Black bear ! Edit - pics added

[DTRM30]

Had a black bear rip the doors off my coop last night. Ate one hen, a second is missing and a third was in the yard. Can't believe the rest stayed in their run considering how bad they always want out. Have muddy bear prints on two sides of the coop and a couple really good prints in the soft dirt by the doors. Print is 5" across - so a good 5' bear about 250lbs. Friend set up a game cam but I hope it doesn't come back. Funny how they are always begging me to let them out, but not today. They were content in their run. I think my EE was injured though- or maybe stresses- she was quiet and hunched closing her eyes. I guess I'll know soon enough if she was hurt.

 

[Baymule]

Time to hot wire the coop. let Mr Bear get a good jolt and he will high tail it for somewhere else.

 

[PamB]

OMG! How awful! AND SCARY! Where do you live??

 

[petchickenlover]

I sure hope it doesn't come back!

I second Baymule, time to get some hot wire!

 

[DTRM30]

Quote:
I live ct - have had the bear living in the woods behind us for quite a few years now - never bothered the coop before - but I guess just comming out of hibernation - it was pretty hungry
we have a lab who barks at all the critters but we weren't home last night and she was with us since we were gone overnight.
I have pics of the prints - I'll try to post them - I built the coop to be strong enough to keep out fox, bobcat, coyote and raccoon. Never thought the bear would be a problem - since two houses were built behind us it's stuck to the woods - hunters have caught glimpses of it but that's all. It even stopped getting the garbage - haven't had to lock it up in at least two years. Guess I have to start again.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

SCARY!!!!!

 

[DTRM30]

Here are some pics of the one really good print - there were others, but there was a light rain that made the ground just right -
The one with my hand is great for comarison of the size of the print. The pad measured 5" across - and the print on the coop is the next box area off the back of the coop. My coop is not a walk in - but rather up off the ground on 4x4 posts. The hinges were bent, the wood door was craked in half and hanging by one hings (the other was completely ripped off) and the trim boards were completely ripped off and laying on the ground.

Hopefully it won't come back - not much will stop a hungry bear. At least if it does, I can move the girls into my garage for a week or so until it looses interest and moves on. I would have posted pics of the damage as well, but DH screwed the nest box door back on permenant - at least temporarily - until we can get a better fix. Maybe some steel doors.

Amazing how powerful they are - to trash the hinges - bent them like clay (not light weight ones, either) and lock like it did. you can see where it tried to get in on the side, but was unsuccessful so moved to the back and unfortunately was successful.

 

[AllAlaskan]

There was a guy up here in ANchorage just last year that shot a black bear that broke into his chicken coop and was eating his chickens. I dont know about down there but up here if a bear attacks my chicken I can shoot it in defence of property.

 

[Red&Yellow]

Those tracks look a little too sidewise oval for a bear. I was just looking at bear tracks online, and they are kind of long from claw to palm. Might you have cougars up 'ere?

 

[dewey]

Wow, that's an awfully big print for a black bear. How scary...I'm so sorry about your losses.