Where to put the coop?

[LittleMissCountry]

Sounds like option2 is best.
I'm amazed that you have six acres and still have an HOA. Those things are EVIL.

We would have preferred to avoid HOA's at all costs. We moved from across the country and discovered that pretty much everything that was within a decent drive from the city where my husband works was subdivided and had HOA's. Everything in our subdivision is 5 or 6 acres. Anything without an HOA was over an hour commute for him. I agree, though. This HOA business is ridiculous. Especially when you have people who are always looking for reasons to complain. We were a little blindsided by the way the HOA rules are interpreted vs how they are written as well, but one of the board members is a lawyer and said interpretation is what matters.

 

[kklowell]

"We were a little blindsided by the way the HOA rules are interpreted vs how they are written as well, but one of the board members is a lawyer and said interpretation is what matters."

I would think that the written word has more strength than an interpretation if an issue ever came to cour, but I'm not a lawyer so maybe I don't have a clue.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

"We were a little blindsided by the way the HOA rules are interpreted vs how they are written as well, but one of the board members is a lawyer and said interpretation is what matters."

I would think that the written word has more strength than an interpretation if an issue ever came to cour, but I'm not a lawyer so maybe I don't have a clue.

We haven't challenged it, so maybe, but one of our friends who is a lawyer said it wouldn't be worth pursuing because the HOA typically wins. No matter...we can have our chickens and I don't mind making the coop area not visible from the road. We are following the rules, after all. Really, the only time the coop would possibly be visible would be winter and early spring when the vegetation dies. We can't prevent that.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

We are going with option 2. Thank you everyone for the input! We got out today and started raking out leaves and digging up the ground. We are going to bury hardware cloth before putting in the coop, then attach the cloth to the edges of the coop.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The restrictions are stupid with that large of lots but like you said, at least you can have chickens.

I think option 2 sounds the best out of the lot as long as the spot doesn't have drainage issues and gets some shade during the hotter parts of the day.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

The restrictions are stupid with that large of lots but like you said, at least you can have chickens.

I think option 2 sounds the best out of the lot as long as the spot doesn't have drainage issues and gets some shade during the hotter parts of the day.

There is a drainage pipe that actually runs under that spot and keeps water off it, so that won't be a problem, and it should get plenty of shade. We are trying to figure out how to put in the hardware cloth though. We were going to bury it under but too many rocks and roots. There isn't a lot of space for an apron around it. Would it work to make the apron, but cut around the trees that are in the way? I would think the tree roots would deter predators as well, but what do I know?

As yes, I agree the restrictions are dumb. We didn't have a lot of options for housing when we needed to buy. This one had the most land with a decent house.

 

[aart]

Really, the only time the coop would possibly be visible would be winter and early spring when the vegetation dies. We can't prevent that.

Will they accept that, or must it be an evergreen shrubbery?

We were going to bury it under but too many rocks and roots.

For an anti dig barrier, an apron can go right on the surface or buried just an inch or so.
Good examples of apron installation, tho I'd not recommend 1/2" HC...go with 14ga 1x2 or 1x1, will hold up much longer and is easier to lay flat.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1110498/wire-around-coop#post_17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

 

[lazy gardener]

"We were a little blindsided by the way the HOA rules are interpreted vs how they are written as well, but one of the board members is a lawyer and said interpretation is what matters."

I would think that the written word has more strength than an interpretation if an issue ever came to cour, but I'm not a lawyer so maybe I don't have a clue.

I wonder if that lawyer conducts all of his legal practice with such a fool hardy attitude? Seriously? The letter of the law should trump interpretation. The HOA needs to get their act together and actually say what they mean.

P.S. @kklowell , have you visited us on the Maine thread?

All things being equal in terms of drainage, I would choose the location which fits best with your long range plans. i assume that the run will be covered on the top? That IMO is a necessity, especially if you have plantings around which would allow a predator to drop down from an overhanging tree or near by shrub.

Things to consider: direction of prevailing wind in relation to the logical placement of the coop as you approach it from your home. For me, that means windows on S and E, solid walls on N and W.

You can always plant wind breaks which will also provide shade and shield your set up from the road. Heaven forbid if some one should actually get a glimpse of a chicken or a chicken coop/run. Seriously? Sorry, I just can't wrap my head around such piccayune foolishness! While waiting for your permanent barriers to grow, you could plant climbing vines. There are many which are pretty as well as functional.

 

[mountain chicken]

bunch of my neighbors wanted to start a HOA all of them lived in this area less than 5 years my family lived here over 80yrs .
I declined on HOA now they started one anyway , but I have no part of it. they try to tell me what I can and can't do. so since my back yard faces the road I so conveniently placed my coop in my back yard . I don't belong to the HOA so I really could care less what they think.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

Will they accept that, or must it be an evergreen shrubbery?

For an anti dig barrier, an apron can go right on the surface or buried just an inch or so.
Good examples of apron installation, tho I'd not recommend 1/2" HC...go with 14ga 1x2 or 1x1, will hold up much longer and is easier to lay flat.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1110498/wire-around-coop#post_17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

If anyone complains about it being barely visible for about 3 months out of the year, I think we would fight back. We are planting evergreen shrubs, for the long term plan.

I think we are going to have to go with the hardware cloth laid flat on the ground.