Bear attack & prayers for anyone else who’s lost birds

[CombNWattles]

Sadly, I just lost nearly half my flock in a bear attack. We thought it was raccoons, so my brother left me in the pen with his flip phone flashlight and a machete to keep them treed while he got his shotgun. I left my glasses inside when I ran out, but even so, I was starting to think those weren’t raccoons. Then my dad yelled at me to get out of there. It was two bear cubs, and their mother was in the woods nearby. We got the remaining five birds out and put them in a cage in the house. We bought a much more powerful charger for the electric fence yesterday; hopefully they come back and get a taste of it. I’m so glad they didn’t kill all my birds.

The remaining flock, watched over by the faithful dog:

We lost Lacy, Pidge, and Ladyfingers. I’ll miss you. I still can’t quite believe you’re not on earth with me anymore. See you in heaven.

I’ll be praying for peace and for courage going forward, for me and anyone who’s lost their bird friends recently.

 

[nuthatched]

I'm sorry about that.
Hot wire will keep them away.

 

[avjudge]

Be sure to bait it with something nice and enticing, so they get zapped right on their tender noses/tongues!

 

[Folly's place]

Yes, a super zapper, baited!
So sorry for your losses, a very scary event, and especially glad that you are okay.
Mary

 

[CombNWattles]

I'm sorry about that.
Hot wire will keep them away.

Be sure to bait it with something nice and enticing, so they get zapped right on their tender noses/tongues!

Yes, a super zapper, baited!
So sorry for your losses, a very scary event, and especially glad that you are okay.
Mary

Thank you for your words of support. We will be adding extra wire to the fence down the line. Still working on encompassing nearby trees in the fence so they can’t climb over. Unfortunately baiting is illegal here…

 

[ChicNmom]

So sorry!! Poor babies They were beautiful girls!!! I'm glad you weren't hurt.

Is it considered baiting if you just happen to drop a snack near the electric fence???

There seem to be a lot more bear incidents in my area. We had our first bear attack this morning but it didn't get in the coop and we fixed the parts that got torn off. It's never happened in 12 years.

Last year there were a lot of coops getting destroyed because someone was feeding the bears. Fish & Game found out who and had a chat with them.

 

[Jenbirdee]

so sorry !!!
thanks God you are ok that was scarey!

 

[avjudge]

Unfortunately baiting is illegal here…

What exactly is that regulation? Because I can’t imagine it really covers smearing a little peanut butter on a fence wire to catch the attention of a creature that’s already there. That’s not at all the same as putting out quantities of food to attract bears to a spot so you can hunt it (or the other sort of bear-baiting, the archaic sport of setting dogs on a chained bear!). The phrasing of the law would have to be pretty sloppy to include baiting a fence.

 

[Folly's place]

I agree. Smearing bacon fat or peanut butter on an electric fence wire, not the same as attracting critters to food stations! Find out, and bait that electric fence!
Mary

 

[Themellowyellows]

Sadly, I just lost nearly half my flock in a bear attack. We thought it was raccoons, so my brother left me in the pen with his flip phone flashlight and a machete to keep them treed while he got his shotgun. I left my glasses inside when I ran out, but even so, I was starting to think those weren’t raccoons. Then my dad yelled at me to get out of there. It was two bear cubs, and their mother was in the woods nearby. We got the remaining five birds out and put them in a cage in the house. We bought a much more powerful charger for the electric fence yesterday; hopefully they come back and get a taste of it. I’m so glad they didn’t kill all my birds.

The remaining flock, watched over by the faithful dog:
View attachment 3898018

We lost Lacy, Pidge, and Ladyfingers. I’ll miss you. I still can’t quite believe you’re not on earth with me anymore. See you in heaven.
View attachment 3898019
View attachment 3898024
View attachment 3898036

I’ll be praying for peace and for courage going forward, for me and anyone who’s lost their bird friends recently.

Im so so sorry! I know how hard it is.. Sending prayers, time and God heals...