Attaching Hardware Cloth / Fencing to Structure

[Juise]

Should I screw the stuff into the corner posts? Can I use my electric staple gun with long, heavy duty staples to pin it down all the way across the top and bottom? Possibly even the intermittent supports?

Also, if were are doing the totally enclosed box thing for the run, which attaches to the front of the coop, and a hardware cloth apron is buried all the way around the coop and run, would you still bury an apron across the front of the coop? It will already be inside the perimeter of hardware cloth, so might we be able to cut that expense? And when we bury the hardware cloth apron, is 2" of soil on top sufficient?

 

[airmechreed]

Fender washers and screws work best , at least for my hardware cloth it was 1/2 in. As far as protecting your flock it all depends on the predators you have in your area.... Saving money may cost you I'n a loss of your flock. Always a good idea to over protect rather than under.

 

[Juise]

Just checking here, so you think we should just better bury an apron across the front of the coop, too? And you don't think I should use any staples, just screws? How close together do they need to be?

 

[CoyoteMagic]

How big are the staples? I use at least 1 inch "U"/Fence nails. I don't bury anything. Too many rocks. Cover it with mulch and and plant shrubs

 

[Sassafras]

To attach the wire we used a pneumatic staple gun with long leg staples since w did a huge run. Those suckers aren't coming out.

My electric one didn't work at ALL. The pneumatic ones are so much faster.

 

[colonel sander]

Quote:
Same here I used a crown stapler in pneumatic form also. Took me about 2 hours to put the fabric on a 12x5 run. I also used a grinder with a cut wheel on it to cut the cloth it zipped right through like butter.

 

[bryan99705]

I agree with strong staples and screw w/ washers to reinforce. ( a smooth staple can be pulled / pushed out) The purpose of the skirting wire to stop digging predators so it needs to completely surround the pen and burying it ain't fooling them and is really not needed except to keep you from tripping over it and for appearances. Besides once the grass grows thru it, it disappears anyway.

 

[Juise]

Thanks! The run is going to be 12' x 13', 8' high, and covered on top with hardware cloth as well, so using some staples will make the process a lot less painful! I think my father-in-law has a pneumatic staple gun I'm sure he'd let us borrow. Although I'll be a bit bummed not to use my new, fancy, birthday staple gun

I'm not sure I made the question about burying an apron in front of the coop clear. Lemme try again. The front of the coop will be inside the run, and a hardware cloth apron will go all the way around the back and sides of the coop, and the run. The run in completely enclosed with hardware cloth on all sides and top. So coop and run together will be inside a big rectangle of hardware cloth apron, would I still need to put an apron on the front of the coop, being already inside a perimeter of apron? I'm not sure that actually made more sense, oh to just be able to talk with a paper and pencil! (We are burying the apron just to protect little toes around here and because the area is not covered in grass.)

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Why are you burying wire around the outside of the coop? Do you have a dirt floor, instead of a wood floor? Or is it one of the coops that's raised and has space under the coop? I'm just trying to get a better idea of what your set-up is. Also, will you be closing the coop door at night?

 

[Juise]

We are converting the old horse barn into our coop and it has a dirt floor.

We will be closing the coop up at night.