CHICKENS IN THE CITY:
Chicken — and Dog — Regulations for Selected Cities
(The information in this chart was compiled in 2003 by Catherine Hallier.)
City | Chickens | Dogs | Comments |
| Spokane, WA | Up to three | Up to three | Can have up to three animals. |
| Falls Church, VA | Not allowed | Up to four | No "agricultural animals." |
| Topeka, KS | Unlimited | Unlimited | Chickens must be penned 50 feet from neighbor's house. |
| Syracuse, NY | Sometimes | Up to three | Depends on zoning. No roosters. |
| Mobile, AL | Unlimited | Unlimited | No breeding, no roosters. |
| Santa Rosa, CA | Up to 25 | Unlimited | May have 25 chickens per 20,000 squre feet. No chickens in residential areas zoned R1, R2 or PRC. |
| Westfield, MA | Not allowed | Up to five | No "livestock." Maximum of five cats and dogs. |
| Casper, WY | Sometimes | Up to three | Can have chickens in special circumstances, like 4-H. |
| Corvallis, OR | Unlimited | Unlimited | No roosters. Chickens must be penned. |
| Santa Fe, NM | Unlimited | Unlimited | -- |
| Little Rock, AR | Up to four | Up to four | Up to four animals total. |
| Oswego, NY | Not allowed | Unlimited | Can only have chickens that were "grandfathered." |
| New York City | Unlimited | Unlimited | Must have permit for chickens. Must be kept clean. No other poultry allowed, no roosters. |
| Chicago, IL | Unlimited | Unlimited | Can have unlimited chickens if use is only for pets or eggs; cannot have if use is to slaughter. Must be penned. |
| Seattle, WA | Three or more | Three or more | Can have a total of three small animals; more if the lot is large. |
| Houston, TX | Up to 30 | Unlimited | Chickens must be 100 feet from neighboring structures. |
| Detroit, MI | Not allowed | Unlimited | No "farm animals." |
| Miami, FL | Up to 15 | Unlimited | May have up to 15 hens, no roosters. Must be contained at least 100 feet from neighboring structures. |
| Minneapolis, MN | Unlimited | Up to three | Applicant needs consent from 80 percent of neighbors within 100 feet of real estate. Chickens must be penned. |
| Los Angeles, CA | Unlimited | Up to three | Chickens may not be within 20 feet of owner's residence, and must be at least 35 feet from any other dwelling. |
For more information, you can find a compiled list of chicken regulations at The City Chicken.
Visit our online forum to discuss questions, concerns and advice about laws and regulations for keeping chickens in your back yard.