What did this?

[brookfieldreds]

Something pulled the door and frame with the slide bolt latches off our coop last night and took 2 of our girls. The hinges pulled right off the coop as well. There are no marks of any kind - no evidence of something working to get in. The handle shows no marks either. The bedding in the coop was undisturbed as well. We even wondered if something got stuck inside the coop and then forced its way out, but there is no evidence to support that theory either.

A coyote got one of girls about 2 months ago but we haven't seen it since. I think a neighbor may have sent it to the great beyond.

Our neighbor ran into the local bear behind her barn the other evening, but someone told me that a bear would leave marks. I would think a coyote would as well.

My husband put the door back up - and made sure to use heavier hardware. The 3 remaining girls wouldn't go into the coop tonight and wanted to roost on my car. We had to carry them, and they weren't thrilled about going into the coop.

Any insights would be much appreciated.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I wanted to say Welcome to BYC.

I would have to say I think it's a bear. Very rarely do you see any other kind of animal flat out bulldozing through something like that.

Raccoons are known to be surprisingly strong and amazingly dexterious, so maybe. But my bets are it's a bear. They use their weight more than anything, so while you think those big long bear claws would leave a mark, they are mainly for climbing and digging.

 

[brookfieldreds]

Thanks for the welcome.

I think it must be a bear as well. We're looking into an electric fence, is that our best deterrent?

 

[rhoda_bruce]

A guinea would make a good guard dog...squacking very loudly when danger approaches. If you want a quick guard dog, just go to the local animal shelter and get a puppy to keep on a run in the near area of your coop....provided it is Okay to shoot a bear where you live. I don't know about in my area, as I have never known anyone to have ever seen a bear. When we made our coop, we said that the only predator that could get in would be a bear. Good luck!!! Man and I thought it was bad dealing with coons.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Quote:
Yes, as far as bears go, electric fence is the best deterrent. Make sure you install the fence well, make sure it is well insulated and well grounded and that it is intended for large animals. A fence charger intended for dogs, has a lower power than a fence intended for bulls. Get the best charger you can afford, the higher the shock, the better the deterrent.

 

[koifarm]

Bear for sure.
You may want to contact Fish and Game, they may be able to trap and relocate the bear.
Don't have to tell you a local bear is quite dangerous and could eventually break into your house....be very careful about this, it could endanger your lives....
If he got your hens, he will be back, electric fence may help but if you have household garbage around there could be a big problem in your future....

 

[gsim]

Bear, or human wanting it to look like a bear? Good fence charger is a good deterrent. Not a doggie version either. Best to have coop completely inside of electrified pen, no walls exposed to preds.

I have an electrified pen with the coop inside of it, completely surrounded by the 6 ft 2x4 welded wire fence, with 4 courses of hotwire around the entire thing including the gate. 4 KV 5-mile charger. 2 ft tall roll of chicken wire at ground level all around inside of pen to keep chooks from poking their heads out. Fence is set in cement. Coop is completely closed at night via guillotine doors and man-door is locked. Pen is open to the sky, but we do have a large noisy crow population, so normally airborne preds are run off pronto. Coons and hawks my biggest concern for now.

 

[brookfieldreds]

It came back last night and ripped the frames off the egg door and the people door. Two more chickens down, one lonely girl left. The coop is beyond quick repair, and obviously not safe. I have a call into a friend with a barn to see if she can go there until we can create a bear- proof set up and get her some friends. I have set her up in a hollow tree that they were laying in. I also called Fish and Game and the dispatcher is contacting my local officer.

Thanks for all the advice. I'm interested to see what the Fish and Game officer says.

 

[Bedste]

Dad gummit.... I hate that. Poor little girls scared to death. Good grief. I get so tired of hawks and possums but I am so glad I do not have to worry about coyotes and bears. I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Quote:
I hate that. I'm sorry.

Bring the last chicken into the house or garage. Look up laws in your area, you may be able to shoot the bear tonight when it comes back. It WILL be back, sit and wait for it.