Bear proofing my coop

[GiddyUpGo]

Where are you located if you feel comfortable sharing? A country or state?

I'm in California, Sierra Nevada Foothills. We get black bears here, also mountain lions and bobcats, but I never had any trouble with them.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

I'm in California, Sierra Nevada Foothills. We get black bears here, also mountain lions and bobcats, but I never had any trouble with them.

Maybe if the bear shows up again, call the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and they will most likely come and trap the bear and relocate to a more rural area.

 

[johnjanoskyjr]

After losing all but one of my chickens in a horrible bear attack last December, I've gone over and over in my head how I am going to rebuild my coop to keep my chickens safe. Previously my coop was covered in hardware cloth, which did a good job keeping out smaller predators but did not slow the bear down at all.

After talking at length with a rep from Premiere Fencing I finally decided on a high-quality hotwire setup around the perimeter of my coop. I was also planning to reinforce the inside of my coop with something a little tougher than hardware cloth. I had originally thought I would cut up some of this stuff: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/horse-fence-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft-3610375 and use it to line the coop on the inside, but I wonder if it's just an exercise in futility. If the bear got through the hotwire I'm pretty sure it could also rip out the fencing, especially since it would have to be installed in pieces.

Anyone ever successfully bear-proofed their coop? Is it even possible?

I used an electric fence that I bought from my local Tractor Supply store. Nothing has penetrated this fence since I installed it!

 

[Rise722]

I would install a flashing light on a motion sensor. Talk to your neighbors and ask them if they'd rather have a light that comes on to warn everyone of a possible bear attack, or just wait until it breaks into their house.

 

[birdlady11]

Flood lights have never helped keep bears away from our place (central Florida). They totally ignore them. They also learn to ignore loud music if they don't see human activity with the music.

After having battled some bears who were determined to dig or rip their way into my chicken coop, I found putting up two (or three) strands of electric fence is the only sure way to keep bears out. And a bear biologist told me the very best way of ensuring that they take the hit at the first encounter with the wire and NEVER want to return is to tie a piece of bacon to the wire (like you would tie a knot in your shoe lace) then hose down the ground under the wire (wet ground conducts electricity much better than dry). They will associate that very unpleasant experience with your coop and avoid it in the future.

I know it sounds mean and I hated doing it but the alternative was having the bear destroy my coop, kill my chickens, or attack me if I accidently stumbled onto the scene while they were pigging out on my chicken feed or my chickens. The Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission here is not kidding when they say a fed bear is a dead bear because there are very few places left that they can safely relocate nuisance bears. Better the bear gets a mean shock and associates that with your chicken coop then have their last meal be chicken dinner. Good luck and I hope your chickens stay safe.

 

[Demarvell]

After losing all but one of my chickens in a horrible bear attack last December, I've gone over and over in my head how I am going to rebuild my coop to keep my chickens safe. Previously my coop was covered in hardware cloth, which did a good job keeping out smaller predators but did not slow the bear down at all.

After talking at length with a rep from Premiere Fencing I finally decided on a high-quality hotwire setup around the perimeter of my coop. I was also planning to reinforce the inside of my coop with something a little tougher than hardware cloth. I had originally thought I would cut up some of this stuff: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/horse-fence-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft-3610375 and use it to line the coop on the inside, but I wonder if it's just an exercise in futility. If the bear got through the hotwire I'm pretty sure it could also rip out the fencing, especially since it would have to be installed in pieces.

Anyone ever successfully bear-proofed their coop? Is it even possible?

It's a bear. It can tear through your house door if it needs to. Shoot the bear, or have wildlife services trap it. Not much is going to stop a bear once it's found a place to dine!

 

[Theredneckrunner]

After losing all but one of my chickens in a horrible bear attack last December, I've gone over and over in my head how I am going to rebuild my coop to keep my chickens safe. Previously my coop was covered in hardware cloth, which did a good job keeping out smaller predators but did not slow the bear down at all.

After talking at length with a rep from Premiere Fencing I finally decided on a high-quality hotwire setup around the perimeter of my coop. I was also planning to reinforce the inside of my coop with something a little tougher than hardware cloth. I had originally thought I would cut up some of this stuff: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/horse-fence-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft-3610375 and use it to line the coop on the inside, but I wonder if it's just an exercise in futility. If the bear got through the hotwire I'm pretty sure it could also rip out the fencing, especially since it would have to be installed in pieces.

Anyone ever successfully bear-proofed their coop? Is it even possible?

when me and my family built our coop, we dug down about a foot and laid chicken wire under ground to keep animals out.

 

[LaFleche]

@azygous will be able to give experienced advice regarding protection against bear attacks