Bear proofing my coop

[GiddyUpGo]

After losing all but one of my chickens in a horrible bear attack last December, I've gone over and over in my head how I am going to rebuild my coop to keep my chickens safe. Previously my coop was covered in hardware cloth, which did a good job keeping out smaller predators but did not slow the bear down at all.

After talking at length with a rep from Premiere Fencing I finally decided on a high-quality hotwire setup around the perimeter of my coop. I was also planning to reinforce the inside of my coop with something a little tougher than hardware cloth. I had originally thought I would cut up some of this stuff: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/horse-fence-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft-3610375 and use it to line the coop on the inside, but I wonder if it's just an exercise in futility. If the bear got through the hotwire I'm pretty sure it could also rip out the fencing, especially since it would have to be installed in pieces.

Anyone ever successfully bear-proofed their coop? Is it even possible?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Being from Alaska, the only thing that kept Bears out of any structure was hot wire. So you've done the right thing. Aluminum cattle gates MIGHT keep a bear out but I don't know. Do you have dogs? My neighbor has Bear issues all the time but I do not and we've deduced that my dogs make the difference (especially because when my oldest Leonberger passed away and I only had a pup, I had my one Bear encounter.) Thankfully it left my coop alone, so maybe also the bright flood light that I have behind it, not sure. It was after my garbage and successfully ripped the whole wooden garbage bin to shreds. Our cabin in Alaska took multiple bear hits....... Good luck!!

 

[GiddyUpGo]

No dogs, unfortunately. I think dogs would be great but my husband is very anti-dog for reasons that only he understands. I am thinking a floodlight with a motion sensor wouldn't be a terrible idea, though I'm not sure how you stop it getting set off by the chickens ... and I did once have a flashing light that went off when it sensed motion after dark but I had to disable it because one of my neighbors complained.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

No dogs, unfortunately. I think dogs would be great but my husband is very anti-dog for reasons that only he understands. I am thinking a floodlight with a motion sensor wouldn't be a terrible idea, though I'm not sure how you stop it getting set off by the chickens ... and I did once have a flashing light that went off when it sensed motion after dark but I had to disable it because one of my neighbors complained.

I flip the light on when I lock up the chickens. It's the backside of my coop facing the forest where a bear would come from. I have curtains over that window inside my coop so that the chickens can still have darkness. I really think your hotwire was the smartest move and maybe if your neighbors have barking dogs, that will help you. It's rare that neighbors appreciate barking dogs but after all of the bear menacing, my neighbors certainly do!

 

[Barbours]

After losing all but one of my chickens in a horrible bear attack last December, I've gone over and over in my head how I am going to rebuild my coop to keep my chickens safe. Previously my coop was covered in hardware cloth, which did a good job keeping out smaller predators but did not slow the bear down at all.

After talking at length with a rep from Premiere Fencing I finally decided on a high-quality hotwire setup around the perimeter of my coop. I was also planning to reinforce the inside of my coop with something a little tougher than hardware cloth. I had originally thought I would cut up some of this stuff: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/horse-fence-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft-3610375 and use it to line the coop on the inside, but I wonder if it's just an exercise in futility. If the bear got through the hotwire I'm pretty sure it could also rip out the fencing, especially since it would have to be installed in pieces.

Anyone ever successfully bear-proofed their coop? Is it even possible?

We have tuns of bears but haven't ever had a problem with our coops. The coop is all wood, with a metal roof hardware cloth ventilation slits at the top and a door with a lock. Attached to the coop is the run. With is all wood and hardwood cloth, fully closed in from the top to the bottom. The run has a door with 2 locks on it. We dug trenches around the run and coop before putting it in. Put fenceing and rock down then the coop and run in. So nothing can dig under. At night we lock them in the coop and lock the run up too. So far it's worked great with our ducks and one legged Rooster. We've had animals trying to get in but give up cause they can't.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

For this, we have to keep in mind that: Bear wants in, bear gets in. Sorry for your losses.
But hot wire is very useful keeping bears away. You have bought the right thing, and done most of what can, but I have more. Have you seen the bear? How big? Approximate age? Any other details?

