NC bears?

[MissGreenJeans]

Hi, chicken folks! My chicks are getting bigger by the second, and I’m getting their new coop ready for the transition to outdoor life. I have hardware cloth to bury and to use as a skirt, I’ve got a Chicken Guard door and a sturdy coop connected to a welded wire run. I’ve also got some strong netting to cover the top of the run to deter hawks. I remain worried about bears. I haven’t heard of neighbors who’ve had bears eat their girls (though they’ve had bears get into the chicken feed). But I know bears are in my area—NC mountains north of Asheville. Anyone live in this area and have thoughts about whether installing an electric fence is necessary? I’d be devastated if my chickens became anyone’s dinner. I’ve bonded with them even more than I expected to, and although I’ve been told I should prepare myself to lose one or more to predators, I want to do everything I can to protect them.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I live just north of you in southwest Virginia. We sat down to dinner last night and saw a 250-300lb black bear cross our field (150yrds away) from our dining room window. Dinner and a show!

Bears are definitely a concern and we have them try to get in our coop every year. So far, knock on wood,no success. A determined bear WILL get in if it wants to regardless of any precautions we take. The key is to make it so difficult that the majority of bears will lose interest and move on.

We have a lot of bears but ive never felt the need for electric fences to defend my coop. My defense is that i elevated the cooop 32" to the bottom joist. A bear derives a lot of leverage low to the ground for ripping up stumps and rolling logs looking for insects etc. With the coop being so high, they can't generate as much power. All the exterior nesting box doors are outside walls that drop down not lift up tops. This places thetop edge under the tops making it difficult to get a paw on (again no leverage) and each have 3 latches. The main door is latched at the extent of my reach from the ground (almost 8ft off the ground).

A bear has ripped the wire from the windows but the windows are 7ft off the ground so although he got his claws in the window he couldn't reach inside to reach the birds.

Around here others have used electric fences with mixed results. Some say its effective while neighbors have had the fences ripped down by the bear and the coops knocked over and destroyed. I would say it depends on your set up.

 

[416bigbore]

Hello, An electric fence is your best option against bears. Just make sure the fencer is large enough to do the job. Best of luck with your flock.

 

[MissGreenJeans]

I live just north of you in southwest Virginia. We sat down to dinner last night and saw a 250-300lb black bear cross our field (150yrds away) from our dining room window. Dinner and a show!

Bears are definitely a concern and we have them try to get in our coop every year. So far, knock on wood,no success. A determined bear WILL get in if it wants to regardless of any precautions we take. The key is to make it so difficult that the majority of bears will lose interest and move on.

We have a lot of bears but ive never felt the need for electric fences to defend my coop. My defense is that i elevated the cooop 32" to the bottom joist. A bear derives a lot of leverage low to the ground for ripping up stumps and rolling logs looking for insects etc. With the coop being so high, they can't generate as much power. All the exterior nesting box doors are outside walls that drop down not lift up tops. This places thetop edge under the tops making it difficult to get a paw on (again no leverage) and each have 3 latches. The main door is latched at the extent of my reach from the ground (almost 8ft off the ground).

A bear has ripped the wire from the windows but the windows are 7ft off the ground so although he got his claws in the window he couldn't reach inside to reach the birds.

Around here others have used electric fences with mixed results. Some say its effective while neighbors have had the fences ripped down by the bear and the coops knocked over and destroyed. I would say it depends on your set up.

Thanks for the info! Brilliant strategy to elevate the coop! If you have a chance to share a photo or two, please do! (No pressure. )

 

[cmom]

I agree. I have electric wires around my coops and pens and nothing has gotten past the hot wires. Just make sure you have a good powerful fence charger. If it doesn't put out much current the predator will go right through it. "It only hurt a little bit." If anything touches my wires I want them to know it. My fence charger puts out 10,000+ volts. Some people bait their wires so a predator will touch the wires with their more sensitive parts like their nose, mouth or tongue. I have never baited my hot wires. Bears have pretty thick fur and skin. I'm sure predators have tested my wires, especially in the spring when they are looking for mates or out hunting for their young. I have heard some screams. They don't test the wires again and I think the adults teach their young that a bird isn't worth getting zapped for. If I touch my wires, I will hurt for a couple of days. Lessons learned the hard way. Good luck...

 

[Mtnboomer]

Thanks for the info! Brilliant strategy to elevate the coop! If you have a chance to share a photo or two, please do! (No pressure. )

No problem. Here's my coop. Its designed for function and built from 50% old lawn mower shipping crates (pressure treated base and shingled roof only parts that are not)

 

[cmom]

Here are my electric wires. They may not be too pretty but they work. Most predators first explore with their nose.

 

[416bigbore]

I agree. I have electric wires around my coops and pens and nothing has gotten past the hot wires. Just make sure you have a good powerful fence charger. If it doesn't put out much current the predator will go right through it. "It only hurt a little bit." If anything touches my wires I want them to know it. My fence charger puts out 10,000+ volts. Some people bait their wires so a predator will touch the wires with their more sensitive parts like their nose, mouth or tongue. I have never baited my hot wires. Bears have pretty thick fur and skin. I'm sure predators have tested my wires, especially in the spring when they are looking for mates or out hunting for their young. I have heard some screams. They don't test the wires again and I think the adults teach their young that a bird isn't worth getting zapped for. If I touch my wires, I will hurt for a couple of days. Lessons learned the hard way. Good luck...

I agree with you, nor have I ever had to bait our hot fence. My big fencer is rated at 3.6 joules and is not joke! A person could run barbwire with the extra long barbs to help with the bears thick fur. I also like to run a separate ground wire in between my hot wires and this also helps to assure a good ground and detours anything from trying to climb.

 

[cmom]

I think this video is somewhere on BYC. I found it on YouTube.

 

[cmom]

I agree with you, nor have I ever had to bait our hot fence. My big fencer is rated at 3.6 joules and is not joke! A person could run barbwire with the extra long barbs to help with the bears think fur. I also like to run a separate ground wire in between my hot wires and this also helps to assure a good ground and detours anything from trying to climb.

My fence poles are metal so if anything touches the fence and the hot wires they will know it.