How crazy would we be to put our coop & pen right next to our bedroom?

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Our three ladies are about 15 ft from our bedroom. I never heard them inside until today! They get loud when they lay but it doesn't last long. Also, with enough space and regular cleaning there shouldn't be any issues with smells or anything like that. I literally have to be within a foot of the coop to smell anything, so unless your window is RIGHT THERE, you shouldn't have any issues with smell. Plus, when you can hear them best you'll know you have an egg to collect.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I like my chickens close to the house. We also raised extras to eat in a dog run attached to our house, right under our bedroom window. It was actually funny listening to them learning to crow, with that strangled kind of sound, while we were laying in bed.

If you have a problem with smell or flies, you need to address that wherever the coop and run is. Chickens shouldn't be stinky. Don't crowd your chickens, allow plenty of space. If you can free range, you can maintain grass in your run. If they're confined, I would plan on putting down a thick layer of sand. Sand drains well and it's easy to rake, to keep it clean. I'd also consider roofing the run to keep out precipitation. A poopy run that is wet is one of the biggest causes of chickens being stinky.

Piles of wet chicken poop sitting on top of wet litter in a coop is the other big cause of chickens being stinky. Not crowding the coop and using enough litter in the coop will take care of that. You can also just clean it out more often.

We live in a rural area, where there are always flies around, due to the livestock in the area. Any dog or chicken poop is fair game, also. We use fly traps farther away from the house, to take care of them. I don't normally notice many flies around. Which is good, because I find them to be really annoying.

 

[centrarchid]

I have four birds, 2 roosters and 2 hens, that roost on front porch under a motion sensitive porch light. Roosters do crow and respond to roosters in coops much farther from house. If birds on porch crowing, I actually sleep better thinking all is well. Bedroom window is right next to front porch. House is very well insulated so crowing somewhat muffled. I also have been transitioning chicks from brooder to free range with first few days of having chicks on ground just outside bedroom window. I can hear everything and in reality a human is the best deterrent for most chicken thieves. I also have coops lined up so simply stepping out from front door, I can see everything within beam of flashlight. Feces and flies for me not to much of problem owing to regular removal from front porch and fact feces dries out completely when birds leave for day.

 

[loot4louie]

I have a flock of 6 complete with roo right outside my our bedroom. No bugs or smell, but I do clean weekly and only deep litter in winter. I might even add 2 birds this spring! Enjoy!!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

What an adorable coop! I love the look of coops that are painted to match the house and decorated to look like little houses.