A Bear…

[Evadig]

I wish I knew how long he’s going to stick around. I’ve lived here three years and never heard of a bear in the area. I don’t want to buy and put up and maintain electric fencing just for one bear that plans on leaving in a couple days…but at the same time I’m a nervous wreck and keep going to the window to listen for anything. I don’t know how I’m going to get any sleep tonight!

 

[Evadig]

The other problem is that there’s four coops and they’re in two separate locations. My family doesn’t really think the wire is necessary and we just don’t have a lot of money right now. Ugh!

 

[McChooky]

A neighbor told us that yesterday in the early afternoon a large black bear was seen crossing the road about a quarter mile or less from our house. We live in a decently wooded area interspersed with fields and a couple ponds (one of which is in the backyard). Do you think this bear would be tempted to pay us a visit?
The chickens and other poultry free range during the day and my coops are definitely not bear proof!

Ponds draw all kinds of wildlife and are well known for drawing predators.
I had a small pond and removed it

 

[Evadig]

Ponds draw all kinds of wildlife and are well known for drawing predators.
I had a small pond and removed it

I can’t, unfortunately; half belongs to the neighbors. There’s several other ponds in the area too so it wouldn’t help any…

 

[StinkyAcres]

Free-ranging is always very risky. Either put up a fence (or secure the coops and add runs) or accept that there will be losses, either from the bear or other predators. It will happen one day.

 

[McChooky]

Bears have never bothered my coop but its close to my house. I also have dogs. One of my neighbors who's rarely home had his chicken coop destroyed and his chickens were killed.
He rebuilt the coop and got more chickens but the chickens refused to roost in it long.They roosted on a neighbors porch so he gave them away.

 

[Evadig]

Bears have never bothered my coop but its close to my house. I also have dogs. One of my neighbors who's rarely home had his chicken coop destroyed and his chickens were killed.
He rebuilt the coop and got more chickens but the chickens refused to roost in it long.They roosted on a neighbors porch so he gave them away.

My big one is butted against the woods and is about 75 feet from the house. The smaller ones are also by the woods but only about 25 feet from the house. I’m just going to have to pray the bear doesn’t break into tonight and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow I’ll go to town and hope someone sells electric fencing.

Is there fencing you can plug in? I have an outlet nearby and that way I don’t have to buy batteries all the time (that would make the plan more amendable to my family).

 

[McChooky]

My big one is butted against the woods and is about 75 feet from the house. The smaller ones are also by the woods but only about 25 feet from the house. I’m just going to have to pray the bear doesn’t break into tonight and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow I’ll go to town and hope someone sells electric fencing.

Is there fencing you can plug in? I have an outlet nearby and that way I don’t have to buy batteries all the time (that would make the plan more amendable to my family).

Just because a bear was seen close by doesn't necessarily mean your chickens are in danger.We have hundreds of bears killed during hunting season in our county and I've only seen one close to my house. Unless they smell food they will leave your chickens alone.

 

[Evadig]

Thank you for that reassurance! I will go to bed in (more) peace and update y’all in the morning!

 

[McChooky]

The electric poultry fences and chargers are the easiest to install.My system was not a kit so I don't know a particular brand I can recommend sorry.