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Keeping Chickens in Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota

We’ve compiled a list of major cities and their chicken keeping laws in Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and South Dakota. Laws are always subject to change, so be sure to visit your city’s website or zoning office to obtain the most up to date information. And, even if you don’t live within city limits, you may be subject to county laws. If you don’t see your city or county of residence listed, contact your appropriate office to verify if there are laws that apply to keeping chickens.

Oregon

Oregon is a backyard chicken-friendly state, but rules vary by city. Some cities require permits, while others do not. Of all of these cities, Salem allows the largest backyard flocks.

  • Beaverton - minimum lot size of 5,000 soft; up to 4 hens; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Bend - minimum lot size of 5,000 soft; up to 4 hens; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Corvallis - no official limit on hens; roosters are likely not permitted due to noise ordinance; permit required
  • Eugene - up to 6 hens, but each must be able to have 1,000sqft; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Gresham - up to 3 hens; no roosters; permit required
  • Hillsboro - minimum lot size of 7,000sqft; up to 3 hens for lots up to 10,000sqft, up to 6 hens for lots up to 1 acre, and up to 9 hens for lots larger than 1 acre; no roosters; permit required
  • Medford - no official limit on hens; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Portland - lots must be at least 2,500 sqft; up to 4 hens; no roosters; permit may be required for flocks of more than 3 hens
  • Salem - up to 12 hens; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Tigard - no official limit on hens; no roosters; permit may be required
Green Eglu Cube with spacious run set up in front of lake in backyard in Pennsylvania.
The Eglu Cube chicken coop is perfect for both newbies and experienced chicken keepers.

Pennsylvania

Many cities in Pennsylvania allow backyard flocks, but there are several cities that do not allow chickens. Lot size requirements are common in Pennsylvania, as is the requirement for a permit.

  • Allentown - no chickens allowed
  • Altoona - no official limit; noise ordinance likely forbids roosters; permit may be required
  • Bethlehem - up to 12 hens; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Erie - no chickens allowed
  • Harrisburg - minimum lot size of 40,000sqft; up to 10 hens; no roosters; permit required
  • Lancaster - no chickens allowed
  • Philadelphia - up to 6 hens; no roosters
  • Pittsburgh - minimum lot size of 2,000sqft; up to 5 hens on lots this size; can have 1 additional hen per 1,000sqft over the required 2,000sqft; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Scranton - 2 hens maximum on lots less than 20,000sqft, more hens can be obtained on larger lots; no roosters; permit may be required
  • State College - no official limit; no roosters; permit required

Rhode Island

Rhode Island has several cities that allow chickens, but also a few that don’t. Be sure to always check with your city’s most recent zoning laws to determine if and how many chickens can be kept.

  • Coventry - up to 6 hens on lots less than 1 acre, and up to 25 hens on lots over 1 acre; no roosters; permit required
  • Cranston - 1 chicken per 800sqft of lot space, up to 10 chickens; permit may be required
  • Cumberland - up to 5 hens; no roosters; permit may be required
  • East Providence - no chickens allowed
  • North Providence - no chickens allowed
  • Pawtucket - no chickens allowed
  • Providence - 1 chicken per every 800sqft of lot space, up to 6 hens; no roosters; permit may be required
  • South Kingstown - no official limit; noise ordinance likely prohibits roosters; permit may be required
  • Warwick - no official limit; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Woonsocket - only certain zones allow chickens; in those zones, one hen per 800sqft of lot space, up to 5 hens; no roosters; permit required
Rhode Island hen
The Rhode Island Red hen is the state bird of Rhode Island

South Carolina

All of the cities listed for South Carolina allow chickens, but many of them have vague rules regarding how many chickens can be kept. Be sure to check with your city’s offices before obtaining chickens in South Carolina.

  • Charleston - up to 4 hens; no roosters; permit required
  • Columbia - up to 4 hens; no roosters; permit required
  • Greenville - no limit, but cannot disturb other property owners; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Hilton Head Island - no rules specified — contact the city office for more information
  • Mount Pleasant - no official limit; no roosters; permit may be required
  • North Charleston - no official limit; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Rock Hill - no official limit; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Spartanburg - up to 6 hens; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Summerville - no official limit; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Sumter - no official limit; no roosters; permit may be required

South Dakota

There are many cities in South Dakota that allow chickens, but some of them aren’t clear on the rules. Be sure to contact your city’s office before adding chickens to your backyard.

  • Aberdeen - up to 8 hens on lots less than half an acre, and up to 12 hens on lots of 22,500sqft or more; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Brookings - up to 6 hens; roosters may be allowed; permit required
  • Huron - chickens not allowed
  • Mitchell - no official limit on hens; no roosters; permit may be required
  • Pierre - no official limit; permit may be required
  • Rapid City - no official limit; unclear if roosters can be kept permit required
  • Sioux Falls - up to 6 hens without a permit; no roosters; permit required for flocks over 6 hens
  • Spearfish - no official limit on hens; roosters likely not permitted due to noise ordinance; permit may be required
  • Watertown - permission must be granted by Animal Control Board to keep chickens; lot requirements apply; no roosters
  • Yankton - up to 6 hens; no roosters; a permit may be required

Omlet and your flock

With sanitary chicken coops in alignment with state recommendations, we’ve got the setups you need to have a thriving backyard flock in compliance with your city. Our mobile chicken coops and walk in chicken runs make it easy to create your hen’s home within the parameters set forth in your area.

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Comments

Brian, 24 August 2021

While house-hunting my partner and I have found these errors in the listings posted above. Canby, OR city ordinance requires an annual small animal permit, and consent of neighbors, to keep chickens within city limits. Coos bay, OR allows only up to 4 chickens in city limits without a permit. Lebanon, OR municipal code states, "One hen (no roosters) shall be permitted per two thousand square feet of lot or parcel area, up to a maximum of six hens." Philomath, Oregon municipal code states that, "Any person desiring to keep any such animal shall submit to the city manager an application for a permit, accompanied by written evidence that three-fourths of the adjoining property owners or residents within a 200-foot radius from the site where the applicant proposes to keep said animals do consent to the keeping of such animals."


Goff, 17 July 2021

Was wondering about the comment for Cranston RI--I heard two was the maximum, has it changed? Also, do we need a permit?


Hunter, 15 June 2021

Actually in Canby you need a permit and can’t keep roosters, otherwise as long as you don’t get a noise complaint you can keep chickens.


Rebecca, 25 March 2021

Not sure when this was written but the info for Pittsburgh is incorrect. You are allowed to have chickens but a permit is required, min of 2000sq feet for up to 5 chickens. I believe if you have a larger lot more chickens are allowed.


Bounvily, 21 April 2020

Is this correct, in Cranston Rhode Island we are allowed maximum of 6 birds. Thank you, Bounvily Kue