So the other night I had a skunk manage to dig it's way into my coop.. I have had my chickens for a 2 years now never had a problem seems like he was checking the fence out and found a weak spot... Anyways he got a hold of one of my hens scraped her up a bit and broke blood.. She seems to be healing on her own alright I see her tending to the wound and plucking "damaged" feathers.. My question is.. Will she still be sanitary to eat the eggs she lays? And eventually be able to butcher her when she stops laying? Can skunks transmit rabies or any diseases to her?
She possibly might. Skunks are known to be one of the most common animals with rabies.I would get her checked before eating her eggs.She might not lay after the drama,but you can butcher her when done.The skunk could have had a disease,but I would most definitely get her checked out. My story with this situation:My favorite hen who is one of the pro layers was attacked by a fox.He had bitten her left nice sores etc.Later on she layed and we never caught diseases.I had this happen with my leghorn and she was still edible....