Quiet Stealth Chicken Coop

[californiachicken]

Hello,
I'll do a quick introduction. I'm a teenage guy in California seeking to become self-sufficient on a homestead when I become an adult. Right now, I'm learning to grow food, and want to move on to poultry.

So here's the deal- I live in Carlsbad. I called the city, and they said having hens was O.K. as long as HOA is fine with it. I called up our HOA, and they said poultry is strictly prohibited. I was extremely devastated- at the time I was working on designs for a coop.
My parents are pretty on board for having "illegal"/stealth hens (no roosters). My mom told me that we can get them after summer, so I have plenty of time to plan things out.

So here's the question- what are some materials I can use inside my coop to make it quiet for our neighbors? I already plan on getting a docile breed of chicken, like a black australorp, but I'm anxious that their clucking will alert my neighbors to their unpleasant surprise. I'll have about 3x10ft of space to make the coop.
Another last thing- is there a way to have my future hens not cluck too much?
Thank you all in advance.

 

[The Moonshiner]

A lot of people believe they can get away with stealth chickens.
Problem is chickens do not believe in being stealthy.
They will be discovered and probably sooner then later.

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

Yeah, that "egg song" is pretty dang loud! Can't imagine stifling that racket...

 

[bobbi-j]

Maybe you should work on getting the HOA's rules changed. There was a thread recently about someone who did that. Can't remember the title, though. It would take time and patience, but may be worth it in the long run. Hens can be very noisy. As state, the egg song is loud for most of them. Do you plan to range them in your yard? A 3x10 space isn't much for chickens to be confined in. They like to roam a little and scratch and peck and hunt for bugs. IF you do decide to keep your illegal chickens, what is your plan when the neighbors complain and you are forced to get rid of them ASAP? You need to think about that.

 

[Ohmyheart]

You should read the actual HOA contract. I wouldn't take the word of the person on the phone. The contract probably does say no to chickens but if you have any hope it will be the contract.

My coop is about 100 feet from my house. I can hear my girls egg song in the house with closed windows. That is usually just one hen at a time. When I go out there and they want attention boy do they get loud. Don't risk it.

 

[californiachicken]

Maybe you should work on getting the HOA's rules changed. There was a thread recently about someone who did that. Can't remember the title, though. It would take time and patience, but may be worth it in the long run. Hens can be very noisy. As state, the egg song is loud for most of them. Do you plan to range them in your yard? A 3x10 space isn't much for chickens to be confined in. They like to roam a little and scratch and peck and hunt for bugs. IF you do decide to keep your illegal chickens, what is your plan when the neighbors complain and you are forced to get rid of them ASAP? You need to think about that.

I just have 3x10 for the actual building itself. I plan to let them roam the backyard.
If we do have to get rid of them, we have a family friend who owns chickens/goats/horses. We could just gift them to their family.

 

[bobbi-j]

I just have 3x10 for the actual building itself. I plan to let them roam the backyard.
If we do have to get rid of them, we have a family friend who owns chickens/goats/horses. We could just gift them to their family.

Have you checked with the friend first to see if they will take them? Some people prefer to keep a closed flock. How are you going to keep people from seeing them if they're roaming your back yard?

 

[californiachicken]

Have you checked with the friend first to see if they will take them? Some people prefer to keep a closed flock. How are you going to keep people from seeing them if they're roaming your back yard?

Our backyard has a lot of privacy. We have some fairly tall fences separating our backyard from all of the adjacent ones. I'd say they're maybe 6 feet tall. The only way a neighbor could SEE them would be from their second story window or by deliberately jumping to see above the fence. I've attached an image of our backyard from satellite

to get a better idea.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Not worth the risk of fines.

Maybe instead of in your yard with houses so extremely close together your family friend that has critters already will exchange fresh eggs for some help around the place. You could learn tons just going over on weekends to help them out.

 

[The Moonshiner]

The HOA won't know unless your neighbors complain. Cull any roosters, keep them in your backyard and offer your neighbors free, fresh eggs

Never understood this theory.
If youre trying to hide chickens or keep them illegally you don't pass eggs out to the neighborhood. Kinda seems counterproductive when trying to hide them.
If its just a bribe still seems odd. Most want hens for fresh eggs. If that's the case how well does it work if you're given so many away as bribes?