Covert coop plans & ideas needed

[SueSteeves]

Hello! Well, I thought I was settled on a chicken ark design....but it just seems too "open" when taking possible nosey neighbors into account. I am trying to fly under the radar and only get 2-3 hens. So my plea to all of you chicken enthusiasts is for some ideas about covert chicken coops. If someone has any easy to follow plans that would be the holy grail, as I am not the best carpenter yet. I saw the hen-spa online, but nearly choked on my coffee when I saw the pricetag of $499! I am waiting to take in some Easter chick orphans of which I am sure there will be many in a few weeks time, so I have some weekends to devote to getting materials and assembly. I liked the look and feel of the garden top coop, but not sure if that would be beyond my limited building skills. I am looking to spend around $250 or less and live in Southern California so super wet weather and cold is not really an issue. Thank you all in advance!

Sue

P.S. Current neighbors are ok, but they are all renters so I could be getting new ones in at anytime, hence trying to keep it on the downlow.

 

[Joyryder]

Take a look on Craigslist, for a dog house and run. I was able to purchase both for about $100. The right rabbit hutch could also work.

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

A backyard shed willl work just as well and you will only be on the down low until one of the girls starts the Egg song then that will be kind of hard to hide.
Look here in the coop section you should be able to find something.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

I suggest that you look at what kind of structures your nieghbors have, and plan something similar or in keeping with the look of the nieghborhood. Lattice, vines and shadecloth can also help. Some people have mad nesting and roosting boxes on the inside of the garage with a doggie door leading out into an hidden chicken run in the yard. Check out the coop section to see examples.

 

[SueSteeves]

Quote:

Ha ha ha ha! Yeah, I would love a mute hen

There are many dogs in my neighborhood who like to talk so I am hoping to use that as a little bit of noise cover.

 

[vanalpaca]

I'm also trying to stay low profile and under the radar. For 'hutch/coops' I'm thinking of an extra large red children's wagon, the large dog house and buy the kennel that is on sale at low's, the red garden wagon that pulls behind the riding mower, my 4x7 towing trailer (but I'll be wanting to use that), a parked horse trailer (don't own one), an extra large wooden garden 'wheelbarrow' box style, setting up the pup tent and put everything inside, setting up the larger tent and putting them inside (building wire runs, etc.).

I have an acre and a sob neighbor and even with the lattice and wooden fencing I can't go out in my back yard without him causing trouble in general and he lets his dog run.

There is the 4x15 foot round swimming pool frame I could repurpose. Too bad the liner is still good or I could cut out the bottom and hide the wire inside! The screen room could be set up and fenced with the dog house underneath.

I really want them in the garden prepping the beds, so screened hoop houses? But that's out in plain view unless I park the towing trailer along side it and set out the leaf catcher..... Prop a couple of garden tools up against the trailer.....

This isn't fair (life never has been), the city code published online said you had to buy at least 6 chicks! Zoning rules are NOT published online. They are in direct conflict.

Gotta get the little buddies outta the basement in a couple weeks.

There is a nice pit greenhouse at the end of the garage they can go into with a heat lamp for mid-April to mid-May, the squirrels get in there now.....

Also looking for ideas for CHEAP materials for the runs. Lowe's has poultry netting on sale til the weekend. I'm thinking of using apple boxes/crates on their side and just nail a board at the edge, it would be a good 'double nest' size.

Maybe a low hoop house on the garden bed. Think if I get them vests and leads I could just walk them and claim them as pets?

I sure hope Mt Healthy and TSC got their shipments labeled right, Gold Comets and New Hampshire Reds. And no eggs for another 12 weeks? Got the first group on the 14th and the last 6 on the 18th.

The garden is 24x32 with 8 4x8 beds set up and 8 more that I could build, or just plant like it is, chickens have to be protected from the area HAWK, skunk, possible coons, cats, roving dogs. So has to have a wire top.

First couple of egg songs might be ok. We have loud blue jays, canadian honkers and wild ducks at the large block sized pond next door, lots of chittering squirrels. What are 18 little hen egg songs??

How tall will a NHR stand and flap wings?

 

[SDR]

If I lived in an area where I had to have a covert coop I would just use one of these. See them at garage sales all the time.

 

[spiffwilkie]

Mine don't need to be covert, but I'm trying the cheap method. I put a wanted post on FreeCycle for doghouses and had 3 offers. I took all three and am in the process of converting them.

Edit: Also wanted to add, that I posted a want ad on FreeCycle for coop materials and I got two 4' x 50' rolls of chicken wire and one 4' x ~25' roll of hardware cloth.

 

[PapaChaz]

Quote:
that is a wonderful idea!

if i had to be covert, i'd fence off the area under my deck out back, build a few nest boxes i could access from outside behind the a/c units, and put a trap door in the floor for access to food and water

 

[Spudd dud]

Quote:
That's hilarious and a great idea at the same time! I suppose you just put the hardwire cloth inside the windows. If you made a run with shade cloth over it that looked like a boat was under it no one would suspect a thing! The cool thing about using the playhouse, it's as portable as a tractor too!