Chicken coop close to house

[tenderkat]

Okay, so I am planning my coop to get ready for a small backyard flock this year. I have read a ton of books regarding coop design, and also read quite a few posts and website sections on henhouses. I have this crazy idea of using a corner of the deck shooting off the back of our house for my henhouse. It makes perfect sense to me - The framing already exists, it's raised two feet off the ground, and right open to the part of the yard I'm going to free range the chickens at anyways. After reading many posts involving heating the coop, I've decided that I can just insulate the crap out of it (providing for proper ventilation, of course), so I'm not worried about any fire hazard involved with heat lamps and such. My dear husband, who is completely accepting of my zany craziness, has suggested that the smell might be a bit too much to have the coop sitting so close to the house, as it would sit about 5 feet off of it. I'm thinking, possibly naively, that for a small flock of about 5-10 chickens, I can manage to keep the coop clean enough to avoid anything more than a mild farm smell, which I wouldn't mind at all. Plus, I live in Colorado, so our climate is very dry. I will weather/waterproof the interior floor as well, for ease opf cleaning. I have not come across this approach in anything I've read, perhaps because this is really not a fabulous idea? Please, I will take any and all constructive ideas/criticism and pros/cons. I figure this is the perfect forum, because all of you seem to have alot of good experience and ideas. Thanks so much!!!!

Katherine

 

[1shelby1]

After having chickens for seven years and moving coop 'sites' around 2 acres to get them the best spot,IMO a coop 5ft from your house may be too close. chickens are wonderful-but can be noisy,odiferrous and don't forget predators will come closer to home(yours!)
Good luck! It's still an adventure!

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

First, if you havent already, check online with your city /town to make sure they dont have any rules or such governing how far a coop must be located from any residence or such.

Then build away. Mine are in my back yard(illegal) but I dont notice any smell from them. But then again, my dh does and I think it is because I am used to smelling animals(horses etc)

 

[Big Chicken Little]

I would think if you have the room 50ft from the house is good

 

[Rte.66_chicks]

Mine is about 20 ft from the house, and is not a problem, but if there were any odor, the crosswind carries it away.

 

[morelcabin]

I had a coop about 10 ft form the house at one time. Had 50 birds in there. I didn't realy have a problem with smell if they freeranged, but if I kept them in the run next to the house and it rained it wasn't very nice:>) Mind you, now my coop is 50 ft away from the house, and it's about the same, not very nice when it rains...so go ahead, do what is easiest for you and if you really can't stand it then move it

 

[Momma_Cluck]

Our coop is 78 ft from the house (I know only because had to run wiring when it was renovated from a barn into an office!)
It is TOO far from the house!
Taking feed and water out in bad weather is a HUGE bummer-- and a chore.
If I DIDN'T have Roo's, I'd have it a LOT closer!

My Green house is 15 ft from the house-- that seems a little close for chickens... but that's just me.

 

[ZooMummzy]

I think it is a personal preference and based on the space you have available (and yes, city rules - ours cannot be within 30ft of a public road or alley) and if you are willing to have them close to the house. I have had my coop right up next to my house, outside my daughter's bedroom and right below ours, for the past year now. We used an unused upper and lower deck we were going to tear down anyway. For us personally, I really cannot say it has been a bad thing for any of the reasons listed already in this thread.

The worst thing we had was mice, but we took care of them fairly quickly and they never got inside the house (I have quite a few cats). We would have had mice anywhere in the yard for that matter given the weather we have had, the wood piles in the neighborhood and the extra feed on the ground from my chickens. The house has provided a solid and secure wall of shelter for both the coop and the run not to mention the top deck provided shade and easy rain protection. The chickens are not too noisy (I actually like hearing them) and the smell is nonexistent because I keep it clean. I can keep the feed inside where it is safe and the hose is right there for easy watering, not to mention close electricity for the fans I use during the summer and heat lamps if needed in the winter. Plus it was great entertainment for my cats who sit in the windows and dream of chickens

This year we are moving them out into the yard and closer to the garden area but that is a choice I'm making to give them more free range space not because of their current set up. I might keep the current coop next to the house for bantams or as a holding pen for the little ones until they get large enough.

Good luck with whatever you choose

Here a couple photos of it right after we built it:

 

[jbowyer01]

Heres a pic of my coop and its about 4 feet from the back of my house, you can see the gate that blocks the chickens side of the yard from the dogs side, it connects to the side of the chicken coop and run. I have absolutley NO smell and I live in Ga. I keep it clean and use DE or sweet PDZ to keep things nice and try.

edited to add please forgive my appearance I had just cleaned out the coop.

 

[Fudgie]

Quote:
BUT YOU HAVE YOUR BYC SHIRT ON so you are ok!!!