Needing Predator Proofing Tips

[Ori]

( Please skip to next paragraph for immediate question, this paragraph is just the explanation) Hi there! I’m trying to be more active here and I need some tips for my two ducks. I don’t plan on getting more ducks at all, and I intend to protect these two ducks with my whole life. They both mean the world to me and since I moved them to an outside temporary area while I continue to construct their official duck run— I realized just how many things can be after them. Two nights ago was their first night outside, the temporary area they are in is a garden bed surrounded by chicken wire (I know chicken wire is not useful, I asked my parents for hardwire cloth and they just said chicken wire was easier.. I intend on using hardwire cloth on their official run, no worries!) and inside the bed, they have an old dog kennel with a metal door. At night I locked them in the kennel with two bungee cords, and closed off the are with chicken wire. I prayed for myself before bed, and then for my ducks but still I had such a bad gut feeling. I went outside to go check on them and one of the bungee cords had been removed/undone. Mind you, these aren’t normal bungee cords, they are almost tarp straps I think and I have to use my whole body weight to simply get it to tighten the kennel door shut as an extra precaution. I don’t know what could’ve undone it— so I took them inside. Same thing happened on night two, but that time I heard something banging on the metal door of the kennel (probably the ducks getting scared from something because I had their pool covering the entrance with a massive rock slab holding it shut for weight) AND I used five of the bungee cords, it was impossible to open. I came out to investigate and one of the straps was removed again. Obviously something is coming back each night and it needs to stop. So here I come to my question…

What are some of the BEST ways for predator proofing, both for the temporary garden bed and for their full time duck run? I’m planning on making a run tonight to get a bunch of motion sensor lights, a new camera to put into their garden bed to see what I can improve, and I got some wooden planks to help reinforce the chicken wire to be really tight and sturdy (despite it not being much.) I’m open to even crazy ideas— and I have my windows open so I can see the ducks + see if I can hear anything. I have basically been my ducks’ savior for the past two nights by sprinting out and flashing our porch lights. I want to have an extremely advance security system up. So— I guess I’m mainly looking for tips on A) making the temporary garden bed more sturdy or at least increase the amount of time they have before I can get there if something genuinely is trying to get them— and B) the most intense, useful, and working ways to alert me immediately even if I’m deep asleep that something is wrong. I am fully able to go out and fight anything off if needed— but I am speaking alarm lights, motion lights that are extremely bright, whistles or dog whistles to scare off coyotes or foxes, bells, noise machines? Please let me know!

 

[SamLockwood]

Overall, you seem like you have the right ideas.

The main thing is, build sturdier than you think you have to. Even smaller predators like raccoons are freakishly strong.
I built my run out of 2x4's with a 6x6 base, covered in hardware cloth. The cloth is "sandwiched": first it gets stapled directly to the frame, then trim pieces are nailed over the hardware cloth.

You'll also need digging protection. A lot of people bury a wire apron around the run (about 12" wide), or you can go with either 12 or 14" square concrete pavers: my run its on top of them.

The permanent run should be covered with something solid: either framed in like the sides with hardware cloth, or put a roof on it. If you want your ducks to get some sun there's clear corrugated polycarbonate material that's sturdy and lets the light in but keeps the rain and critters out.

For any latches, hasps, or bolts, I use carabiners to lock them. They're complicated enough they frustrate raccoons, but are easy to unlock when you need to get in there in a hurry.

Don't rely on bungee cords for security. For one thing, the critters can simply chew through them. For another, animals pound for pound are way stronger than humans are. I've had raccoons and opossums knock over concrete planters and garbage cans that weigh at least twice as much as they do.

They can easily undo a bungee cord, or even figure out an unlocked bolt-latch. They will also reach through the gaps in chicken wire and pull a bird through piece by piece.

Don't bother with chicken wire for anything other than protecting plants you don't want your birds from. It's very effective at stopping chickens, ducks, etc, and pretty much ineffective at keeping predators out.

Make sure any vents that are bigger than 1/2" wide are covered with hardware cloth, sturdily mounted as well. One of the ways people get snookered by predators is they build everything right, except they vastly underestimate how agile predators are. A 1" hole can admit snakes, rats, and weasels. 2" and a even a raccoon can squeeze through.

Noisemakers have limited usefulness, as the predators eventually figure out it's just noise. Lights that flick on and off after while work pretty well. A lot of nocturnal predators don't care for lights that suddenly turn on, plus they're an easy way to alert you something is moving out there.

Honestly, if the permanent structure is built well enough, anything short of a bear or large dog won't be able to get in there unless it has a ridiculous amount of time in there. Just keep an eye on it to make sure everything is in good shape and nothing is slowly chewing its weigh through the wood somehwere.

For the temporary structure the same rules apply. Honestly, if all you've got available right now is chicken wire I'd try supplementing it with some electric netting.

Realistically, if they're that precious to you, keep them locked up until you have the permanent structure built. Until you've seen it, you have no idea how fast and brazen a predator attack can be.

Last year I had a bobcat picking off my free-range chickens. I thought if I stood guard over them I'd be able to eradicate the 'cat the next time it came by for its meal. It managed to take one of the birds when I wasn't even 20 yards away keeping watch with a shotgun. The attack was silent, brutal, and I didn't know anything was amiss until the guineas started screaming and were chasing the bobcat back to the fence-line. 30 miles per hour doesn't sound so fast until you're trying to get a bead on it while it's bounding through the woods.

Look through the predator stories here: tons of anecdotes about brazen predator attacks where they snatched their birds from right in front of them. So I'd say forget the temporary structure, keep your ducks safe, and just focus on building them a fortress. You can then sleep easier.

Just for an inspiration, this is my setup for my mixed flock of guinea fowl and chickens:

The initial configuration of my coop & run set-up.

The view from inside, showing the framing with the hardware cloth over the top. You can also see one of the motion-sensor lights just behind the gunea fowl roosting above.

"Fort Clux" as it sits more or less now. I've since added a roof over the run, and extended the smaller coop. Off to the side is a "tractor" style coop I use as both an infirmary and a nursery to introduce new birds to the flock.