bears, hawks, raccoons, etc.

[wildwestcoast]

That's what I meant, just from my experience the bears don't bother with our chickens.
@Peppercorngal that looks awful! I hope yall are safe
We only have black bears around here, grateful for that.

Same here. Looking at that pic I'm wondering if that's a grizzly? I wouldn't put it past them. These two have been hanging out at our place the last week. One pic shows it walking right past the chicken yard

 

[Peppercorngal]

WHOAA!!
Is that at your place?

Yep, this is mama bear with my Ginger girl in her mouth. We lost all but 2 hens (which we still have). DFW put a bear trap in front of the coop and mama bear came back, but I think she was too big to fit in. Notice, in the background, that we moved the old resin coop, as the bears tore off the door, and we are in process of building a wooden stick built coop! I had to put my girls in a dog crate and lock them up in the shed every night until be finished it! What a pain that was!


So far, so good for this year. Our chickens are now in a secure coop behind a steel door with an extra long deadbolt, and we are in process of adding electric fencing!

 

[lilmillefleur]

Yep, this is mama bear with my Ginger girl in her mouth. We lost all but 2 hens (which we still have). DFW put a bear trap in front of the coop and mama bear came back, but I think she was too big to fit in. Notice, in the background, that we moved the old resin coop, as the bears tore off the door, and we are in process of building a wooden stick built coop! I had to put my girls in a dog crate and lock them up in the shed every night until be finished it! What a pain that was!

View attachment 1572066 View attachment 1572067
So far, so good for this year. Our chickens are now in a secure coop behind a steel door with an extra long deadbolt, and we are in process of adding electric fencing!

 

[wildwestcoast]

Are those black bears?

 

[micstrachan]

My friend (who also has chickens) has a sister in Colorado whose coop wall was torn clean OFF by a bear. The bear killed/ate half her flock.
My understanding is the only way to be sure a bear won’t get your birds is with electric fencing/hot wire. Good luck!

 

[Peppercorngal]

Are those black bears?

Yes, Black bears. Northern California pests.

 

[Peppercorngal]

My friend (who also has chickens) has a sister in Colorado whose coop wall was torn clean OFF by a bear. The bear killed/ate half her flock.
My understanding is the only way to be sure a bear won’t get your birds is with electric fencing/hot wire. Good luck![/QUOTE

Yep, bears are bad. Also unless the bear touches the electric fence with his nose it does not work. He's covered with hair which does not shock. I do not like bears!

 

[MissChick@dee]

We lost our entire flock last year to 3 bears. You bet they love a fresh chicken dinner.
View attachment 1571231

So sorry how horrible

 

[MissChick@dee]

I’d shoot them and tell the game wardens that they came after me, self defense!

 

[wildwestcoast]

My friend (who also has chickens) has a sister in Colorado whose coop wall was torn clean OFF by a bear. The bear killed/ate half her flock.
My understanding is the only way to be sure a bear won’t get your birds is with electric fencing/hot wire. Good luck!

Wow!! That's terrible