Urgent!! Black bear attacking neighborhood!

[lanaschix]

We have not seen any black bears in our yard but a bear has been roaming the area and apparently has a taste for chickens. He has attacked at least three chicken coops in the last few nights. My sister just texted me to tell me that they woke up to find their fence had been knocked down and their coop had been torn open and she lost three out of four of her chickens.

My chickens are in a mobile tractor. It is pretty secure but this is a bear were talking about. What can I do to protect my chickens?

 

[Tumbling K]

bring them in at night

I don't think there is any way a chicken tractor will keep a bear from your chickens.

if it's possible, I would move them inside at night, until I did some work to deter the bear from even coming into your yard.

electric fence comes to mind.

 

[Free Spirit]

Electric Fence. If your tractor is mobile you can still put up a solar powered electric wire around it.

As seen in these videos electric fences work because they explore with their noses.

 

[lanaschix]

We currently have a pullet shut door that runs off A small solar panel that charges a 12 V battery. I wonder if this could be piggybacked off that?

 

[lanaschix]

I should probably clarify that our tractor is pretty much as secure as a stationary coop. They go up into the secure part at night which is made out of wood and has a locking door like any other coop.

 

[Folly's place]

Your coop will be splintered by any bear that is interested. Only electric fencing will work, and it needs to be backed up by something solid. Look at premier1supplies.com; they are great, and helpful on the phone. Mary

 

[hayley3]

I'm curious where you live..are bears roaming your neighborhood a common occurrence? If not, then I would relocate the chickens inside for a few nights unless you want to permanently put up electric fencing.
I'm thankful I do not have to worry about bears.

 

[Tumbling K]

I'm afraid a bear could easily flip that thing over also.

did you use 2x2 framing?

I'm glad we too, don't have to worry about bears......

 

[thomasboyle]

I have bears on a regular basis, and electric fencing has proved to be the trick. Lights will also help. They run back into the woods whenever our motion sensor floodlights turn on.

 

[Zoomie]

I don't know the situation of the area where you live or your state laws - but here, when we have a problem bear, we call Game and Fish. One neighbor had a bear kill a lot of her goats. The bear came back the next night, but she had stayed out there with the goats and was able to run it off with her dogs. (She had a gun too, don't worry, I have sensible neighbors.) The next day they came and set a trap for the bear, trapped it and did whatever. (They relocate some, they tag bears they catch and if they keep catching the same bear they humanely put it down.) Then another neighbor had their chicken coop smashed in and a lot chickens killed; and that was a real sturdy coop. That bear would not leave their house, was trying to push the glass windows in with its paws. They called us, DH went over to help but nothing worked. They called G&F, they said, shoot it! So that's what happened. G&F came to get the body.

This was due to the drought. I live right next to the National Forest so there are bears here. The bears were starving and desperate so they were coming down around the houses to try and find food. This is sad for the bears, but the way it's set up here, bears that are coming around people a lot, killing things and breaking things, are considered a problem and are dealt with. It could very well be different laws where you live but it does not hurt to call G&F and ask.