How to Keep Predators Out of Your Chicken Coop

Whether you live in the city or out in the country, predators are always a concern if you have a flock of backyard chickens.

By their very nature, chickens are easy targets for predators: They’re small, rarely take flight, and often huddle together when threatened, making them vulnerable to attack.

But with a few simple measures, you can beef up the security on your chicken coop and chicken run to protect your flock from raccoons, coyotes, hawks, aggressive dogs, and other predators.

Use hardware cloth, not chicken wire.

The mesh can be used for the walls, windows, vents, and doors, and should be attached to the wood framing with washers and screws, or heavy-duty fencing staples.

Secure the floors of chicken coops and chicken runs.

If your coop is attached to an enclosed run, cover the floor of the run with hardware cloth, bring it up the sides a few inches, and attach it to the frame.

Deter predators from above, too.

Simple bird netting or even a more elaborate pergola-style roof will prevent aerial attacks and keep birds of prey (as well as wild birds that may spread disease) out of the run.

Don’t forget to defend against larger predators.

Strive to build your chicken coop as solidly as you would build your own house, and install an electric fence or electric wire around your coop and run.

Lock doors and windows at night.

On the exterior, I have gate latches and slide bolts on all of my doors and further secure them with carabiners (especially on the upper locks, which are more out of reach of critters).

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