Run touches house... bad idea?

[mburpo]

I have enough room between my house and my main coop to walk through, maybe a 4' gap at most. My coop is 25'x25' and the run is 30'x150'. So, no, nothing wrong with it if you practice sanitary chicken keeping.

 

[shesaredroan]

WYOwhy,
I had these same questions when I started, but didn't have anybody to ask.
My hen yard it partly covered and partly open. Early on I put roosts in the yard and found the girls NEVER used them during the day ........ a few decided to spend the night there instead of going into the coop and sleeping on the roosts in there. I no longer have roosts in the girls' yard.
Your ladies don't have to have a lot of height to be happy, it's more about YOU. If you plan to walk about in their yard or work with your girls in their yard, of course 36" height is going to make that impossible.
My experience has been trial and error......

 

[WYOwhy]

Thanks all!
I really appreciate having experienced folk to run to with my questions. What a glorious thing the Internet is.

You have given me lots to think about. Exactly what I needed.

 

[SparksNV]

Hi - my run uses my house as one of the fences. I live by Reno, NV, where humidity is usually in the single digits there by cutting down on the smell - I pick up chicken poo at least 2 times per day - Mine does not have any odor. I do not have a cover on the run. My coop is 8x4 ft with a corrugated metal cover.

The is the side of the house.

The coop faces the house.

However, I have only had chickens since August.

 

[Bossroo]

The Health department may have a say as to communicable deseases, insects, rodents, other pests or predators, etc that will come to feast on the chickens or their feed and water. Airborn Fecal , dander contamination into the house. The Code enforcement people will have a say as to smell and NOISE ( rooster crowing, hens daily I just layed my egg cakle, etc.) as well as property line setback requirements. The Fire department will have a say as to access into your yard or house in case of an emergency, or fire. Same for the Police and Sheriff Deparments. Does your subdivision have CC & R's that forbid farm animal keeping?

 

[franklinchickens]

We are also in an urban area (right near a small downtown). We have our coop & run up against the back of the house and don't have any problem with smell. But I clean the coop daily once the chickens are out for the day, and clean out the run weekly with fresh pine shavings & sand, as well as some DE. They free range all day so the run part doesn't get too bad. They hang out in it at random times during the day. We only have 4 chickens, with a possibility of growing to maybe 6-8. Here's a pic:

The coop has vinyl flooring which is very easy to clean.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Quote:
That's what I was thinking, also. Most place require that they be a certain distance from buildings. Check into that.

 

[yzmike777]

franklinchickens what a clever idea having plant boxes as the coop and run roof, love it! Mine is against my home but it is not attached so I can move it is it becomes an issue, if that makes sense? I am almost done building it I will post pics tomorrow and let you see if it is kinda what you were thinking! I see there being no problem whatsoever mine is insulated well so noise should not be an issue and if kept clean I think it is a great idea

hope my pic tomorrow will help!

 

[WYOwhy]

Franklinchickens: Your coop is so cute!

yzmike777: I'd love to see your pictures when you are done building.

I'm obviously still in the thinking and planning stage. I guess I'll stick with temporary solutions for now and plan build my permanent structure later. It helps to have feedback. I knew there were issues I hadn't thought to consider and I appreciate all the experts who are helping me think more clearly now.

 

[Buns]

Quote:
Mercy, YES. It can be very difficult.

So far as putting the runs adjacent to a structure - the only thing I can say is that birds will (can?) peck and eat Masonite Hardboard Siding. We previously had a flock (30+) that was allowed in a very large grassy backyard and provided with all the food and fresh water they could want, yet they ruined the bottom three or four boards everywhere that they had access to (3/4 of the home). I have absolutely no idea why they did it, but it was very irritating to have to remove and replace them.