Coop location and odor concern

[chickenboy999]

Hi All

My wife is really wanting a small coop and 3 - 4 chickens. We own a house on a typical suburban sized lot - maybe on the small end. Our backyard is pretty heavily landscaped (not just a patch of lawn) so locations are limited. She is thinking of putting the coop right up against the house - and near a window we like to keep open almost year round. I'm thinking that will be a disaster once the chickens get moved in for a few months and things get a little poopy.

I'm looking at several designs and will build it for easy cleaning - will most likely be using bedding material for absorbing waste in the roosting area. I do understand that the coop needs to be cleaned to keep the flock healthy, but I'm concerned about a pervasive smell with the coop next to the house

We have a location that would be about 10ft from where she wants it --- I'm assuming this would be preferable for odor concerns. But again that window will still be open.

Thanks for your comments --- with any kind of animal we might keep (pets etc.) I feel its important to for them to be happy and healthy as well as us.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

3-4 chickens well maintained should never cause an odor issue.
I keep up to 7 flocks of anywhere from pairs to 20 birds and any of the coops could be right against the house with no worries.
After many years, I can't remember when I walked past a coop and noticed a smell.
I use deep litter method, don't crowd birds and thoroughly clean coop 3 or 4 times a year and there's never a smell.
The only time I smell something is when I have a broody hen that only defecates once a day and WOW that stinks.
The coop against the house with the windows open will alert you to a predator attack and when you're overdue for cleaning.

Chickens are no different than any other animal. Dogs and humans kept too closely confined without bathroom facilities or pooper scooper would smell far worse.

 

[chynasparks]

I have 4 chickens in a 4x8x6. Bottom is the run upper level has part closed off for roost and nest. Can't free range. Sand, sweet PDZ and DE keeps odor away. Scoop run and poop board regularly and no odor. But, there could still be particles, dust, dander, feathers that might blow into your home. Can't say that for sure but it's something to think about. I love looking out at our coop wish it was a little closer but in reality it's close enough.

 

[shannara200]

I have a coop with five hens an a rooster, they spend most of their time free ranging I do keep an eye out on the coop for cleanliness, I keep hay in the roosting area which catches all the poop they release at night which I clean out at least once a week in the winter and more then that in the summer. The run area below the coop I have a layer of sand with bricks side by side on top of it. It makes it much easier to clean up with a garden hose and once a month I make a mixture of part bleach ( The outdoor bleach type) and water when mixed it produces a lot of white foam bleach that I pour over all the brick and just let it dry which in turns cleans and disinfects the bricks with the sand below it. My coop either has no smell or has the faint scent of a swimming pool.

My hens and rooster have no health problems and I get at least 4 eggs a day

 

[farmgirlroots]

Honestly, if you have a choice of right next to your house by an open window and a mere 10 ft away, I'd choose 10 ft away. We have 5 hens and with the way they kick up dust our coop is already caked with it (built in May of this year, sand in the run). I scoop poop every day from our coop and run but even then i do notice an increase in flies around that area. I don't know that I'd be fond of the noise being that close either. I'm quite happy with our coop and run being the 20 feet away from our bedroom windows that they are and really wouldn't want them any closer. At that distance I can easily hear squawking and excited noises made and have been alerted enough by that to go check and make sure they are safe.

 

[chynasparks]

I agree about noise too. I love hearing my chickens but sooner or later Wild Bill is going to crow. I had a friend years ago, we each had parrots. My friend taught his parrot to say "bombs away" every time it pooped. It was funny as h--- for a while but parrots, like chickens, poop a lot. Poor parrot ended up living out on the porch. Point being, too much of anything can become a problem. That's why cities have rooster ordinances. 10 feet isn't that far from the house