What did this???

[Tonyroo]

I woke up this morning to find a weird scene:

My SUV car door open. Handle is 3 1/2 feet up.
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The contents of the trunk strewn about the car
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The goat feed I store in there all over
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The bucket I keep my goat feed in about 50ft away from the car with the lid ripped off and puncture marks
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Zero damage to the car or its interior, no claw marks, tracks, scat - nothing. Nothing on the ground or anywhere on the car's exterior that I can see.
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Quick backstory: We're getting ready to leave for vacation, so I stocked up on supplies, which were still in the trunk of my car. I keep the goat feed in reused kitty litter buckets for convenience. I keep it in the car for the moment because my goats got into it a few weeks ago, so I'm trying to figure out a storage solution. In the meantime, I thought the back of my SUV was secure. I was wrong, clearly.

There's also a strong skunky/musky smell. And nothing else is touched (garbage cans on the side of the house, bags of chicken feed also in the trunk, etc).

Happened some time between 4:00am and 5:30am. Hubby leaves for work at 4. I went outside and discovered the scene at 5:30.

So what do y'all think did this?

I say you have a animal ghost mystery. Just kidding. I can't think of anything that would do that and disappear.

 

[DickMidnight]

Scotland.

ah the home of two of my favorite things, scotch and golf!

i hope you’re enjoying one or both while you’re there.

 

[Aunt Angus]

The bear pushed over the neighbor's fence. Must've happened around the time I went outside.

 

[Canadian Wind]

The bear didn't like the fence either, huh? Too bad he didn't destroy it more, lol!

 

[Aunt Angus]

I'm a mess. I don't want to go on vacation now. And my husband is no help at all. Everyone at work today was telling me how Bears destroyed their chicken coops. One guy even told me that he found a bear in his house. I don't really know what to do.

 

[DickMidnight]

I'm a mess. I don't want to go on vacation now. And my husband is no help at all. Everyone at work today was telling me how Bears destroyed their chicken coops. One guy even told me that he found a bear in his house. I don't really know what to do.

you’re not much help against a bear whether you’re home or in scotland, so just go.

if it wants your chickens, it will get them. if it doesn’t, it won’t.

either way, all the worry in the world won’t help.

 

[Missyschix13]

Safe travels @Aunt Angus ! Enjoy your trip! I'm sure your flock will be just fine. Really curious if you fine you culprit though. I'm definitely following along!

 

[Canadian Wind]

You said your sons will be there, right? There isn't anything you can do that they can't.
Let them know how worried you are, and trust them.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Bait the hotwire around the chicken coop with peanut butter or bacon ( do it while it is off of course, then turn it on). The bear will investigate, take a hot shock straight to the sniffer or tongue, and be thoroughly trained to avoid your birds. I learned about that from another thread on BYC I just can't for the life of me remember who it was! If I find it I'll link, the thread had a lot of great bear deterring tips.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Okay. It was @azygous that started the thread about the bear. I just re read the beginning post and... Idon't know if reading it will put your mind at ease to be honest. it's quite an unnerving story that I would not want to experience firsthand. So maybe @azygous can link the part about baiting the hotwire and leave it at that



If you must leave no stone in turned like I do, here's the link anyway. Read at the risk of your peace of mind
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ar-got-inside-the-coop.1534344/#post-25875260