Game cam pic from my back yard

[Buckaroo]

Quote:
Coons are smart, and those front paws work well. I have had coons tear into the roof on my coop to get in. They are also very strong, and if the can find a place to pry, they most likley will get in. I had one move a very heavy dog house, I worked concrete carrying panels, and was pretty strong, moving this dog house was a work out for me just to slide it back, and a coon comes along and moved it about 8 inches to get in. I was really amazed at their strength.

Edited to add this
As for smarts, I used to coon hunt, and coons are pretty good about throwing dogs off their trail. Like peeing on a tree, then moving on, fooling the dogs into thinking the coon is there. They will also lure a dog into water, and when the dog comes in after, the coon will turn back towards the dog, getting on its head to drown it. Not all coons do this, but some are pretty smart.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Best to set some traps, those coons will be back looking for food. The pens will be their next target.

 

[Duppydo]

Hey Buckaroo....I know coon are smart and pretty strong,but move a dog house 8 inches, that you struggled to move, and you work concrete..??
Man, i've caught and seen alot of big coons..that one moving your dog house around must be related to Superman....! lol

 

[Buckaroo]

Quote:
I was really amazed. This dog house was very heavy, and had it pushed up against the pen opening thinking nothing could move it since it weighed like a stack of bricks. There was a small gap between the house and opening, and the coon managed slid it back to get in. Wasn't that I couldn't move it, just figured no animal could since it was so heavy. Point was, if they can pry, most likely they can get in. And yes it was a super coon from eating my darn chickens, bad thing was, it killed more than it ate. And yes this was the same coon the tore into the roof of the coop.

 

[gypsy2621]

People do not realize coons can get huge.
we trapped lkilled and had G&F weigh a coon that devistated my water birds.
grand weight, 40 # an old male and phewwwww do they stink after a few years of growth.
so it doesnt suprise me it was able to move a heavy dog house.

 

[2manyhats]

Wow, I didn't know that coons got that big.

 

[Duppydo]

Sorry you lost those chickens Buckaroo, my brother and i did a repair job on a home herewher i live. Raccoons chewed there way into the attic, doing serious damage to the roof of this guys house...! I know what you say is true, thats why they don't get a 2nd chance around here..! I'm always thinking of ways of beefing up security in and around my hen house...I'm also dealing with opossions, rats and feral cats, jeezzz its like a war zone around here protecting my hens...lol....
Anyway, its amazing that coon moved that heavy doghouse, thier the biggest threat to my hens, i figure... I haven't had problem with the dogs roaming around my neighborhood thous far, but i'm a firm believer of " never say never" i know better...!
All use chicken raising, lovers will always be a war with some predator....goes with the turf i suppose...

 

[providentialpastures]

I suggest tossing them out of your backyard. By the way, DON'T FEED THEM OR THEY WILL MOVE FROM NIGHTTIME VISITORS TO PERMANENT RESIDENTS!