# Bear killed some of our chickens



## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

A couple of weeks ago a bear tore down the garden fence, tore the back and the doors off the chicken coop and killed two of our three chickens. He bit the third chicken on the neck, but somehow she survived.

We took Henrietta, the surviving hen, to a young lady who plans to become a veterinarian. She has been treating the wound successfully. When she has recovered completely, she will join the flock there.

The bear has killed at least a dozen other chickens and also a small goat. The game wardens have been trying to trap him but say he is wise to traps and will not enter them. They have authorized the residents in this area to shoot that bear because his next meal might be someones toddler. This bear is pretty easy to identify because he is very, very large - they estimated 400 lbs. The night temperatures have at last gone down into the 20s, so I think we are safe from bears until spring.

We became susceptible to a bear raid because our next-door neighbors for quite some time did not deal with their trash. The bear often raided their trash can successfully, so he became accustomed to prowling our area. I finally convinced them to put a ratchet strap on their trash can whenever they put trash in it - that has been very successful at keeping the bear out, although he often tests it by dragging the cans around.

We are on one of those neighborhood email lists, so I entered a plea for people to heed the "rules" for bear country. One lady wrote back that, after all, the bears were here first! I certainly do not wish to kill off bears, but this one has become a danger to the community.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Yeah, that lady will change her opinion when the bear chases her or kills one of her pets. Some people do not realize the seriousness of a bear that associates humans with food. It is not like feeding a feral cat. Good luck on getting rid of that bad news bear!


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Youch! I smile and wave at Deer and Fox in my yard. '*****, Squirrels, Chipmunks... no problem. 

But I want nothing to do with attracting Bears. They're sooo destructive!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I am glad you found a home for Henrietta, again though sorry for the loss of your other birds and for your exit from chicken keeping for the time being. 

What people like the bears were here first lady don't realize is that they are hazardous to us and us to them in various ways. The bears were around with indigenous people and because the indigenous people didn't generate huge amounts of silly trash the bears didn't bother them. Having moved on to putting all sorts of junk out in cans and bears being smart enough to look for an easier meal we need to be sensible about them. We definitely don't have bears on Long Island although there are lots of them in New Jersey, but the NYC/NJ media market has stories all the time about them using people's pools to cool off during hot weather and the like. I hope somebody shoots that boy before he does more harm than he already has when spring rolls around.


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

I Guess you all have to just "Bear with it":argh:


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## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

*The bear is back*

Spring is here and so is that d### bear. He climbed the brand new garden fence (5 foot horse wire - quite sturdy) damaging it. We only have planted peas and onions, so he climbed back out. Then he went to a neighbor's house and snagged a chicken, damaging a very sturdy coop in the process. The game wardens are trying to trap him, but he evidently is trap wise. They told us to shoot him if possible because he is dangerous. 

We have a neighborhood messaging system, so that's how I know about his taking our neighbor's chicken (neighbor as in only a quarter mile away - most homes here are on 3 to 10 acres). There is one person on the system who says that "the bear was here first". Another one plans to set his dog, a Lab, on the bear. Those folks just don't understand that this a large, dangerous predator who has been lured into the area by people who do not make sure their garbage is securely stowed and that they don't feed birds, dogs, cats, etc. outdoors. I'm really fed up with that beast!


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

I really cannot even imagine a bear in my yard, just terrifying. We might have more than our fair share of dangerous creatures in Australia but I am glad I don’t have to worry about bears!


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

OH DEAR! It sounds like a couple of your neighbors have no idea .....one's a tree hugger and the other is gonna have a dead dog! Like they say "Duct tape can fix anything except stupid"..........Hope someone is a good shot!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Oh dear that is a shame. I hope somebody gets him soon, as in before the idiots set their dog on it. And I was thinking about you the other day when I was out with my chickens and hoping you were getting to the point you were thinking about new birds.


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Muggles said:


> I really cannot even imagine a bear in my yard, just terrifying. We might have more than our fair share of dangerous creatures in Australia but I am glad I don’t have to worry about bears!


Don't tell anyone about our man eating Koala Bears. Let alone the 8ft high 400 lb buck Kangaroos that disembowel large dogs and humans. Then there are the trouser snakes that can make you swell up for nine months and make you suffer for 20 years or more. Australia is a dangerous place. Keep Australia for Australians!:amen:

Eric


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

Oh, dear! I am sorry to hear that the bear is back. We have a lot of bear issues here in Colorado and unfortunately it is due to people who think that rules about properly containing your trash, not feeding other wildlife and not feeding dogs and cats outside don't apply to them. These folks are a danger to themselves, others and the bears.

I do hope the game wardens or someone with excellent sharpshooting skills can take care of this trouble maker very soon! 

The bear that we had in our yard 3 summers ago didn't do any damage to anything or anyone here but the next night got shot while fighting a neighbor man's dog. It was enough to make us all take extra precautions. I no longer walk Poppy at night without being armed. I am not willing to take any chances.

Fortunately our daily visiting turkey hen is mild mannered and not so scary.

Be safe and I hope your problem critter is dealt with soon.


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

Oh my spring yep, bear is awake and hungry and apparently has a good memory. People are quite stupid when it comes to wildlife. Bear was here first...ridculous he pup;d stay deeper in the woods if people would adhere to rules, now he has to die...And another thinking a lab would have a chance against a 400 lbs bear? I sure hope the bear is taken out beforehand.


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Ugh, I hope and expect you have sufficient fire power to stop a bear if need be. I grew up in a hunting family, though they did not hunt bear ever, and have no idea how one would do it. Not a hunter myself, but I respect it in people who do it to put food on the table. Or of course for protection, as in this case, where sadly humans have created a serious danger to everyone .


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Get an LGD. 


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