If you are already or planning on raising chickens, the last thing you want is a predator eating them. If you live in bear country, you may wonder if bears eat chickens. After all, these are large animals that have a large appetite.
In this article, we will find out whether bears do eat chickens and if they do, how would you protect your flocks from them.
Do Bears Eat Chickens?
Bears are omnivores, so they have no problem eating chickens. They will eat chickens if they can find them. Chickens are a good source of protein, and it’s not uncommon for bears to eat chickens when they have the opportunity.
However, there are some instances when bears won’t eat chickens. For example, if the chicken is dead or rotten then the bear won’t eat it. Also, if there are other sources of food available then bears will choose those instead of eating chickens.
Do Chickens Attract Bears?
Bears are attracted to chickens because of the food and water that chickens eat and drink. Bears are also attracted to the smell of chicken poo, which is a great fertilizer. But bears will also eat chickens if they get hungry enough, so it’s not just the smell that makes them come close.
It’s hard to say how much of an effect your chickens will have on nearby bear populations. In some areas where there’s lots of bear habitat, like Alaska or Montana, there could be hundreds or thousands of bears around—and they’ll all want your chickens (and maybe even you) for dinner! If this happens, then yes: having chickens is definitely going to attract bears.
But if there aren’t many bears around—or other food sources for those bears—then there might not be any effect at all from keeping a few chickens in your backyard.
Do Bears Attack Chicken Coops?
Yes, they do. In fact, bears have been known to break into chicken coops and destroy all the contents inside. Bear attacks can be a very traumatic experience for chickens and the people who care for them. There are several reasons why bears attack chicken coops, but one of the most common is because they’re hungry. Bears will eat anything they can get their paws on, including eggs and baby chicks. Other times, bears may attack chicken coops as part of their territorial behavior or in defense of their cubs (which could be threatened by humans).
To prevent bear attacks from happening on your property, I recommend keeping your chickens safe in an enclosed area with a fence high enough that bears can’t reach over it or dig under it. You should also make sure that there isn’t anything else outside that might attract bears—such as fruit trees or garbage cans full of food scraps—because this could bring them closer to your home where they would inevitably see the chickens as a source of food.
How Do You Keep Bears Away From Chickens?
Scare Them Away
Bears are very smart animals, and they can quickly learn how to open doors and gates. They may even be able to figure out how to unlatch a gate that is latched with a chain! So, if you want to keep bears away from your chickens, you need to do more than just lock up your coop at night.
The easiest way to keep bears away from your chickens is by scaring them off. Bears fear loud noises, bright lights and loud noises like firecrackers or loud music. One of the best ways to keep bears away from your chickens is by using an electric fence that has motion-detection lights that come on when anything moves within about ten feet of the fence. The light will shine directly into the bear’s eyes and cause it to run away without ever touching the fence itself. This type of electric fence can be purchased inexpensively at most any hardware store or home improvement center.
Electric Fence
The best way to keep the bears away is to put an electric fence around your chicken coop. Without an electric fence, it wouldn’t take long at all for the bear to get in and devour your chickens. As you can imagine, this would be bad news—both for the chickens and for your investment in them. With an electric fence in place, however, the bear will be deterred from coming back as soon as he touches it once.
An electric fence isn’t just good for keeping out hungry predators; it also works for keeping out raccoons and coyotes—both of which are likely to attack your flock at some point. In order to protect the perimeter of your property with an electric fence, you’ll need four things: wire, posts, chargers, and insulators (the plastic things that hold the wire up off of the ground).
A Standard Fence
Keeping bears away from chickens is a simple thing to do. You just need to use a standard fence.
The best type of fence for keeping bears out of your yard is one that is 10 feet tall and has at least 4 inches of barbed wire on top. This will keep bears out of your yard and away from your chickens.
You should also make sure that you have a good chicken coop with locking doors so that nothing can get into your coop through the door.
What To Do If A Bear Becomes Aggressive
Make Noise And Appear Big
If a bear becomes aggressive, you must make yourself appear as big as possible and make noise.
Make noise by yelling, clapping your hands, or banging pans together.
Raise your arms above your head to make yourself look bigger. This can be done while standing still or while walking away from the bear.
If a black bear charges and you are not able to escape, stay calm and use your bear spray if it is available. If you do not have bear spray, try to fight back using any weapons available. Act aggressively towards the bear by shouting and throwing sticks or rocks at the bear when it attacks you.
Bear Spray
If you’re in a bear-prone area and you encounter a bear, it’s important to understand how to behave around them.
If a bear becomes aggressive, there are steps you can take to keep yourself safe. Bear spray is an effective method of deterring bears when they’re behaving aggressively.
Bear spray should only be used as a last resort if a bear is charging or behaving aggressively toward you and your group. If this happens, stand your ground and spray the bear in the face with the canister at about 25 feet away. Don’t shoot into the wind or at an angle — aim directly at the animal’s face where it will be hit by mist from the canister.
When using bear spray, don’t aim for the chest or head because this may not stop aggressive behavior and could lead to injury or death on both sides.
Play Dead
If a bear becomes aggressive, play dead.
If you have time, slowly back away from the bear. If you cannot leave the area safely, lie down and play dead. Do not play dead if the bear is trying to reach you or if you are in its path.
Stay quiet. Bears may attack if they think they are being threatened and want to show dominance. If the bear attacks, protect your head and neck with your hands and arms while remaining on your stomach or side facing down. Try not to move until the bear stops attacking.
Go Inside Your House
If you’re at home and the bear becomes very aggressive, it’s best to go bad into your home. Distracting an aggressive bear may cause them to become even more aggressive and they could charge at you.
Call In The Professionals
If you encounter a bear and it is not aggressive, then leave it alone. However, if you encounter a bear and it becomes aggressive, call the authorities immediately. Do not approach the bear or yell at it.
If a black bear charges at you, stand your ground and try to scare it away by yelling in a loud voice and waving your arms above your head. If the bear attacks, fall to the ground on your stomach to protect your vital organs from injury. Cover your neck with your hands and remain still until the bear has left.
What Not To Do If A Bear Becomes Aggressive
Don’t Run
The first thing to do is not run. The bear will likely chase you, and if it catches up, it could attack. If you run, the bear may think you are prey.
If a bear attacks, play dead. Lie face down on the ground and place your hands over your neck, head or back (not in front of your face). Do not move until the bear leaves the area.
Don’t Climb Trees
Don’t climb trees — bears can climb up after you. You’re safest on the ground with your feet together so that you can move quickly if necessary.
Related Questions
Do Bears Eat Chicken Eggs?
The answer is yes—bears can and do eat chicken eggs. Bears are omnivores, meaning they eat both meat and plants. Chicken eggs are a good source of protein for bears, which makes them a frequently-consumed animal product for bears.
However, it’s not that common for a bear to get into a chicken coop and steal some eggs—it’s more likely you’ll see a bear eating salmon than chicken eggs. Bears’ main prey is not chickens or eggs, but rather smaller animals like rabbits, squirrels, and insects, or fish like salmon. Bears also commonly eat berries, nuts, fruits, roots, and grasses as part of their diet.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the answer to the question is yes. This will most likely come as a shock to someone who actually found this page by searching for “do bears eat chickens?” The truth is that in many rural areas across the United States, bears do indeed eat chickens in and outside of their natural habitats. The best way to prevent a bear from eating your chickens is to keep them inside the coop at night if possible.
