I live in the country and bear get into my compost pile and bird feeders quite often. I'm trying my hand at chickens this summer. Just 5 or 6 laying hens to start. They will be in a coop with time to free range when I can supervise. Has anyone had problems with bear during the night? Thanks, Elkracer
What type of bear? We have to protect against black bears, and thankfully not against grizzly or kodiak...you have to give careful thought to construction and you will need a roofed run for those days when you can't risk free-ranging. Be sure your framing materials are substantial and that your door can be protected with a locking bar. Another thing you can do is to relocate your compost FAR from the coop, and to keep any meat/fish/poultry/bone leftovers in the freezer until pickup day. Bird feeders should be far back, too. But really, with bears already using your property, separation is the only way to keep poultry. Click on my home page if you want to see how we are coping. We have not had a direct bear attack, largely because we have many farming neighbors whose poultry are, um, available (free-range). Ahem.
Check out post # 18 https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2007843#p2007843 First hand experience with chickens and bears.
first and formeost , take down your bear feeders. The put compost into critter prof compost bins. Yor first line of defense against bear is to clean up any and all attractants.
I'd also run at least a few strand of electric fencing around the run! We have an abundance of black bear here, too............and that is what I have done. Bears are extremely strong and determined........so the hot wires are my best defense. Some folks recommend actually 'baiting' the bear.......by hanging strips of bacon on the wire..............so the bear's nose gets a big shock, and they will NOT return! I don't know if I'd have the nerve to actually try to 'attract' them here............but I 'do' get the logic behind it!!
My dog treed a sow with 3 cubs today. I don't usually have a problem with my compost bin; only when I"m lazy and don't stir in the new stuff when I put it in. The garbage is in bins in the garage, and it goes to work with me. We're putting the coop inside of the chain link run. I will move the compost bin, though; it's right where we're putting the coop and run. The closest call we've had with bear was when one climbed up onto my mother's second story deck (bird feeders!). She caught him perched upon the railing, outside her open french doors. I'm in NJ, and will be using the SSS method (we have a backhoe!)
Hey, Equus50............Where is Warren County are you? I'm in Hardwick! And what the heck is the SSS method?
