How to predator proof a chicken coop is a stacking job: hardware cloth on every opening, a dig barrier at the base, a roof on the run, two-step latches, a door that shuts at dusk and a headcount every evening.
Read the full predator-proofing plan
Skip one layer and the next predator finds it. Predation is the most common cause of death in small flocks, so this is the work that pays back first. Kyle's predator-proofing guide on Raising Chickens covers the plan in the order he would do it, and every spec comes from an extension service.
Name the visitor first, because each predator beats a different layer.
Raccoon — How it gets in: Grabs birds through fence holes and works doors and latches; Layer that stops it: Small mesh, two-step latches, secured doors
Fox and coyote — How it gets in: Raid near dawn and dusk; coyotes dig under surface fencing; Layer that stops it: Buried wire or an apron; fencing over 4 feet or a cover net
Hawk and owl — How it gets in: Strike from above; owls may hit just before dark; Layer that stops it: A roof or netting over the run; close the coop before dusk
Weasel and mink — How it gets in: Kill several birds in one visit; Layer that stops it: Small mesh and every gap patched
Opossum — How it gets in: Takes one bird at a time, plus chicks and eggs; Layer that stops it: Lock birds in at night; guard the nests
Next step: Ready to buy the mesh? Read the hardware cloth guide first.
Cover every opening with hardware cloth with openings under 1 inch. Kyle buys ½-inch. Chicken wire keeps chickens in and does little to keep predators out, since a raccoon can reach through it and weasels slip through the holes. The hardware cloth guide gets into gauge and mesh: the best hardware cloth for a chicken run is ½-inch, 19-gauge, galvanized after welding. Fasten it with screws and washers so the wire does not pull through, and screw it over every window and vent.
Digging predators start at the fence line and work down, so wire has to extend out from the base. Extension services give a range of depths.
Cornell Cooperative Extension — Spec: Bury fencing at least 6 inches
Penn State Extension — Spec: Bury wire at least 12 inches deep and turn it about 6 inches outward; optional coarse gravel over it
Oklahoma State Extension — Spec: Set the lower 12 inches of fence straight down
Maryland Extension — Spec: Trench 12 inches to 1.5 feet deep with hardware cloth in the trench
For a new run, dig a 12-inch trench, fasten hardware cloth to the bottom of the wall, run it down the trench, turn the bottom about 6 inches outward and backfill with gravel on top. For a run that is already standing, lay an apron: cut hardware cloth 12 to 24 inches wide, fasten one edge to the base of the wall with no gap, lay it flat, pin it down and cover it with soil or gravel. The apron width comes from keeper guides, since the extension sheets give burial depths only.
Use a latch that takes two separate moves, because raccoons work with their hands. A slide bolt plus a spring snap or carabiner clip gives you one move that slides and one that squeezes. Put a padlock or a pin through a hasp on the people door if the bolt is within reach of the mesh, and add a second latch on nest-box lids and egg doors that open from outside, since those count as doors. Skip hook-and-eye latches, turn buttons and anything that closes by gravity. Then do the raccoon test: stand outside, reach through the mesh with one hand and try every latch. If one hand opens it, so does a raccoon.
Oklahoma State says a cover keeps birds of prey out and prevents snakes, raccoons and feral cats from climbing in. Colorado State suggests welded wire, chicken wire or game-bird netting over the whole run, and Penn State says a grid of wire or twine every 3 to 4 feet gives excellent protection from flying predators. Netting stops hawks. It will not stop a raccoon that climbs the fence and walks across it, so if raccoons are on your list, build the roof from welded wire or hardware cloth on a frame and fasten it to the walls so no gap opens at the top. The chicken run build guide has the materials math and a step-by-step order: site, frame, skirt, walls, roof, gate, floor.
Any opening bigger than ¼ inch where hens roost is a way in for something. Cover vents and windows with hardware cloth and close gaps around doors, eaves and wall joints. The floor is the layer people forget. Colorado State says to raise the coop about a foot, keep the floor tight and patch holes, which takes away cover for rats and snakes. Penn State suggests a concrete floor and one or two concrete blocks to start the walls of new buildings. If the coop already sits on the ground, get hardware cloth under it or an apron around it before winter.
Rats are part of this layer. Oklahoma State notes that rats and mice burrow and damage structures, which invites other predators in, and tells you to minimize open feed bins near the coop. Kyle's rat-proof chicken feeder guide is blunt that no feeder is rat proof on its own, so pair a rodent-resistant feeder with coop fixes.
A door that closes at dusk fixes forgetfulness, not weak latches. Oklahoma State says a locked enclosure at night matters most, when predation risk is highest, and Colorado State adds that owls may strike just before dark, so close the coop before dusk. An automatic door buys you the schedule. The best automatic chicken coop doors guide has picks, and why automatic doors fail covers ice, dead power, lost WiFi, bad timing and jams, so read it before you trust one with the whole flock.
Whatever closes the door, do the same check every night:
Count the birds.
Confirm the pop door is shut and both latch steps are engaged.
Lock the run gate and nest-box lids.
Bring in or close up feed.
Remove dead birds and trash promptly, so scavengers have no reason to visit.
Mesh is the biggest line item, so price it by the square foot covered, not by the roll. The materials list is short: ½-inch hardware cloth for vents, windows, lower walls, apron and roof, galvanized screws and washers, two latches per door, a roof frame and soil or gravel over the buried wire. Lights are optional. Colorado State suggests a motion-sensor light over the run, but Oklahoma State says scare devices are not effective long term, so spend on wire first. New to all this? The start here guide puts doors and predator-proofing second in the buying order, right after winter prep.
Hardware cloth, with openings under 1 inch. Kyle's pick is ½-inch, 19-gauge, galvanized after welding. Chicken wire keeps chickens in but does not stop raccoons or weasels.
Extension sources range from 6 inches (Cornell) to 12 inches to 1.5 feet (Maryland). Penn State says 12 inches deep, turned about 6 inches outward.
Yes. A roof keeps out hawks and owls and stops raccoons, snakes and feral cats from climbing in. Netting stops hawks but not a raccoon that walks across it.
One that takes two separate moves, such as a slide bolt plus a spring snap or carabiner clip. If one hand opens it, a raccoon can too.
No. It fixes the schedule, not weak latches or thin mesh. Pair it with a nightly headcount and read why automatic doors fail before relying on one.
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This page is an independent guide that links to Raising Chickens, a backyard chicken gear site run by Kyle. Prices and specs change, so check the linked pages before you buy.