Use 1/2-inch hardware cloth on all openings instead of chicken wire

Cover all coop and run openings — windows, vents, doors, and gaps — with 1/2-inch galvanized hardware cloth. Chicken wire is designed to keep ducks in, not predators out. Raccoons tear through chicken wire easily, weasels pass through the 2-inch openings, and rat snakes slip between the hexagonal mesh. Hardware cloth is welded steel wire that resists bending, tearing, and prying.

Why It Works

Ducks are more vulnerable to predators than chickens because they cannot fly to safety, are nearly blind in the dark, and sleep in a pile on the ground. The 1/2-inch mesh of hardware cloth stops everything from weasels (which can fit through a 1-inch opening) to raccoons (which reach through larger mesh to grab and pull birds out). Attaching it with screws and fender washers rather than staples prevents raccoons from prying the mesh away from the wood.

Tips

• Use 19-gauge or heavier hardware cloth for maximum strength
• Overlap seams by at least 2 inches and secure with hog rings or J-clips
• Cover the floor of elevated coops to prevent predators entering from below
• Wear heavy gloves when cutting and handling — edges are extremely sharp
• Budget roughly $1–2 per square foot for 1/2-inch galvanized hardware cloth