Hello from California!

[Junebugaboo]

@Lazy Gardener I have a pretty small coop because I only have a few chickens, so the framework is not a lot of surface area and we reinforced the chicken wire with extra staples. So far, so good...but your experience has me scared about my run I plan to build...thankfully I can build away from the redwood tree trunks and there are no low branches overhead. I have to think about how I'm going to protect them from the top...time to start researching!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

You are not in the snow country. So your options for overhead protection are much greater. Even 2 x 4 welded wire does not work for me in the winter as a run covering b/c of the way it gets weighted down, and collapses if I do not go out during snow storms to knock the snow off. In the winter, my flock can only access one portion of their run b/c of snow slides from the coop roof.

If your staples are construction staples, (like those used with a staple gun) any animal will tear them out. The fencing staples will hold up to most predators, while it's the actual way the wire is twisted to make the hex grid that makes it so weak to predator stress.

 

[Hinotori]

I never hopped on here and said hi so...

Hello! Great to have you