something got my girls

[FisherMOM]

glad to hear most came back!

I used to think Raccoons were cool until they ate my childhood ducks when I was 16.

 

[spook]

Owning birds really shows you whats cute and whats not. I had a group of ladies very upset with me that I murdered a wood chuck and a racoon. They are such lovely creatures...Yeah in someone elses back yard. I sure wish there was a repealent for them.
Good luck and take care, its definately a sad day in your home. Blessings to you and your babies RIP.

 

[Bizzybirdy]

Glad some of them came back. Maybe the hen you couldn't cull will recover. If you rinse her wound out with some warm water with a little epsom salt she may surprise you and heal up ok. Just keep the flies away from her.

Good luck.

 

[glassparman]

Shady Chickens,

Don’t count off the injured one's just yet. They are incredibly resilient creatures. I had two that showed a hole in the skin near their tail about the size of a silver dollar with only muscle showing. I thought for sure they were done for because there was no skin left to stitch up. I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and put them in isolation cages. Believe it or not, they have healed over and there is even feathers growing back. This was without any medical interaction from me. The process may take several weeks to a month.

The best thing you can do is give them time alone and keep them out of the dirt so the wound can stay as clean as possible.

As for the predator, I live in the Mojave Desert here in California and some critters are very stealthy! I had a bobcat come in and take a rooster. I have dogs, several fences to get past and plenty of wild rabbits as an alternative but that bobcat came all the way in for the rooster and left no signs inside the pen/coop area and did not alert the dogs that night.

The only way I knew it was a bobcat is because I went outside my fence line looking for tracks and finally found them. The tracks also showed where the rooster was drug across the desert. I could see drag marks made by the rooster's feet. I was actually able to follow the tracks for a mile before the bobcat crossed the road.

I now herd them in just about dusk and lock them up for the night. They have become accustomed to the process and go to roost at about the right time on their own.

Take care of that injured bird and treat her special. She'll be your best buddy afterwards!

 

[LynneP]

I'm so very sorry about your losses and relieved you still have some of your flock. Our district is filled with lonely roosters whose hens were taken, so the concept of free-range is alien to us. I saw a raccoon print in front of the barn today and inhaled sharply. I'm watching for her, I've searched the entire barn, especially the loft because they often go up during the daytime. I think we are secure enough, but we may find out. We have everything from bears, lynx and bobcat to feral cats, raccoons, minks, fishers, weasels, raptors, foxes and coyotes.

 

[shady chickens]

we have the injured one, Joanie, in the garage in a box to keep her calm and clean, away from the others so they don't pick on her. her injury just looks so bad, i can't imagine her getting better, but maybe we'll see what happens. the others usually go in the hen house at dusk, and we just close up the gate to the coop. this must have happened before they made it home. we've decided to lock them up for a while to keep them safe, and so the critter doesn't get rewarded any more. we've also let the dogs run amuck to spread doggie smells everywhere...we hadn't done that in a while. the girls will be ok, they have a 6X9 hen house and a 10X10 enclosed coop. i just hope they don't pick on each other, they do in the winter sometimes when they're cooped up a lot.

thanks everyone for your support and kind words.

shady C

 

[dixygirl]

I would not let them free range unattended anymore. I would build an enclosed, pen with a roof... at least a net. And i would not eat any eggs from the ones that have been bitten. Chickens can contract rabies and other nasty diseases from a predator bite and pass it on to you in the eggs and meat.

Good luck running a tight ship from now on.

 

[vicki2x2]

Quote:
I would use Blue Kote on the wound, it will keep the flys out of it and the others from picking on her. You would be amazed at what they can heal from!

Oh, in case you are not familiar with Blue Kote, it is found with the horse supplies usually. It may also come in other names. I have used it with great success on chickens, geese, dogs, etc.

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
Chickens cannot contract rabies. Rabies only infects mammals. I'm sure there are enough medical people on this board to correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Oblio13]

Quote:
Chickens cannot contract rabies. Rabies only infects mammals...

True dat.