outside feed storage solutions

[Beekissed]

WOW! What a nice setup! You have enough room in your run to store those cans of feed...curious as to why you don't just keep it there? Thirteen gal. cans can't take up that much space.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

THat's what I have done now, but I'm afraid bears could tear their way into the run and then I'd have a bigger problem.

 

[Beekissed]

Sounds like you are going to have to construct a pretty heavy-duty feed bin, purchase some steel drums and bolt them to your structure and secure the lids with a heavy duty latching system or place a small chain link kennel with a chain link topper in which to place your food. Of course, the kennel would need to be attached firmly to your coop or to a concrete pad.

In the state parks they finally had to do something like this in the picnic areas up where I am from....built heavy framed boxes with steel mesh for the trash cans to sit down into. When evening comes, they go around and close the lids on these bins and lock them down so the bears can't tear up the cans for food/trash residue.

Here's a few sites that may give you some ideas:

http://www.bearaware.bc.ca/conflict-prevention/bear-resistant-bins

http://www.bearicuda.com/reference/bear-proof-garbagecan.php

http://www.thetraveltart.com/canadian-bear-proof-garbage-bins-tougher-than-the-average-bear/

 

[fried green eggs]

If you think a bear got your trash can? Why don't you put a fence charger with electric fence all the way around your coop and run? I would get a 50 Mile+ low imped. so, it's strong enough to keep bear away from your birds. As to feed storage I have a very old large chest freezer I have used for years to keep 500# of grain in for my horses. I I took out the internal lock and put rasp. locks on the outside. It keeps out mice and would be big and strong enough for a bear???

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Quote:

Duh of course, that's what I had been thinking originally but somehow the thought didn't re-enter my head as this happened. I think this is the only way that I can actually pull this off. I will look into this asap. Thanks!

Edited to add:

Ok so I know nothing about fence chargers. My run is completely enclosed in hardware cloth that has a 18 inch apron all around flat on the ground.

If i attach the charger to the hardware cloth I assume it woudln't work because of all the ground contact. Correct?

So I would have to put wire at various heights that is insulated from the hardware cloth, correct?

In that case, how do I deal with the door?

Here's a picture for easy reference of my run setup:

 

[fried green eggs]

LOL - You would not be hooking a fence charger to your chickens hardware cloth - chickens would get zapped and fence would be too weak to keep out bears. You need to have a STRONG Fence Charger run by electric or solar/battery, steel post, insulators, fence wire and underground insulated wire - which will hook up to the ground on fence charger and to ground wire and to 3 8' ground rods (each put in the ground 6'+ deep and space 12-15' apart) ground rods can be underneath your elecric fence.
Normally you would alternate hot wires and ground wires. below is simple diagram.

Hot wire _____________________________________ Fence Charger (+) ( -)
Ground wire ___________________________________
Hot wire ______________________________________ Hot wires lines hook together by insulated wire and then a insul. wire goes to (+) on the fence charger
Ground wire ___________________________________ Ground wires lines hook together by insulated wire and go to the 3rd Ground Rod
Hot wire ______________________________________
3rd Ground Rod_____ 2nd Ground Rod_____ 1st Ground Rod ____ Ground Rods hook together with underground insulated wire, which is buried- just under the ground. The insul. wire hooks to a ground rod clamp on top of each. 1st Ground Rod is buried in-ground near/below Fence charger and hooked to (-) I hope this was helpful. Do you have a Farm/Feed Store in your area like Tractor Supply Co? They can help you get everything you need.

 

[fried green eggs]

Duh of course, that's what I had been thinking originally but somehow the thought didn't re-enter my head as this happened. I think this is the only way that I can actually pull this off. I will look into this asap. Thanks!

Edited to add:

In that case, how do I deal with the door?

Here's a picture for easy reference of my run setup:

Sorry the Door/Gate? They have Spring Gate Handles that can be in put in your fence line or you can add a cut-out switch. Just make it so, you can unplug your Fence Charger easily so, if you free range birds or you are out in yard - no one gets zapped by accident. Just remember to re-plug it in each evening.

Good luck.
P.S. WOW - Very Nice Set Up !!!!! It would be ashamed if a bear wrecked your pen. I would do a electric parameter fence 6'-8' outside of the pen

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Yes, thanks. I will go to TSC and/or Sheepman supply in Frederick to get further educated and informed.

I was looking at electronet from Premier. They say it is effective for bears and with rolls of 164' I could even extend the run for them to have some extra area to roam during the day. It's easy to install and less daunting than running wire around the run myself. I would just position it outside the apron all around the structure and extend in the back as far as the net would go. Then cut another popdoor opening in the run at the backside for the chickens to get out of the run into the enclosure. I could cover it with birdnetting to avoid them flying out and hawks from flying in.

Ok the bear has been confirmed. I just saw it sauntering along the run. I banged a spoon in a pot and it went away. But I'm def. going to look into to electric fencing thing. I didn't get the impression, though, that it was trying to get into the run (for now).

 

[fried green eggs]

Glad the bear doesn't seem interested in your chickens. I've thought about using the netting but, it's pricey. Electric fencing isn't that bad to install. Steel post are easy to put in and so are the ground rods if you use a manual post pounder. You will still need ground rods for the fence charger. Glad you have a plan to keep chickens safe incase the bear gets interested.

 

[Den in Penn]

The fence doesn't have to be overly strong, if it's electrified. There was a show, I forget what channel, about a guy who lived with bears in Alaska. He used a single strand wire on regular fence posts to keep bears from things he didn't want them in. Once their are trained to know what an electric fence is they tend to avoid it. Especially if they have no incentive and just curiosity to go where you don't want them. I'd put up a perimeter fence for sure. May have to put it back up a couple of time till the bear learns. A fence next to the run/coop would be the next thing.