California Chicken Laws By City: Hens, Roosters, Permits

California backyard chicken laws

Usually yes, but it depends on the city or county. Of the 20 places in California we have checked, 17 allow backyard hens on a typical home lot, 1 allow them only on bigger lots or in some zones, and 2 do not.

In California, chicken rules are set by each city, and by the county for land outside city limits. Find your place below for its hen limit, rooster rule, permit and coop distance, each linked to the code we read.

Places checked

Hens on a typical lot

17 of 20

Ban roosters

17 of 20

Need a permit or approval

5 of 20

State law in California: We found no California state law that limits what cities and counties can decide about backyard hens, so each city and county sets its own rules.

Chicken laws by city in California

Place	Verdict	Hen limit	Roosters	Permit	Coop placement
Anaheim, CA	Hens allowed	1 per 1,800 sq ft of lot	Banned in residential zones	Not stated	20 ft from property lines and 50 ft from any home except the owner's
Bakersfield, CA	Not on typical home lots	Not on typical home lots	Banned	Not available	Not applicable
Elk Grove, CA	Hens allowed	6 (12 with a 40 ft buffer)	Banned in RD zones	No	Coop at least 5 ft from side and rear property lines
Escondido, CA	Hens allowed	6 in R-1 (25 in R-A and R-E)	Banned in R-1; limited in R-A and R-E	No for R-1 hens	Enclosure 20 ft from any home; 15 ft from front and side lines, 10 ft from the rear line
Folsom, CA	Hens allowed	6	Banned	No	Coop at least 5 ft from any property line and 20 ft from neighboring homes
Fremont, CA	Larger lots only	5 on 6,001 to 9,999 sq ft; 6 on 10,000 sq ft or more	Banned	No for up to 6	Enclosure 10 ft from any property line for 1 to 5 hens; 35 ft for 6 or more
Fresno, CA	Not on typical home lots	Not in residential zones	Banned	Not available	Not applicable
Long Beach, CA	Hens allowed	20 (4 without a permit)	Banned	Annual permit with a fee for 5 or more birds	10 ft from any neighboring home for 1 to 4 hens; 35 ft for 5 to 10; 50 ft for 11 to 20
Los Angeles, CA	Hens allowed	No set limit	1 allowed	No	35 ft from a neighbor's home
Modesto, CA	Hens allowed	12 per home	Banned (hens only)	No for up to 12	Coop 40 ft from any window or door of a home, including your own
Oakland, CA	Hens allowed	No set limit	Banned	No	20 ft from homes
Riverside, CA	Hens allowed	5 (RE and R-1 zones)	Banned (crowing fowl, RE and R-1 zones)	No (a Minor Conditional Use Permit only for extra birds in RR zones)	Coop at least 10 ft from any neighboring home, plus accessory-structure rules
Roseville, CA	Hens allowed	10 (ducks, chickens and pigeons combined)	Not named; animal noise rule applies	No for up to 10; a special permit ($75 a year) otherwise	Outdoor enclosure at least 20 ft from any property line
Sacramento, CA	Allowed with a permit	3	Banned	$47 plus $20 per hen each year	20 ft from a neighbor's home
San Diego, CA	Hens allowed	5 to 25, depending on setbacks	Banned	No	Rear yard; 5 ft from side lines, 13 ft from rear
San Francisco, CA	Hens allowed	4 animals total	Not stated	Coop approval	20 ft from doors and windows of homes
San Jose, CA	Hens allowed	6 without a permit; up to 20 with a permit, by distance to neighbors' homes	Banned (over 4 months old)	Only over 6: a small animal permit, valid 2 years	Coop at least 20 ft from any neighbor's home; more birds need more distance
Santa Ana, CA	Hens allowed	4 (more with a special permit)	Banned	No for up to 4	Birds at least 30 ft from any neighbor's home
Santa Rosa, CA	Hens allowed	3 to 30 by lot size	Banned	No	Coop 5 ft from side and rear lines (10 ft for more than 6 hens) and 20 ft from neighbors' homes
Stockton, CA	Hens allowed	4 per 5,000 sq ft of lot (lots of 5,000 sq ft or more)	Banned	No	Side or rear yard, 5 ft from property lines and 20 ft from a neighbor's home

Will your coop fit?

Draw your lot, your house and your neighbor's house on a satellite map, drop in a coop, and Coop Ready checks the distances against your California city's rules. Then share the plan or print a free permit site plan.

Plan my coop

California backyard chicken questions

Can you have backyard chickens in California?

Who sets chicken rules in California?

Each California city sets its own chicken rules. In unincorporated areas, the county zoning and animal code decide.

Is there a California state law on backyard chickens?

We found no California state law that limits what cities and counties can decide about backyard hens, so each city and county sets its own rules.

Are roosters allowed in California?

17 of the 20 places we checked in California ban roosters on typical home lots. Check your city's page for its exact rule.

Can an HOA in California ban chickens?

California Civil Code 4750 voids HOA rules that effectively ban backyard personal agriculture, but the law defines that as growing edible plant crops. It does not cover chickens, so HOA rules on hens still apply.

Which California places do not allow chickens on a typical home lot?

Bakersfield, CA, Fresno, CA. See the city pages for the exact rule.

Keeping a healthy California flock

The California Department of Food and Agriculture asks owners to report unusual illness or deaths in poultry to its Sick Bird Hotline at 866-922-2473. Visit the official page ↗

California Chicken Laws by City: Hens, Roosters, Permits and Coop Rules

Chicken laws by city in California

Will your coop fit?

California backyard chicken questions