heard a ruckus, so went out to check. I was so busy looking at the coop and run while I was walking towards it that I almost...walked....right into a bear! Scared the beejessus out of me. I was backpedaling, and stuttering and then I just stood and looked at it, she was about a car length away from me. I think I was frozen there for a minute, and then I finally was able to get a yell out (and then another one!)
The bear looked at me, looked back at the run - her rump was against the wire fence of the chicken run, and she very slowly walked off into the woods.
I ran into the chicken yard, up into the coop, and there were 2 hens missing. Ran back out into the run, and they were huddled under the coop. Just fine, but apparently scared of the bear. Got them in the coop, feeling nervous about the bear coming back. Skedaddled back to the house yelling "I've got eggs and I'm not afraid to use them!" (wanting to make noise to discourage it from coming out of the woods).
I do have an electric fence, but it is off because I have pullets and pullets sometimes fly over the fence and I didn't want them to get electrocuted. It is only a couple of weeks that they seem to fly over, ....I don't know, maybe I'll get the fence on again.
Guessing the bear was after their feed?
Feel pretty safe tonight because their coop is a converted construction trailer and it wouldn't be easy for the bear to get in.
think my heart is still pounding!
The bear looked at me, looked back at the run - her rump was against the wire fence of the chicken run, and she very slowly walked off into the woods.
I ran into the chicken yard, up into the coop, and there were 2 hens missing. Ran back out into the run, and they were huddled under the coop. Just fine, but apparently scared of the bear. Got them in the coop, feeling nervous about the bear coming back. Skedaddled back to the house yelling "I've got eggs and I'm not afraid to use them!" (wanting to make noise to discourage it from coming out of the woods).
I do have an electric fence, but it is off because I have pullets and pullets sometimes fly over the fence and I didn't want them to get electrocuted. It is only a couple of weeks that they seem to fly over, ....I don't know, maybe I'll get the fence on again.
Guessing the bear was after their feed?
Feel pretty safe tonight because their coop is a converted construction trailer and it wouldn't be easy for the bear to get in.
think my heart is still pounding!