Bear boards: In front of your windows and doors. Bear boards are something really easy you can make. Some sharp, nasty nails and a piece of ruff cut plywood. Nail the nails into the plywood so the sharp tips are sticking up. The bear steps on the nails, gives him a big surprise, and most likely he will run away.

Wind chimes: Bears hate this kind of noise, it makes them feel like people are around and gives them an uneasy feeling.

Bleach and/or ammonia: Spraying bleach around your chicken area, will help. Also, if you have a cat and a cat box, leaving the pee around your chicken coop really helps.

When a bear decides to peek up over the corn behind my chicken coop, I go get the radio. Turning the radio to a local country music station, all the way up works every time. As well as if the bear is really close and you can see the bear, turn the emergency alarm on your car on!

And if your neighbors don't mind loud country music or yourself, you can play it all day. When I'm having bear problems, I sit out on my porch and draw or read a book, or be on here!

Hopefully this helps @GiddyUpGo!

 

[GiddyUpGo]

For this, we have to keep in mind that: Bear wants in, bear gets in. Sorry for your losses.
But hot wire is very useful keeping bears away. You have bought the right thing, and done most of what can, but I have more. Have you seen the bear? How big? Approximate age? Any other details?

Bear boards: In front of your windows and doors. Bear boards are something really easy you can make. Some sharp, nasty nails and a piece of ruff cut plywood. Bear steps on the nails, gives him a big surprise, and most likely he will run away.

Wind chimes: Bears hate this kind of noise, it makes them feel like people are around and gives them an uneasy feeling.

Bleach and/or ammonia: Spraying bleach around your chicken area, will help. Also, if you have a cat and a cat box, leaving the pee around your chicken coop really helps.

When a bear decides to peek up over the corn behind my chicken coop, I go get the radio. Turning the radio to a local country music station, all the way up works every time. As well as if the bear is really close and you can see the bear, turn the emergency alarm on your car on!

Hopefully this helps @GiddyUpGo!

Wow, so many great ideas, thank you! I'm trying all of these.
The bear was huge ... I have cameras out there and got a picture of it. I mean this bear was already so fat, it really did not need to eat 8 chickens. I'm not sure how old it was. A neighbor told me there was a mom with two cubs in the neighborhood ... might have been the same one but I didn't see any cubs on the camera.
I have sort of resigned myself to the idea that a bear might get in again, even after I've started over. I had no problems with my coop for four years, so maybe it will be another four years before one gets in again. We don't see bears here too often, and they've never bothered my chickens before ... but luck runs out sometimes.
Thanks again!

 

[GiddyUpGo]

I flip the light on when I lock up the chickens. It's the backside of my coop facing the forest where a bear would come from. I have curtains over that window inside my coop so that the chickens can still have darkness. I really think your hotwire was the smartest move and maybe if your neighbors have barking dogs, that will help you. It's rare that neighbors appreciate barking dogs but after all of the bear menacing, my neighbors certainly do!

I think I'll add a floodlight to my coop. The bear almost certainly came from the opposite side where my neighbor's house is, so I bet I could rig a light so it won't bother the neighbors. Thanks again!

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

Wow, so many great ideas, thank you! I'm trying all of these.
The bear was huge ... I have cameras out there and got a picture of it. I mean this bear was already so fat, it really did not need to eat 8 chickens. I'm not sure how old it was. A neighbor told me there was a mom with two cubs in the neighborhood ... might have been the same one but I didn't see any cubs on the camera.
I have sort of resigned myself to the idea that a bear might get in again, even after I've started over. I had no problems with my coop for four years, so maybe it will be another four years before one gets in again. We don't see bears here too often, and they've never bothered my chickens before ... but luck runs out sometimes.
Thanks again!

You're welcome.
Could you post a picture? A bear of that size, from what you are describing, is likely a boar - male bear.
It's a possibility of both - the bear getting in again or not. I had bears less than 10 feet from myself and chicken coop and have never had a bear take any of my chickens or any break in's. That's what I call it!

BTW I am a bear hunter so... I know quite a bit.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

I don't have any bears near my chicken coop, but I raise bee's up north and have no shortage of black bears around the area, we use two hot wire fences around them (two is better then one) so far no issue with them.

also check out your predator laws, where am from we can shoot bears with in one KM of our bee hives.