Bear prevention

[Howard E]

So the goal is to keep bears away from the chain link enclosure?

If it was me, I'd clear away an area of about 2 to 3 feet or so on the back and set steel posts on the corners and run about 3 hot wires and 1, 2 and 3' off the deck. That would leave you about 2 or 3 feet of walking room between the chain link and hot wire.....and keep the bears that much further away from the enclosure. Can't touch enclosure without getting zapped first. On the front, where you have more room, give yourself at least 10 feet or so to walk around in. If you can enclose the lawn area (between coop and house) on three sides, you can eliminate a gate. Otherwise, some type of gate will have to be devised if you simply enclose the coop. My fences are low enough I step over them, so don't need the gate, but I'm not repelling bears.

Option B is to use shorter stand off insulators (about 6 inch standoff) on chain link fence, but that will require maybe 5 or 6 wires spaced only 6" or so apart to assure bear gets it before they can touch the fence. And you will still need a gate to allow entrance into the coop.

Be advised, whatever you do, full enclosure of hot wire is required. Coop becomes an island oasis within an electric enclosure.

 

[Cryss]

So the goal is to keep bears away from the chain link enclosure?

If it was me, I'd clear away an area of about 2 to 3 feet or so on the back and set steel posts on the corners and run about 3 hot wires and 1, 2 and 3' off the deck. That would leave you about 2 or 3 feet of walking room between the chain link and hot wire.....and keep the bears that much further away from the enclosure. Can't touch enclosure without getting zapped first. On the front, where you have more room, give yourself at least 10 feet or so to walk around in. If you can enclose the lawn area (between coop and house) on three sides, you can eliminate a gate. Otherwise, some type of gate will have to be devised if you simply enclose the coop. My fences are low enough I step over them, so don't need the gate, but I'm not repelling bears.

Option B is to use shorter stand off insulators (about 6 inch standoff) on chain link fence, but that will require maybe 5 or 6 wires spaced only 6" or so apart to assure bear gets it before they can touch the fence. And you will still need a gate to allow entrance into the coop.

Be advised, whatever you do, full enclosure of hot wire is required. Coop becomes an island oasis within an electric enclosure.

Want to protect the new coop too. Here's more perspective.

The alley will have an "umbilicus" from coop to run.

The rear.

 

[aart]

The alley will have an "umbilicus" from coop to run.

Huh?

Want to protect the new coop too. Here's more perspective.

Just make it longer...more posts, more wire.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Bears are so powerful that most traditional coops are no protection.
Electric fencing will help a great deal.
As for the building itself, concrete buildings will work for both bears (if the doors and windows are properly attached) and hurricanes.
I have a friend in Puerto Rico with a concrete house and a concrete coop, both with concrete roofs. When Hurricane Maria hit, his chickens and house survived.

 

[Cryss]

Umbilicus ...my fancy shmancy way of saying there will be a connecting hallway.

 

[aart]

Umbilicus ...my fancy shmancy way of saying there will be a connecting hallway.

Chunnel?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Chunnel?

I've seen them. They are wire or other material tunnels to route chickens from area to area or from a coop to a paddock. I've even considered building one or more.

 

[aart]

I've seen them. They are wire or other material tunnels to route chickens from area to area or from a coop to a paddock. I've even considered building one or more.

I have too, hasn't happened tho.
Would love to have one surrounding the run.
Saw a great one recently surrounding a garden.