HELP- Need to hide my coop

[rsiegfried]

We live in a golf course community in rural Sussex County NJ. I built a chicken ark and we have has 4 hens since March. Technically, the rules of the community do not allow poultry. However, they make little noise, there is no smell and we do not let them out of the ark. Today we were visited by someone from the management company. One of our neighbors turned us in. We are being asked to remove the chickens.

I'm not ready to give them up. I believe that out of sight is out of mind.

I need plans and/or ideas to hide the coop so no one can see it,

Thanks

Rich

 

[Vince]

Check out the under ground coop. j/k. I would think that you guys will have to obide by the rules...and move. If you try to hide it and get caught and you will. There is no telling what kind of fine the politicaly correct neighborhood police will slap you with. So sorry for your misfortune.

 

[suburbanminifarm]

Make it look like a child's playhouse? Or buy a playhouse on craigslist and modify it a bit? If there is no visible "run " area it won't be obvious, and you can let your chickens out to walk around during the day if you're home.
Or even put a dog door in your garage side door and train them to use it to reach a nighttime coop inside the garage.
Or have them use a XL doghouse to sleep at night, modified to have a locking door, if they are able to walk around your yard during the day.
Good luck, don't give up, the way I see it you should be allowed 4 pet birds the same way your neighbors can have parrots or budgies.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

I like the playhouse idea but maybe this thing-a-ma-bob will spark some ideas. I think its the neatest thing to be sneaky.

http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Chicken-Coops/The-Stealth-Coop-p493.aspx

 

[quiltnchik]

Do you have a garage? Keep them in there and put them out in the ark in the evenings when you're there with them. Just a thought...

 

[Zahboo]

If you're desperate, slap a diaper on your favorite 2-3 and keep them inside until you can find different residence. Chickens are unhappy without a run and it's hard to hide a chicken run. The stealth coop would be nice like the link above, but it is suspiscious of what that round thing is beside it. You're already on the radar, making it harder to hide them.

 

[patman75]

Where ever you try to hid it try to block the line fo sight with some arborvitaes and then back them up with some Blue or white spruces. Thuja green giants are a fast gowning form of arborvitaes.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=arborvitaes+thuja+green+giants&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

Good luck

 

[teach1rusl]

You know, people can be so petty sometimes, can't they? Makes you want to yell "Get a life!" to the nosy neighbor who turned you in. I'm sorry, but you're probably out of luck, since at least one disapproving neighbor has your birds on his/her radar. I was thinking attractive privacy fence on a side or two...or the large greenery suggested above to block line of sight, but if someone's already out to get you... Are you friendly with others in the community? Could you suck up a little (take eggs and pics. of your unobtrusive coop around)...get some support and then petition the powers that be???

 

[geosheets]

How about a 6 foot privacy fence and don't let them inside the fenced area next time they visit.

 

[wildorchid053]

i would so put up a fence. did they complain about the noise, sight of hen house? maybe move them to other side of yard?