HELP- Need to hide my coop

[lotzahenz]

I'd personally put up a fence too, but (didn't read all posts) bet a golf-course community does not allow such a fence because of it being one big "community" . So, you must re-home them for a while or hide them inside with the diapers. I am sure the "neighborhood police" will re-visit to make sure they are gone. This is why I choose to drive so far to work and live without close neighbors, but that is not an option for most folks. You could make a run in the garage and keep them there, but they are quite dusty with the shavings bedding and such. So, cut a tiny door in the side of your garage, put one of those auto openers on it, and make a stealthy, solid pen out of bird netting and stiff wire, the kind for shade like a greenhouse uses. It comes in 50' rolls. Make the run very short, like 24 inches at most. I'd fill it with wood shavings, as the grass will be gone very soon. You'll have to feed them more fresh veggies and lawn clippings to keep them in greens. Surround it with shrubs, keep it small. Inside the garage, make a small coop with roosts and two nest boxes. Make it solid, with a lift up lid. Surely you can keep 4 little ole hens without too much notice. Just re-home or hide them until all is quiet on the golf front.

I see this scenerio: a dense holly shrub about 4 foot tall running in a rather large square, like a formal garden. On the house-side, a small square dark, box-like space, then evergreen perieniels in front of it, or vines. It could be 24 in tall, 24 or 36 inches wide and as long as your yard is. With enough plant growth, it will blend in. Just some ideas.

Next, wage war on the neighborhood committee to change the rule.
HenZ

 

[lotzahenz]

Quote:
OK, I just read this post, and was thinking ?Why would anyone WANT a Cherynoble Rabbit??????

LMAO

Oh so true though, silkies are NOT real chickens. But you'd need 8, not 4 OP. Still laughin...............

Henz

 

[Flintrock]

We have the same rules in our association. I live in Texas. My thoughts are "What can they really do?" I own my home. Do they think they can make me move. My chickens are my pets. I can hold all four of them and they eat from hand. Household pets, right?

I feel your pain and I think the fence is an excellent idea. 3/4 of an acre, my goodness, you can't be bothering your neighbor with your situation.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

Quote:

I gave a friend who was scared to death of chickens a very rare and elusive bolivian love parrot for christmas once. I told her she could only get feed from me because it was very expensive and had to be imported. She kept that little bantam cochin for over a year in a parrot cage and spoiled it like you would not believe.

 

[ChooksChick]

You ought to get a copy of the bylaws and find out if it states "Normal household pets" in those words. I can show you list of 100+ cities, mine included, that allow chickens as household pets- that may be your way in regardless of the rules!

It may spell them out, but it may not!

There's a link to my city's ordinance in my BYC page.

 

[RedStarDaddy]

Quote:

 

[Flintrock]

Great post about the rare import. Whatever you do, don't give up. Win the right to have your chickens.

 

[gottalovemychickens]

a fence might be a problem if it gets to high , i used to live in a community like you and i know how it is , im really sorry

 

[Bosque]

What is a "normal household pet?" That may be the key that opens the door to allow you to keep your chickens. Research what "normal" means. There really has been a chicken movement across the country. With some research, you maybe able to change the definition of what your HOA defines as normal. Since there is not anything in the bylaws that defines what normal is like cat, dog who is to say that turtle, pheasant, chicken isnt a normal household pet.
Just a thought...

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:

I gave a friend who was scared to death of chickens a very rare and elusive bolivian love parrot for christmas once. I told her she could only get feed from me because it was very expensive and had to be imported. She kept that little bantam cochin for over a year in a parrot cage and spoiled it like you would not believe.

OMG you both are so funny!!!

so what happened to the love parrot? did she figure it out when it layed?