I have 25 hens and roosters in our backyard. during the day they are free to roaming but still need to be caution for hawks and owls. We already lost one to hawk last summer. We do not eat them because we already are attached to them. We collect eggs everyday and I need to go outside and clean their pen now before it gets dark and colder. Yes it smells if I do not clean everyday.in alabama there was a large chicken farm near where my boyfriend lives. the smell is overwhelming every time we drive by and the farm wasn't even close to the road. made me wonder how workers inside those chicken houses cope. the neighbour who lives up the road, he also raises chickens but they have total free reign of the property, they never seem to take off even though they could. - you couldn't smell the shit at all and those were damn happy looking birds. I am wondering why can't birds be allowed outside of the houses if there are fences? What's the harm?