Bear proof chicken tractor ideas?

[Thassa]

I'm getting 13 Cornish x next week and I need ideas how to bear proof a tractor or build one sturdy enough to withstand a bear (doubtful) or a place to find a reasonable setup for running a portable electric fence. The only other option is to build a stationary tractor type place inside a dog run we have in the back yard. I think black bears, fox and coyotes are going to be my main predators.
The layers and bantys I'm getting will have a very secure place so I'm not worried about them.

 

[Kjf18]

I've seen black bears tear through stuff you wouldn't believe. I'd go with the electric fence (although even that might not work), or a very secure place for nights. Otherwise, I think you'll need screen made out of welded quarter-inch rebar.

KJF

 

[rickyarthur]

I've seen bear break into camp trailers and 50 gallon drums, so you have a tough task if you really think you need a bear proof tractor. A good guard dog would give better protection than anything short of heavy metal construction.

 

[Thassa]

I don't know why all of a sudden I thought about the bears tonight. It was a total d'oh moment. I'm going to have to figure out the electric fence thing unless I can figure out how to raise the tractor in the air for the night!

 

[geoff40]

I think you'd have to get out the welder, get some iron pipe and chain link to build a bear resistant coop or tractor. It might slow a determined bear down for a few minutes.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I think you'd have to get out the welder, get some iron pipe and chain link to build a bear resistant coop or tractor. It might slow a determined bear down for a few minutes.

Chain link won't stop a bear.

Go with a STRONG electric fence

 

[franko]

I would think 2" pipe corner post in cement and re-bar welded in sixteen inch widths around you pen and coop and on top, with 11/2 " pipe every four feet as stays. Make a re-bar gate. Not sue if that's prohibitive for you or not. Then add electric wire. Geez, I just realized you'd have a cage. Let us know how it works out. franko

 

[franko]

I just saw " Tractor", so I guess the best Electric setup you can buy.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

We had a bear prowl around a couple of weeks ago. It was most interested in the food (sunflower seeds) and carried off a half full 13 gal galvanized trashcan of it. And then it came back and lounged on our driveway. It didn't show interest in the coop or the chickens themselves, the seeds were outside the run/coop.

But I got anxious anyway and I bought the premier 1 42" high electronet and a very powerful energizer. It's not so much the netting that has to be strong, but the generated current has to be at least 6000 volts. Mine checked out when I had everything surrounded by it at 8000 with an occasional jolt to 9000. Don't skimp on the energizer. From googling the issue, while the bear was prancing on the driveway, I concluded that nothing short of a shock would deter bears unless you would build a concrete bunker with 12" thick walls and no windows.

If you want something portable, electronet is the way to go. If you can make it permanent (like a permanent perimeter fencing, it would be cheaper to go with 4 or 6 strands of wire and wooden posts, and the same strong energizer. We live on a mountain, so many rocks. I didn't quite fancy digging fence posts.

 

[loanwizard]

Electric electric electric. Nothing is going to stop a bear, even if you build it like your own house. Electric won't stop it either if it really wants, but a shock to the tender nose would hopefully make it think that chicken tastes bad anyway.

That said, I am not an expert in bear.