Predator-proof the coop and run with hardware cloth and secure latches

Use 1/2-inch galvanized hardware cloth on all coop and run openings, install two-step predator-proof latches on every door and access panel, and add a buried or surface-laid wire apron around the perimeter. Ducks are even more vulnerable to predators than chickens because they cannot fly to safety, are nearly blind at night, and sleep in a pile on the ground rather than on elevated roosts.

Why It Works

Chicken wire keeps ducks in but does not keep predators out — raccoons tear through it easily, and weasels pass through the openings. Hardware cloth with 1/2-inch mesh stops everything from rats to raccoons. Two-step latches (requiring two simultaneous motions to open) defeat raccoon paws, which can open simple hooks and slide bolts. A buried wire apron stops foxes, coyotes, and dogs from digging under the run fence.

Tips

• Attach hardware cloth with screws and fender washers, not staples — raccoons can pull stapled mesh from wood
• Extend a hardware cloth apron 12–18 inches outward from the fence base, pinned to the ground with landscape staples
• Use carabiners or spring-loaded barrel bolts as predator-proof latches
• Check the entire enclosure monthly for rust, loose connections, or gaps created by settling