Killer bear!!! Advice needed

[chickengeorgeto]

I wouldn't use the flimsy step-in posts, rather solid attachments, against a solid wall or chain-link, so the bear has to at least pause rather than just charge through. Mary

The step-in-posts are intended for use in pastures where it is important for the beef or dairy farmer to move and reposition the gazing or cross fences all through the year to maintain a steady supply of grass. In other words part of the pasture has cows grazing on it while a different part of the pasture is recovering or growing the next crop of grass.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Or if you get lightning. We have had fencers blown out by lightning.

Unfortunately nothing in this world is ever 100%. However additional ground rods can be installed, with each additional ground rod attached to its own lightning ARRESTER. Even this is not 100% but it comes very close.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Amen to that, Cap. The only place where I use chicken wire is in the coop or as run dividers inside the main chain link run.

I try to stand back and think like a predator. Then I go to work with what I perceive as being weak spots in my line of defense.

There are two dangers this bear poses to your flock.
Danger one is that this time of the year bears are trying to pack on the calories to make it all the way to next Spring without eating.

The second danger is that if the bear lives to next Spring without eating when the bear comes out of it's den it will have saved up months of appetite and be looking for a good place to spend its leftover appetite.

 

[deepbluesea]

Whoa--that's scary! I hope you find your missing hen. One one of the wetland projects we work on, we've had water quality monitoring stations taken out by bears a bunch of times. They really have it out for them. Electricity worked for a while but then they figured out how to take out the power. Crazy.

Welcome to BYC, though!

 

[Pamelajfilby]

Oh my gosh! That's the scariest story I've ever heard! I am really sorry for what your whole family experienced and hope you get everything reinforced fast and twice as strong.
I don't have any usable bear experience to share. Unfortunately.

I can't imagine that your little hen who's been hiding in the hen house the past few days would have been snatched by a bear and lost so many feathers but escaped without so much as a scratch... bear claws are huge and it sounds as if this one was in a frenzy.
It almost sounds like an uncanny coincidence of the beginning of broody behavior. Or maybe the trauma triggered a hormonal shift.

They will sometimes pull out their breast feathers all the way down to their tummy, and clear up to their armpits, perhaps leaving just a strip right along the middle. You might find that she's stashed them in the nesting box.

I hope the missing one is not lost but just hiding somewhere too and comes home soon.
Best wishes to you, your family and your flock for a safe and restful night.

Thank you for your response. I've been watching my little girl and I think your right!!she seems fine but definitely hunkered down and being broody. I thought she was too young but she's showing all the signs. I'm grateful that is what it is.

 

[Pamelajfilby]

Whoa--that's scary! I hope you find your missing hen. One one of the wetland projects we work on, we've had water quality monitoring stations taken out by bears a bunch of times. They really have it out for them. Electricity worked for a while but then they figured out how to take out the power. Crazy.

Welcome to BYC, though!

That is wild! I had no idea how destructive they can be.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

That is wild! I had no idea how destructive they can be.

I once watched a small black bear attack and eat a yellowjacket nest in a road bank.
It gave me new respect for the physical abilities of bears.

 

[Howard E]

For those dealing with the threat of damage from bears, an electric fence is your best option for protection. Here are a couple videos......one on how it works, and another an instructional video on how to setup a simple fence system:

And how to set one up........

This guy gets it mostly right, although he didn't need half the stuff he used. Spend more on the charger and less on the clamps, etc. I would also skuggest you setup a much larger fenced in area.......move the perimeter well away from the birds or the bees or whatever it is you are protecting. I would not want bears to get nearly that close.

Also, while bears have a keen sense of smell, they don't see so well, so tend to lead with their nose. If the area is not large, you can also use poly tape or the poly rope. They conduct well enough and are more visible and if you choose to smear something tasty on it to entice a lick/sniff test, the poly will hold the scent longer.

If the charger is hot, and it needs to be, the poly stuff will pack a punch too.....

 

[Pamelajfilby]

For those dealing with the threat of damage from bears, an electric fence is your best option for protection. Here are a couple videos......one on how it works, and another an instructional video on how to setup a simple fence system:

And how to set one up........

This guy gets it mostly right, although he didn't need half the stuff he used. Spend more on the charger and less on the clamps, etc. I would also skuggest you setup a much larger fenced in area.......move the perimeter well away from the birds or the bees or whatever it is you are protecting. I would not want bears to get nearly that close.

Also, while bears have a keen sense of smell, they don't see so well, so tend to lead with their nose. If the area is not large, you can also use poly tape or the poly rope. They conduct well enough and are more visible and if you choose to smear something tasty on it to entice a lick/sniff test, the poly will hold the scent longer.

If the charger is hot, and it needs to be, the poly stuff will pack a punch too.....

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Thank you for the info. We are putting up a hot wire tomorrow.