Of Hoop houses, bears and cold....

[BirdBrain]

With all the talk of hoop houses it has got me to wondering if I coud make one and keep my birds safe. I live in Anchorae which is not too cold during winter due to being near the water. We usually have temps in the teens and twenties with an occasional cold spell below zero. I had gotten 6 windows at the Restore recently and was planning a frame building. We do have bears that leave scat around as well as the occasional off leash dog. If I were to make a hoop house, how big a temptation do you think they would be if they were attractively packaged in a hoop house? What can I do cost effectively to protect the layers? Do you think I could do a Salatin style tractor for the meaties?

 

[Beekissed]

I don't know that anything but electricity keeps bears out. Even a tractor would be fair game to a bear unless constructed with steel bars and even then.......

 

[BirdBrain]

What are you doing up at 3 in the morning?

I agree that electricity may be the only way to go. Is there enough electricity in the poultry netting to keep out bears?

 

[Beekissed]

Insomnia strikes again!!!

I've heard that poultry netting is very effective for bears....believe I heard this from one of Salatin's books.

Seems like a hoop house ala Salatin would be the ideal poultry setup...especially if you stacked species for warmth!

 

[BirdBrain]

Thanks! I'll take this to the president of the board (DH) and see what he says.

I hope you get some sleep. I am all done in an am going to turn thus thing off. Sweet dreams.

 

[gsim]

Electrification a must, as is really sturdy construction. A hoop coop does not qualify in bear country IMO. I would not risk it nor the labor only to be very sad and disappointed one fine morning. I would do 6 ft tall horse fencing set in cement at base, and 24" tall roll of hardware cloth around inside. Solid corner posts set in cement, and steel T posts every 7 ft in between. Electrified with a 50 mile fence charger from 8" ht to top, 6 courses of hotwire. Coop set inside of that completely and built like you mean it. Lock birds in at night and let them out in morning without fail. If you have wolverines or badgers, I would also do a 24" wide strip of galv 2x4 wire laid down around perimeter and with one edge in the cement. Cover it with two inches of topsoil and seed it real good. That should stop all but a really mad/crazy grizzly.

 

[bargain]

Hoop house no deterennt for large animals - bears and cougars..Need a strong coup and electricity, with an alarm if it does fail.

Great luck and have a blessed day!

 

[BirdBrain]

Thanks guys!! I'm not sure what other preditors we have here in the city but will ask around. Sounds like I need to budget in a good chunk of change for fencing. I think we mostly have black bears but they are more curious and determined than the brownies (grizzly) on any given day. We live on an acre with close neighbors all around. I guess I thought (silly me) than protecting my garden from the moose would be more of an issue. My kids want dairy goats as well. I guess I might have to figure out combination housing for goats and chickens. Hmmmmmm.