How to racoon proof my duck run door.

[QueenieBelleB]

We are very new to owning any type of poultry and we started off with ducks. We are trying to raccon proof this run completely. It is still in the process...

We are stuck on trying to fix the gap between the door. How do we close/cover the gap.

We came up with a board on the inside at bottom and top and install hardware wire on the inside to it. It will make the door only open outwards????

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yes that sounds like it should work, and you will need to pick a direction for the door to swing (whether in or out).

 

[SamLockwood]

I would frame the whole door and attach that frame securely to the metal frame: that's a big gap all the way around. With the door latched, see if you can pry the door open at all with your fingers. If you can get anything over a 1" gap racoons can get in. You may need to add an extra latch or figure out some way to stiffen the door.

Kudos on the hardware cloth over the chain link. Where it meets the wooden structure I'd staple it too the shed, then nail boards over top of the hardware cloth.

You'll need to do something about bottom of the run perimeter: either attach some more hardware cloth and bury it a couple inches under ground so you've got a 12" apron to discourage digging or get a bunch of those 12" pavers, jack up the run, and slide them under.

You'll need some sort of cover over the top, preferably something tougher than a tap: netting, chain-link, or hardware cloth. Otherwise the raccoons will just climb over the top and you'll have problems with hawks.

I'd go with hardware cloth for the top because you'll want to discourage minks and weasels as well and they can slip through chain-link.

 

[QueenieBelleB]

We put a board at the bottom of the door. My husband says he will pit one covering th top portion some time (I'm sure it will be a couple of months) Hardware wire completely covered the run. Pvc coated Rabbit wire around the run to keep the critters digging in.

The door hinge is a problem because my kids have a hard time opening and shutting it. I will still have to figure out what to do about the ground and make the bathtub into the duck pool.