Skunk attack

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

YES, have this skunk tested!!! Call tomorrow first thing in the am, and insist. Animal Control should pick it up and transport it to the state public health lab for testing, chilled, NOT frozen. Wrap it in plastic and don't have it freeze.
Unless you wore rubber gloves when you handled the birds and skunk, you HAVE been exposed, so don't take no for an answer from them. Drive it to the appropriate lab yourself if necessary. Your veterinarian can handle it if AC fails you tomorrow.
Wash up thoroughly! It's the saliva that contains rabies virus, so any fresh saliva on your birds is dangerous, for a few hours perhaps.
I've dealt with this myself, just don't take chances here.
Mary

I’m really scared I washed my hands but I still have the feathers of the birds.

 

[FathertoFeathers]

Definitely sounds like it was rabid. My grandpa had do deal with a pack of rabid coyotes one time and it they lost fear of humans completely. They charged at my grandpa and he downed 4 and the last one still kept coming and was about a foot away before my grandpa shot it and it dropped dead to its feet. Rabies is a pretty scary thing.

 

[azygous]

Please don't panic. Usually rabies virus needs to break the blood/tissue barrier to infect, such as the saliva of the rabid beast penetrating a cut or abrasion on your body. However, if you had it on your hands and rubbed your eyes or touched your lips, you could be in danger.

That skunk showed no fear of your dad. It had tunnel vision going after those chickens. This is very typical of rabies. You need to have the carcass tested. If it's positive, you will then be referred to get rabies treatment, and it isn't the torture that it was decades ago. You'll be fine either way. But you must have the dead skunk tested.

 

[Criticalicious]

I see your location is listed as North Carolina. My vet posted there's been multiple reports of rabid animals in Virginia and Maryland areas, which aren't far from NC. So it's entirely plausible that this skunk could be rabid. Scary stuff. I hope everyone gets their pets vaccinated too.

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

Please don't panic. Usually rabies virus needs to break the blood/tissue barrier to infect, such as the saliva of the rabid beast penetrating a cut or abrasion on your body. However, if you had it on your hands and rubbed your eyes or touched your lips, you could be in danger.

That skunk showed no fear of your dad. It had tunnel vision going after those chickens. This is very typical of rabies. You need to have the carcass tested. If it's positive, you will then be referred to get rabies treatment, and it isn't the torture that it was decades ago. You'll be fine either way. But you must have the dead skunk tested.

My mothers been on the phone with doctors and animal control. I started to kill him with the hoe and she finished him with the shovel my dad shot him to make sure he was dead(which he was) Sorry if I caused any confusion i’m really stressed right now i’m trying to stay a sweet calm as possible.

 

[Criticalicious]

Did any of your flock survive the attack? One silver lining - rabies is only spread to mammals, so your chickens can't get it, is my understanding.

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

Did any of your flock survive the attack? One silver lining - rabies is only spread to mammals, so your chickens can't get it, is my understanding.

Yes I have around 200 and he only got 8. And I am relieved about that.

 

[Folly's place]

You are fine, and acting to get this critter tested, and you have plenty of time to get vaccinated if it tests positive. Be glad you thought about it and are acting!!!
I don't remember how long the virus lives in the environment at different temperatures, so check on that before handling those birds or any feathers.
The modern rabies vaccine protocol is really no big deal, it's just like any other vaccination, although you might have to go to the public health department to get it. Later, if the test comes back positive.
Been there, done that, and it's okay.
Glad you killed it!
Mary

 

[Eggscaping]

So SO sorry this horrible thing happened to you!! Yes, that really sounds like a rabid animal. My understanding is that they need the intact brain to do the rabies test. Please do follow the above instructions for bagging and so on and get it tested! Also, do you have any outside cats and/or dogs that might have been exposed? Are they current on their rabies shots? All something to consider. BEST of luck with this and please keep us posted!!!

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

You are fine, and acting to get this critter tested, and you have plenty of time to get vaccinated if it tests positive. Be glad you thought about it and are acting!!!
I don't remember how long the virus lives in the environment at different temperatures, so check on that before handling those birds or any feathers.
The modern rabies vaccine protocol is really no big deal, it's just like any other vaccination, although you might have to go to the public health department to get it. Later, if the test comes back positive.
Been there, done that, and it's okay.
Glad you killed it!
Mary

Heading to the doctors now I hope I don’t need a shot I hate needles