Solid walls for run to hide chickens from neighbors

[Irishhenman]

What about plexiglass sides and a hardware cloth roof and ends for ventilation

 

[Going Quackers]

I would definitely chat with said neighbours to scope them out on their thoughts. Hens as said are LOUD, that egg song, i'll tell ya lol

After that i'd opt for landscaping to reduce the visibility of the coop/pen. I wouldn't want an enclosed type run, past the winter months.

 

[Primo]

One of my favorite sayings "it's easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission" Do the best you can with concealing them then see what happens. My guess is you will have no problems.

 

[chickenboy100]

One of my favorite sayings "it's easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission" Do the best you can with concealing them then see what happens. My guess is you will have no problems.

Try not to do this without asking first, trust me. Neighbors can do some rude things if you do something like this without talking to them.

How about planting a row of evergreens (not right up to the coop).
Would help hide the coop in a more natural way and would also help block/absorb the sound much better than walls.

I like this idea a lot, just make sure to talk to your neighbors.

 

[MadAngler]

One of my favorite sayings "it's easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission" Do the best you can with concealing them then see what happens. My guess is you will have no problems.

In this case, I have to agree with this a little bit. We did talk to most neighbors. They were all okay with it.

But one neighbor was bit hesitant. He didn't really know what we were asking. I think he had many questions:
- What will the coop actually look like? (Like a typical shed with screen on the bottom 2 feet)
- Will they smell? (no)
- Will they make enough noise to wake me up every morning? (no)
- Will they be free ranging all around the neighborhood and in my backyard? (no)

Basically, I am thinking that the easiest way to answer this is to just build the coop. The neighbors will realize that it is no big deal and have to problems with it.

Thoughts?

 

[LaurelC]

In this case, I have to agree with this a little bit. We did talk to most neighbors. They were all okay with it.

But one neighbor was bit hesitant. He didn't really know what we were asking. I think he had many questions:
- What will the coop actually look like? (Like a typical shed with screen on the bottom 2 feet)
- Will they smell? (no)
- Will they make enough noise to wake me up every morning? (no)
- Will they be free ranging all around the neighborhood and in my backyard? (no)

Basically, I am thinking that the easiest way to answer this is to just build the coop. The neighbors will realize that it is no big deal and have to problems with it.

Thoughts?

I kind of agree with this. We have no covenants in our neighborhood, and while we're not on bad terms with the neighbors, 2 of them have little yappy dogs that bark at ours (who are essentially silent when outside, even while being barked at) through the fence, and they do not manage them. I didn't want to ask the neighbors whether or not they'd be OK with us having ducks, have them say no, then get the ducks anyway. I figure if they are put out by the ducks once we have them, I'll give them some eggs and they'll just have to learn how to deal with it, kind of like how we learned how to deal with them having loud parties on weeknights and smoking enough pot that we have to close our windows during the summer to keep the smell out. I figure as long as we are keeping QUIET fowl with an attractive enough pen, within the bounds of the law, they can suck it.



That said, why not use clear polycarbonate roofing and make the top 6" of the structure under the eaves hardware cloth, the top 4 feet siding , and then the bottom 2 feet hardware cloth. Kind of sucks for the chickens, but if that's how you can make it work, then that's how it goes. You could plant some evergreen shrubs several feet away, then when they grow up large enough, replace the siding with more hardware cloth.

 

[ScouterJoe]

I've lived in three different deed restricted neighborhoods. Each had it's own personality. I must say that the more expensive the house the worse it got. If you've got an association with no committees, you are going to be fine. Neighborhood associations can only try to bring a law suit to stop you. If they don't care enough to keep up a running association, no way are they going to pony up attorney fees.

That being said, it's always a good policy to talk to your neighbors. I'm glad you did that, and I expect you'll have even less of an issue. Of course, all of this may be why I bought a home in the woods with no neighbors to speak of!

Great start on the coop. Can't wait to see it done.

 

[MadAngler]

The stetth coop is coming along nicely. I think it will make the neighbors and the chickens happy.

This is the side facing most of the neighbors. I forgot to mention that I also have septic mound. So the mound helps hide the coop.


Here is the that same side up close:


Here is the south side. They should get plenty of sun from this size. The door will have screen soon.

 

[MadAngler]

Here is the view from the street. The coop should be completely ignognito once the garden comes in (but it is a very late spring here. Our tulips have just broke the ground and are quite a ways from blooming).

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Chickens need shade as well. As much as we depend on lengthening daylight in the Spring time to kick start our laying hens, harsh direct sunlight can and will kill a hen or rooster in as little as 5 minutes. Therefor make sure that all your chickens' Sunlight is free choice Sunlight.

"I like a little rebellion now and then, it's like a storm in the atmosphere!" -- Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States.

Good luck with your little subterfuge.