A BEAR DESTROYED MY COOP WHAT DO I DO

[hayley3]

I would consider getting a pair of these brackets and a 2x4 for the door, if I had a bear to worry about. But then I'm a worry wart.

 

[aart]

My neighbor tried to test the fence and it fried his tester.

Guess you'll need to buy two.......do they come in different ranges of voltage?

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Guess you'll need to buy two.......do they come in different ranges of voltage?

That is a good question I have no idea! He shrugged it off as being cheap....

 

[humblehillsfarm]

The bear has returned twice. Second time attempted to tear into a shed. Last night he returned again and killed three of my chickens. I’ve been up since 3am when it woke me. I’m totally devastated and can’t get the images of my poor sweet birds out of my head. They didn’t stand a chance. I just don’t know what to do at this point.

This time around I managed to fire off a few shots but I didn’t hit him. He had pawed at several places around the coop and tore out the hardware cloth and broke another window. The tore some splinters off the human door before finally managing to knock the latch open. It looked like his single swipe is what killed my poor sweet rooster and a laying hen. Another hen was injured at least slightly, had a lot of feathers missing, but she was too panicked for me to investigate. We boarded the windows up entirely and collected the bodies. The leghorn was in an A-frame coop in quarantine. She was just rescued from a commercial farm and saw grass for the first time ever last night. The bear ripped the walls off of her coop, which had no feed in it, and I have found no sign of her at all. It’s still dark at 6am but am hoping to go look and see if she is around. My heart is just broke. The electric fence did nothing to deter him. He has killed 12 of my neighbors chickens just a few weeks ago and was seen on their property in broad daylight but the game warden has barely lifted a finger in response.

 

[RoosterML]

The bear has returned twice. Second time attempted to tear into a shed. Last night he returned again and killed three of my chickens. I’ve been up since 3am when it woke me. I’m totally devastated and can’t get the images of my poor sweet birds out of my head. They didn’t stand a chance. I just don’t know what to do at this point.

Sorry for your loss. Call the game warden and tell them to help take care of the problem or the next time the bear comes back you will solve the problem once and for all. Personally I would shot it if I caught it in the act.
Electric fence would be your best nonlethal bet

 

[hayley3]

The bear has returned twice. Second time attempted to tear into a shed. Last night he returned again and killed three of my chickens. I’ve been up since 3am when it woke me. I’m totally devastated and can’t get the images of my poor sweet birds out of my head. They didn’t stand a chance. I just don’t know what to do at this point.

You need to put the chickens elsewhere while you strengthen your electric fencing.
@Howard E
I would think you would need tposts if you are dealing with a bear...but I don't have to deal with bears.
Can you show a picture of where the bear went through your electric fencing to get to the coop?

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Sorry for your loss. Call the game warden and tell them to help take care of the problem or the next time the bear comes back you will solve the problem once and for all. Personally I would shot it if I caught it in the act.
Electric fence would be your best nonlethal bet

I just updated the post. There is an electric fence. Strong enough for cattle. Game warden has done nothing.

 

[RoosterML]

I just updated the post. There is an electric fence. Strong enough for cattle. Game warden has done nothing.

Shoot it. Done deal now that he has had a taste he will be back. If you don’t want to do it yourself hire or have someone else do it.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Holy shoot I just walked out to look for the leghorn and almost ran right into the bear. 6:06 am and he was back. I went out without a gun like a dummy and sprinted back to the house. I was probably less than 20’ away. It’s an enormous black bear, first time I saw him full-body. My partner ran off to track him. We only have one gun so I’m just standing here rattling like a leaf trying to talk to the Internet world

 

[RoosterML]

Holy shoot I just walked out to look for the leghorn and almost ran right into the bear. 6:06 am and he was back. I went out without a gun like a dummy and sprinted back to the house. I was probably less than 20’ away. It’s an enormous black bear, first time I saw him full-body. My partner ran off to track him. We only have one gun so I’m just standing here rattling like a leaf trying to talk to the Internet world

Stop gather yourself. Don’t track him he will be back. Shoot ONLY if he is in the act don’t go chasing him in the woods to put it down.
Good luck.