Outlaw Coops

[mroxner]

Hey Everyone,
My coop (when built) will fall into the "vague" ordinance category. I am trying to keep the design's profile low to keep my 3 hens under the radar so that I don't have to deal with the possible outcomes of a vague ordinance. Sooo, long build up made short: any pic's out there of outlaw coops? You know...those with design elements meant to keep the coop on the DL? Let's see them!

 

[Barred Rocker]

For only 3 hens you could go with a tractor. I don't believe there could be an ordinance affecting them as they are mobile, plus if you get wind of a county official coming to visit you could always hide it and ask him "what coop?"

 

[mroxner]

What makes the floor of a tractor run predator proof? Hardware mesh? I've read that that isn't the best choice for a run floor?

 

[Lesa]

I love a pretty little garden shed....

 

[tnchickenut]

Just for three hens should be easy.... you do realize that hens make more noise then roosters when they go into laying, right? I never understood those ordinances. It's my hens that wake me up, not my roos.... I digress....

There is a chicken coop (I can't think of the name) that plants the roof and has orange walls. They are very pricey for what you would pay to build one, plus I personally don't like the layout of the interior... or the orange. You could google it and try it... and if anyone can think of the name... feel free to remind me.

The biggest helper, I think, would be to make the top a planter. You could plant something for your area that falls down like a hardy ivy or something. If I were you, I'd make it wider than longer, put it up against a wall, plant the roof with a trailing plant, or two. I think if you do it that way, most people who don't see chickens coming out of it would think it is just some sort of garden thing.

You could also attach something to the left or right side (depending on how you end up doing it) that could incorporate something like a water hose hanger or something along those lines. Adding to the idea that it is some sort of garden contraption.

Just brainstorming! Hope it helped!

 

[Barred Rocker]

Quote:
I have 2 tractors and I dont have anything on the bottom of the run or the bottom of my permanent runs. I guess I just don't have any digging predators here. You could always place landscaping timbers around it.

 

[EweSheep]

Get one of those Royal Outdoor shed and convert it to a coop. I live in the city and the coop fits right in. 3-4 hens will fit in there just fine with plenty of room. I have a dog run fence that served its purpose.

Or those nice garden shed with windows perches so they can hop up to the window and look outside. Install a screen door with hardware wire inside of door. If you can get a shed that is 10 x 8, you will be just fine with total confinement in shed with three to four hens. You can set up a playpen outside when you are outside doing yardwork. Be sure to put a netting on top so they do not fly out of the playpen.

 

[cdnbenthalo]

My babies won't be here until the end of April, told my hubby we've got 6 weeks to wait, then another 5 to 6 weeks until their old enough to be outside, sooooo I have a plan where the coop is ummmm going to be our new "garden shed" yeah that's it....As our old one is starting to look a bit ratty, gonna have to make a new soundproof "shed out of cedar & Pine, and a poly tunnel for those days when they want to go and scratch, the poly tunnel is going to be over my existing veggie garden , so the pest control is going to be fertilizing at the same time.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Not a good idea--they will eat ALL your vegetable plants. (Well, not the tomato PLANTS, but all the tomatoes for sure.) A garden shed is a fine idea, although for three hens I was going to suggest a largish rabbit hutch. If you give them a small run (such as your tunnel suggests), they will eat ALL vegetation inside it. A tractor or drop pen makes more sense--easily moved to give access to fresh grass before they destroy it. Yes, they do provide fertilizer wherever they are; however, chicken manure is considered "hot" and will burn many plants if not composted or diluted before use.

 

[theFox]

Sonoran Silkies,

You are supposed to let new chicken owners learn about hilarious bulbous red beak disease on their own.