Securing hardware cloth to a run

[chickenpotter]

Hi chicken lovers! I am a fairly new BYC member. I have a mixed flock of 7. We bought a coop and today completed building the run which is attached to the coop-it is 4x12 ft and 6 ft tall. We attached hardware cloth to the outside with pretty long staples -9/16"-and my question is should we go back and cover the staples with lath strips that are screwed in so that the hardware cloth can't be pulled off from the outside? I know we have raccoons around here. I think it would be very hard to pull it off, but I'm afraid it could be done.
I would love to keep the coop open to the run as it might be cooler for the girls at night ( we live in Va. and it is terribly hot and humid in the summers) if they decide to roost there.
I don't want to do this, though, until I feel absolutely certain the run is predator proof.

Thanks for any suggestions you might have,

 

[chicapee]

Hi chicken lovers! I am a fairly new BYC member. I have a mixed flock of 7. We bought a coop and today completed building the run which is attached to the coop-it is 4x12 ft and 6 ft tall. We attached hardware cloth to the outside with pretty long staples -9/16"-and my question is should we go back and cover the staples with lath strips that are screwed in so that the hardware cloth can't be pulled off from the outside? I know we have raccoons around here. I think it would be very hard to pull it off, but I'm afraid it could be done.
I would love to keep the coop open to the run as it might be cooler for the girls at night ( we live in Va. and it is terribly hot and humid in the summers) if they decide to roost there.
I don't want to do this, though, until I feel absolutely certain the run is predator proof.

Thanks for any suggestions you might have,

Do you have a picture?

 

[chickenpotter]

 

[lynnehd]

Hi chicken lovers! I am a fairly new BYC member. I have a mixed flock of 7. We bought a coop and today completed building the run which is attached to the coop-it is 4x12 ft and 6 ft tall. We attached hardware cloth to the outside with pretty long staples -9/16"-and my question is should we go back and cover the staples with lath strips that are screwed in so that the hardware cloth can't be pulled off from the outside? I know we have raccoons around here. I think it would be very hard to pull it off, but I'm afraid it could be done.
I would love to keep the coop open to the run as it might be cooler for the girls at night ( we live in Va. and it is terribly hot and humid in the summers) if they decide to roost there.
I don't want to do this, though, until I feel absolutely certain the run is predator proof.

Thanks for any suggestions you might have,

If it was done with a professional pneumatic stapler (rather than the simple hand staple guns many of us have), then it should be fine. Your staples are embedded >1/2 inch deep.
This is what I have for my 1/2" hardware mesh, (sides, top, apron), so I keep my pop door open for ventilation, as you mention.

 

[Mutt Farm]

Nice run! Can you post pics of the coop I can almost see? Looks pretty fancy!

 

[chicapee]

love it. We also used a pneumatic staple gun for ours. I think your wire will be good, can you pull it out at all. Racoon have been known to open a garage door.

 

[21hens-incharge]

The question in my mind is... Is there hardware cloth on the gap between the roof and the frame?? If not than you need to secure that as well. Raccoons are very good at getting into tight spots. Kind of like a cat, if the head fits the body can follow.
Personal choice for me would be to add the lath. Better safe than sorry and all that.

 

[lynnehd]

The question in my mind is... Is there hardware cloth on the gap between the roof and the frame?? If not than you need to secure that as well. Raccoons are very good at getting into tight spots. Kind of like a cat, if the head fits the body can follow.
Personal choice for me would be to add the lath. Better safe than sorry and all that.

Yes, I do have 1/2" hardware mesh in all of my vents/soffits as well, good suggestion.

And yes, if your hardware mesh is secured with just a regular staple gun (rather than pneumatic), I would add the lath with screws, or just screws and washers.

 

[chickenpotter]

If it was done with a professional pneumatic stapler (rather than the simple hand staple guns many of us have), then it should be fine. Your staples are embedded >1/2 inch deep.
This is what I have for my 1/2" hardware mesh, (sides, top, apron), so I keep my pop door open for ventilation, as you mention.

Thanks! We used an electric staple gun, so I think I might need to add the lath.

 

[chickenpotter]

If it was done with a professional pneumatic stapler (rather than the simple hand staple guns many of us have), then it should be fine. Your staples are embedded >1/2 inch deep.
This is what I have for my 1/2" hardware mesh, (sides, top, apron), so I keep my pop door open for ventilation, as you mention.

Wishing now that we had used a pneumatic staple gun! Bought a cheap electric one to make the job go faster, but I'm pretty sure we're going to need to reinforce. Thanks for the feedback!