Newbie question.

[HoopyFrood]

I've had bears try to break into the coop in the middle of the day to get to chicken feed. No way would I chance it. I know someone who lost a whole flock of Silkies to a bear that wanted the feed left in the coop.

Yowza!!!

I'm well acquainted with bears having spent a fair bit of time backpacking in the back country; only had a face-to-face encounter once. Not something I'd care to repeat! Once a bear gets a taste for something there's almost no stopping them.

There have been no tales/reports of chicken feed loving bears around here, thankfully. If there were reports there's no chance I'd leave feed in the coop either! But I can't imagine actually having one actively trying to break in!

What ever did you do?

 

[junebuggena]

Scared it off. There are a few problem bears in the area. One sow in particular happens to live in the woods just behind my house. A few of her cubs have been euthanized in the last few years due to bad behavior.

 

[Peppercorngal]

I've had bears try to break into the coop in the middle of the day to get to chicken feed. No way would I chance it. I know someone who lost a whole flock of Silkies to a bear that wanted the feed left in the coop.

We have bears that just want to eat the chickens, not the feed. They only come at night because we have dog out during the day. I hate bears. I lost my flock to bears. Once they get a taste of something they continue to come back until ther

e are no more left.

 

[HoopyFrood]

Scared it off. There are a few problem bears in the area. One sow in particular happens to live in the woods just behind my house. A few of her cubs have been euthanized in the last few years due to bad behavior.

You are in a tough situation! I can't imagine having to live with problem bears. I guess we just are lucky. There are chicken flocks EVERYWHERE around here and enough bears that I've found poop in my yard and a 7" paw print about three miles away... Funny that we never hear of bear/chicken problems. Foxes, mink, weasels, coyotes, and fishers are always the culprits in big attacks around here... Good luck!

 

[HoopyFrood]

We have bears that just want to eat the chickens, not the feed. They only come at night because we have dog out during the day. I hate bears. I lost my flock to bears. Once they get a taste of something they continue to come back until therView attachment 1308093 e are no more left.

I'm so sorry!! That would be crushing...

 

[junebuggena]

I live on a narrow peninsula. There are more bears than humans living here. And years of tourists leaving trash unsecured has led to the bears not being afraid of people. And the bears around here don't hibernate. I really wish the wildlife department was more proactive about population control, but they won't do anything unless someone gets hurt.

 

[HoopyFrood]

I live on a narrow peninsula. There are more bears than humans living here. And years of tourists leaving trash unsecured has led to the bears not being afraid of people. And the bears around here don't hibernate. I really wish the wildlife department was more proactive about population control, but they won't do anything unless someone gets hurt.

Oh! Long Beach! I took a wrong turn on the WA coast once and drove halfway up it before I realized my mistake. It certainly is long Helluva U-turn... ... but a very pretty area!

That is very unfortunate. A recipe for trouble for sure. My hat's off to you and your resolve to keep chickens in a place like that!

 

[Peppercorngal]

You are in a tough situation! I can't imagine having to live with problem bears. I guess we just are lucky. There are chicken flocks EVERYWHERE around here and enough bears that I've found poop in my yard and a 7" paw print about three miles away... Funny that we never hear of bear/chicken problems. Foxes, mink, weasels, coyotes, and fishers are always the culprits in big attacks around here... Good luck!

We have coyotes, raccoons, hawks, skunks and possoms but they can't get into the run or coop. The bear however, just tears through everything. We rebuilt the coop and added a steel door with a long deadbolt. We are adding electric fencing and hope that works. We got permission to kill the bear and obtained a bear trap, the bear did come but he was too big for the trap!

 

[Peppercorngal]

I live on a narrow peninsula. There are more bears than humans living here. And years of tourists leaving trash unsecured has led to the bears not being afraid of people. And the bears around here don't hibernate. I really wish the wildlife department was more proactive about population control, but they won't do anything unless someone gets hurt.

We live in the foothills and last October bears came through and killed every chicken for 30 miles around. Everyone I know who had chickens lost them all. We had to scream like crazy to get the forest service to help us at all. Most folks did nothing, many gave up on having chickens.