Major attack - is this a bear?

[Lsox]

After losing a chicken a day to a fox/foxes when free ranging, we thought we had the problem sorted by only letting them out for 30 minutes before sunset. Between being locked up last night and checking this morning, something visited the coop and tore a big hole in the 1/4" hardware cloth, getting 11 of our 16 birds (4 ISA browns, two bantams, two guineas and our three barred rock hens). We're left with two guineas, a bantam, a barred rock cockerel and one ISA brown hen.

Any idea what could have got through the cloth? Claw marks on the sides in various spots as well and a few black hairs left as evidence. Thinking maybe a raccoon (though didn't think they could get through the cloth) or a bear?

 

[aBirdNerd]

are the chickens injured? If they are, can I see a pic of the injury?

 

[Lsox]

Of the two dead chickens left behind, the barred rock hen didn't seem to have any visible injuries, but felt "broken" inside - like broken bones, made a crunching noise when you move her body. The bantam had a mark either side of her breast - pictures attached.

 

[Weeg]

Its weird it didn't eat them all. It wouldnt make me think bear, I don't see why a bear would want anything to do with chickens. I am thinking maybe cougar, wolf, or coyote, but I don't think a coyote would tear that hole. Fro me I am thinking cougar, if you have them where you live. Whatever it is, will likely come back again. I don think there si a big enough liv strap to catch a bear, but there is one for a cougar, you could set. I don't know what you would do with it ounce you caught it though. You could get both of these things, the lights work of rme, I had never used the pee, but I believe it would work well.

 

[Lsox]

I don't think we have cougars here - we're in the Hudson Valley in NY. It's a pretty big hole that it tore in the cloth, which is why I thought bear...

 

[orloffer]

Its weird it didn't eat them all. It wouldnt make me think bear, I don't see why a bear would want anything to do with chickens. I am thinking maybe cougar, wolf, or coyote, but I don't think a coyote would tear that hole. Fro me I am thinking cougar, if you have them where you live. Whatever it is, will likely come back again. I don think there si a big enough liv strap to catch a bear, but there is one for a cougar, you could set. I don't know what you would do with it ounce you caught it though. You could get both of these things, the lights work of rme, I had never used the pee, but I believe it would work well.

Bears have been known to attack chicken coops.

 

[MarkJr]

The claw marks on the wood indicate bear. Something next to it for size comparison would confirm it.

 

[Lsox]

Here are some pictures with a ruler for scale. Also noticed some what look like tooth marks at the top near where it got in.

 

[MarkJr]

I’m going to say bear.

Keep the dead and be ready. It’ll be back.

 

[The Happster]

What height are those scratches?
Definitely appears to be a bear.
I'm sorry for your loss.