trouble with bears?

[theFox]

Quote:
Yikes. Black bears, coyotes, and smaller predators are enough for me. Do you take the feed out of the coop too and lock it up somewhere? We will have a lockable shed, but it will be coop adjacent. I guess we will see who wins the battle of our construction vs. the black bear. I am betting the shed and coop get pretty beat up. That electric fencing sounds better and better all the time. Off to check and see if there are any ordinances against it. If I could only get my neighbors to stop leaving out their garbage and bird feeders we might not have so much traffic.

Be certain you don't fixate on bears to the point of forgetting the tiny predators that can in a single visit wipe out your flock.

 

[lleighmay]

If the neighbors are part of the problem and the Fish and Game guys have already had to trap and tag bears last year maybe they could be enlisted to provide some sort of education to the neighbors, or perhaps even give them a citation or something if they don't heed the educational advice.... then on the other hand maybe the neighbors just don't have good sense. I love wildlife and live in the midst of a bunch of it, but wouldn't dream of feeding/attracting large predators so they can hang around waiting for food....

 

[JerseyHen]

Quote:
They have been educating the neighbors and I think they cited a few of them. I hope they are getting the message. As for the smaller critters, we have a pretty critter proof design. That is why I am now thinking about what could get into it. It would require quite a strong animal, like a bear, and one with the ability to use its paws like hands. No racoon will get in, we will have locks on all of the door latches. That leaves me with the animals that could just knock it down or rip the wall off (bears and humans).

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! Here is my plan: solid coop, hardware wire over every opening that cannot be closed with a door/window and locked, fenced run with roof/wire top, electric fence outside of the run/coop area, pick up all the food around the coop each night and lock up in a secure location. Cross my fingers that the bears don't just go through the electric fence and tear the whole thing down...

 

[BlackBart]

The bear control guy at Mammoth Ski Resort told me bird feeders are like crack cocaine to Bears.

I would use berry wire for the electric fence wire, it packs a better punch.
Somewhere in the back of my mind I think the fence chargers were for cattle but I could be wrong. Pretty sure they are stronger than for horses. Sorry out of my comfort zone on that info.
I do know you can make your own fence chargers and have them at any strength you want. My Dad made them for our farm.

 

[Kathryn4629]

Quote:
Yikes. Black bears, coyotes, and smaller predators are enough for me. Do you take the feed out of the coop too and lock it up somewhere? We will have a lockable shed, but it will be coop adjacent. I guess we will see who wins the battle of our construction vs. the black bear. I am betting the shed and coop get pretty beat up. That electric fencing sounds better and better all the time. Off to check and see if there are any ordinances against it. If I could only get my neighbors to stop leaving out their garbage and bird feeders we might not have so much traffic.

Yes I take the feed out of coop also. I used to feel a little bad about them not having access to food at night and in the wee hours of the morning, but I figure that it is better than them being dead. Chicken feed is like candy and has a sweet smell that will attract them bears in no time. I just make sure that I let the chickies out at first light in the morning.

 

[panner123]

Up until a year and half ago I live right across the cayon from you dmiravalle in Weimar. I to used an electric fence. After having the state trapper at my place a few times, I found that the best way to keep them out was to thin them down. (SSS) Now bear bacon is by far better than store bought. Only wish I was back in N. J. for that bear hunt. Sister still lives there and one killed her dog and 3 cats last fall. As for building a bear proof coop, good luck. To darn expensive. Figure a 10 x 12 coop would cost about $30,000. I will guarantee that one to keep the bear out.

 

[johny]

We have loads of black bears living in town every summer.
Late summer usually: for apples, acorns, gardens…

I don’t know of anyone who has any problems with bears trying to get into coops or eat the feed

Chicken feed is more attractive to bears than the chickens themselves. So don’t have outdoors feeders.
Never leave anything edible in the run at night.
Night is when bears are most active.

 

[jbowyer01]

I am soooooooo glad I live in the south with NO bears around. I was just taling with my DH about what lengths you guys have to go through to keep bear out.

 

[theFox]

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Don't get complacent now nothing says they need to stay in the north.

 

[arch_cpj]

The best fence to deter bears is an High tensile design... use 6 inch corner posts and wood line posts 4 inchers say 25 feet apart use poly spacers in between the line posts 4000 feet of wire is 100 bucks at TSC I reccommend a parmak fencer low impedance use 3 or more ground rods 6 footers. I reccommend a 5 or 6 wire fence and if they are available in the area black locust posts are best then white oak then pressure treated pine if you use black locust and high tensile wire then the fence will last 50 or more years and look nice... If you have bears and no sturdy electric fence you are wasting your money on chickens or a nice hen house. Nice thing is the hens will go through the fence pretty easy but dogs or land predators will not nice insurance... any of these two will work I have the 50 mile fencer and it will knock you on your butt http://www.parmakusa.com/Fencers/110.htm