. Have to shove this thing down her throat with a tiny pill 2x a day. Same thing with some wet laying mash, aspirin water, electrolytes, whatever I can get into her. Again with her stress from today I opted to wait until tonight when Mr. Henpoppa can help.

I just figure - and now the vet does too - that if she has fought for 2 days now to stay alive it's really not fair for us to give up on her. If she wants to fight, I will help her. Will keep you all updated. Right now, I'm on the fence.

Thanks for all your help so far!

 

[OverEZ]

You've already done much more than my schedule would afford me. Keep us posted and good luck!

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Thanks for the update, I have been thinking about you guys all morning! I have a feeling she's totally going to pull through and have a story to tell the chickens that ends with "...well, you shoulda seen the other guy!" Good luck with your baby girl, she's in great hands with you guys!!

 

[bonniebe]

try putting ensure into the tube, i would use plain vanilla. it has protein, fats, calories,etc. people with their jaws wired shut can live on it for months. when i had to tube feed my girl could take up to 50 cc at a feeding. good luck

 

[FairfieldChicks]

omg

I hope she pulls through.. best of luck and crossing my fingers for you. good job on not giving up on her

 

[greeneggsnham]

Keep us updated. Lots of huggs!

 

[farmerwnb]

I hope she pulls through. Maybe you could try and hatch her eggs out?

 

[chuckzoo]

Hoping your girl is doing better. You are taking great care of her so she is a very lucky hen!

If she heals animals can adapt quite well to deformities and she sounds quite a tough one.

Wishing you well.

 

[Sjisty]

Good luck - fight little Cookie!