Glenn Cottage Eggery Rebuilding!

digitS'

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You have such a charming yard, you will make the Glenn Cottage Eggery fit right in, Rebbetzin.

I've had an idea for a "stealth henhouse." Fortunately, the neighbor never complained about me putting a coop within a few feet of the property line. My alternative would probably not be the best for an area with more humidity but with less than 20" of annual precipitation and much of it coming as snow, I think the chickens would have been okay.

The idea was to build what would look like two raised beds, tall - like the ones for elderly people ;). 0nly the top 6" or so would be filled with soil. That would be like two structures with "green roofs."

The paths between the two could be closed by wood gates. So, the view of the path and under the roofs would only be from above.

Even with my hearing, a rooster would be a "give-away" but locating any sound from such an enclosed space would be difficult. The sound would go up.

From my personal experience, I once raised 35 chickens, mostly for the freezer, on the floor of my greenhouse. The nextdoor neighbors didn't know I had chickens until I allowed the remaining 4 pullets out in the backyard after 4 months. The neighbor over the backfence didn't know I had chickens for the first 4 years he lived there!

;) Steve
 

Smart Red

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I like your idea for 'handicapped' raised beds a la chicken coop, Steve. That would be a win/win situation -- more garden for you and space for your hens. It is certainly something I would consider for my granddaughter in town.
 

rebbetzin

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I am so happy for you! How many chickens can you have and how long did you go without chickens? That sure is a pretty bird.

Mary
With the new zoning, we can have 24 chickens! But I have room for only six. And since it it just the two of us, six hens are plenty. Last time I was able to sell enough eggs to cover my feed cost! I was without chickens for about two years now.
 

ninnymary

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Wow, I can't believe your city went from having zero chickens to 24! We are allowed 6. There was a group that tried to have our limit raised to 8 and it was shot down.

Mary
 

Chickie'sMomaInNH

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you either have a mottled Polish hen or a mottled Houdan hen. i think it is polish since i don't see a 'butterfly' comb on her and she doesn't have a beard. i've had both breeds and i preferred the Polish. if she has a 5th toe that tells me she is a Houdan.

if she has some brown speckling between the black and white feathers she could be a tolbunt polish which is a new color i've been seeing.
 
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rebbetzin

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We
Wow, I can't believe your city went from having zero chickens to 24! We are allowed 6. There was a group that tried to have our limit raised to 8 and it was shot down.

Mary
It didn't go from no chickens... we had to have 50' from the nearest neighbor' house. Which meant most city lots here are 50' or less, so that meant most of us couldn't legally have any chickens. They lowered the distance to 20' now, and the number of chickens is based on the size of your lot.
 

seedcorn

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I pretty sure that you have a Polish HEN!!!! And a nice one too. :thumbsup
The males' crest is usually much more spikey and droopy. I believe that color is called 'houdan'.
Awesome. I can't wait to see the whole thing completed again.
Agree with your decision. I'd be shocked if it was a male..
 
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