Bear-proofing coop. Anybody have advice?

[Fourgirlsoneboy]

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Sorry. Let me catch my breath. Umm... I'm just imagining your shih tzu up against a bear!

Sorry--I don't mean that to be rude at all. I know a barking dog can be a deterrent no matter how small (my dog weighs 10 pounds and I still appreciate her barking at potential intruders--heck, my *cat* scared off a robber one time with his howling--). It just tickled my funny bone.

No offense at all

! I figure if our poochie got out to bark at one (and she would) she would prob end up as a fluffy snack to go with that chicken.

Thankfully, most bear here (black) will run off if you make enough noise. Most of the time

 

[antlers]

Bee keepers use higher voltage electric with a number of strands of high tensil wire. If they REALLY want it NOTING short of killing them will stop them but MOST respect a powerful electric fence. Make sure coop is in the open and notunder large trees or the will go up the tree and litterally drop in for dinner.

 

[BlackBart]

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A fence charger for cattle works the best, set it for stun.

 

[chooniecat]

I have NO bear experience but have worked with many other animals and all I have seen I would think electric shock protection would be best. as for using dogs the barking can be EXTREMELY ANNOYING TO NEIGHBORS EVEN A COUPLE OF MILES OFF. not to mention the dog could be harmed. I like the idea of stock panels being electrified given the size and strength of bears. maybe start with regular wire. GOOD LUCK

 

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

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There are drawbacks to electric fencing such as electronetting or cattle panels, which I use myself. Unfortunately I of find dead animals (frogs, turtles, etc) all along the perimeter. My neighbor finds hummingbirds birds fried to his fence. Electric fences can also be dangerous to human children.

 

[JessHall]

There's so much debate about electric fencing, dogs, etc... so there's not much for me to add, however I would like to share a few thoughts.

*First of all, no one has mentioned YOU, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR HOUSE, AND YOUR CARS: Be careful. They will rip off car doors, house doors, windows, etc. Please be careful to properly store your trash, don't leave food in the cars, or near house doors, and keep your wits about you while outside. Hopefully they are just moving through your area naturally, not because they've learned humans mean food.

*Bears are VERY smart and can smell things for miles. I think that if it is attracted to your property and is hungry enough it WILL get in to where ever it smells good to them.
Some things I read:

"Garbage should be stored in airtight containers and placed in a secure area. Containers should not be stored in a wooden shed or against garage or basement doors and should be washed with a disinfectant at least once a week to remove odors. "

***Big note on the storage of food, not trash, but food. And I don't mean for this to be a plug but... my family business makes approved bear proof food containers, not those shotty "bear proof" trash cans that only keep humans out. They are meant for human food to be kept safe while in the back country. Many places actually require them. They are tested by the US Forestry service and we have a very high success rate. They would fit a 50 lb bag of feed easily. A bear can toss it around all it wants and it would be highly unlikely that it would even get a kernel. Check it out and if you're interested call us. Ask for myself, Jessica, or my Dad, Jeff. We'll take care of ya! http://www.bear-aware.com/

"The outside feeding of dogs and cats should be done during daylight hours and all uneaten food and scraps, as well as food bowls, should be removed immediately after feeding."


My quick thought about electric fences - Although I have limited experience with electric fencing, I do know that the hot wire we use for our horses doesn't deliver a constant shock, it's more rhythmic, zap.... zap.... zap... but strong ones. I do not know if all electric fences operate like this... Here's my thought... Our horses are smart enough to sense the 2-3 second pause in the surge and they test the fences at those moments. I know bears are just as smart if not smarter than horses, so I think that something with a constant surge would serve a bit better. If they figure out that the fence is not electrified even for a moment, it could charge the fence and bam, they're in.
With all this said... In my opinion... Try your best to keep your chickens and their food as well contained as possible, he may come after their feed just as much as the chickens themselves. Keep your place, chickens and people, as sanitary and clean as possible. There's a CHANCE that you're property can be so clean and "boring" to a bear that it wouldn't bother nosing around. Chose your fencing methods to the best of your ability.
Good luck

and be safe!

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

I don't have experience with bears (I'm kinda lurking b/c I'm bored at work) but I read a post a day or two ago that said to charge up lines of barbed wire and on the top one wrap a piece of bacon (or just above it I don't remember, I think the electricity would cook it) and when Mr. Bear comes in for a sniff he gets the shock! Ooowwwwwiiiiiieeeee. Like I said, don't know if this would work, but it's worth a shot.

 

[NotTheMomma]

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Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs) in action: Three Pyrenean Mountain Dogs.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/37123_bear.jpg

Beautiful picture, though it's always nice to give credit when borrowing a photo.

http://gregladen.com/wordpress/?p=32

As for bears, I really don't know. They've been spotted less than 5 miles from me. Apparently the bear population has finally reached a point where they are leaving the Blue Ridge Parkway (National Forest protected land) and as the younger bear take over the position of lead bear, or whatever it's called, they are chasing the older bear off the mountain. A young one was spotted looking in the windows of a man's house that was beside the hospital here!

I've read on here about electric fencing, but have no experience. As strong as a bear is I would think it would take a lot to keep them away!! Plus with that thick fur, the electric isn't going to be able to penetrate the fur to actually shock them, IMO. Maybe the barbed wire would work, but I dunno.

 

[Fourgirlsoneboy]

It also depends on what type of bear we are talking about. Black bears are ususally pretty easy to scare off. I have personally seen 7 in the wild (mostly in the woods, but also in the city park when I was in hs). Every one ran off when we clapped, made noise, etc). Well, except for one that was eating cat food on a friends porch- it didn't move till it was done. I also don't think a black bear could rip the door off of a car (break the window- yes).

However, I don't believe you use the same tactics with the bigger western/much northern bears (ie, grizzly).. I think those guys get what they want, yk?

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Oh, I forgot to say that I read one post on here a few months back about keeping racoons and other small critters away by having a motion sensor and when triggered it turned on a big bright light and turned on the radio really loud. I think the radio was actually in the house so the owners knew to get the gun and go outside, but if the bears scare as easy as you say, you could rig it up outside and the sudden noise and light might scare him. Just a thought. Or (again, no idea if this would work) rig up a line that he'd have to cross and attach a bunch of pots and pans (thank you Dollar Tree) so it clangs a bunch and scares him. Then again if they are so smart they might just figure it out. I dunno, just trying to help.