Keeping Chickens in Tennessee, Texas

Local laws relating to coop/pen size, proximity to residences and roads, noise, sanitation, and zoning restrictions apply in all cities and counties. You’ll also need to check with the local home owner's association, if one exists in the area you’re living in. Many cities require the chickens to be penned at all times. If roosters are allowed, and if no permit is required to keep poultry, this is mentioned in the list below.

A Welsummer hen and her chicks

Tennessee

Chicken keepers in Tennessee are subject to various local laws and ordinances. Anyone wishing to keep chickens in Tennessee's cities should cast their eye over the following list first:

Cities and Counties in Tennessee that Allow the Keeping of Chickens

Brentwood – no limit on numbers, no permit required.
Chattanooga – no limit on numbers, roosters allowed, no permit required.
Clarksville – no limit on numbers, no permit required.
Germantown – no limit on numbers, no permit required.
Jackson – no limit on numbers.
Knoxville – no limit on numbers, no permit required.
Maryville – no new flocks have been allowed since 1988, no permit required.
Memphis – no limit on numbers, roosters allowed, no permit required.
Murfreesboro – maximum 6 birds, roosters allowed, no permit required.
Nashville – numbers depend on size of plot.
Smyrna – no limit on numbers, no permit required.
Williamson County – no limit on numbers, roosters allowed, no permit required.

Locations in Tennessee Where Keeping Chickens is Prohibited

Johnson City
Kingsport
Maryville – no new flocks have been allowed since 1988.

Texas

If you plan keeping chickens in Texas, bear in mind the following local laws and ordinances for all Texas chicken keepers:

Cities in Texas that Allow the Keeping of Chickens

Abilene – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Addison – No number limit, but no more than two if close to other buildings. No permit required.
Aledo – Up to 20, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Alice – Six allowed; more if at least 500 feet from nearest dwelling. Roosters allowed, no permit required.
Allen – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Alvin – Two hens allowed on 2900 sq foot plot, and numbers can increase with size of plot. Roosters
allowed, no permit required.
Amarillo – Up to 13 allowed, no permit required.
Anahuac – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Angleton – Allowed, but not in residential zones. No permit required, no roosters.
Aransas Pass – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Arlington – Four per half acre; ten if more than half an acre but less than 1; 25 on plots larger than one
acre. No permit required.
Athens – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Austin – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Azle – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Balch Springs – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Bay City – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Baytown – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Beaumont – No number restrictions, no permit required.
Bedford – Up to five, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Bellaire – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Bellmead – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Belton – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Benbrook – Two birds, including roosters, allowed without permit. More birds require a permit.
Boerne – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Bowie – Two hens and one rooster, no permit required.
Bridge City – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Brownsville – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Brownwood – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Bryan – Up to ten, no permit required.
Burleson – No number restrictions, roosters allowed, no permit required.
Burnet – No number restrictions, but rules about distance from dwellings apply. No permit required.
Edinburg – number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Canton – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Canyon – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Carrollton – Five per acre, no more than six in residential areas. Roosters allowed, but not in residential areas. Permit required in residential areas, but not elsewhere.
Cleburne – No number restrictions, but 100 sq foot per bird required .No permit required, one rooster allowed.
Conroe – No number restrictions, no permit required.
Coppell – No number restrictions, no permit required.
Corpus Christ – Up to seven, no permit required.
Dallas – No number restrictions, no permit required.
Denton – No number restrictions, no permit required.
El Paso – Six allowed, including up to three roosters.
Euless – No number restrictions, no permit required.
Ferris – No number restrictions, roosters allowed.
Fort Worth – Up to 50, depending on plot size. No permit required, two roosters allowed.
Garland – Up to four, no permit required.
Georgetown – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Grand Prairie – One per 20 sq feet, no permit required.
Haltom City – Up to 20 on minimum of 20000 sq feet. One rooster allowed, no permit required.
Houston – 30 per acre, no permit required.
Humble – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Irving – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Keller – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Kennedale – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Killeen – In agricultural designated zones only, no limit on numbers, no permit required.
Longview – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Lubbock – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
McAllen – Six per acre, no roosters, no permit required.
Montgomery – No number restrictions, no permit required.
New Braunfels – Up to 50 per 40000 sq feet. No permit required, roosters allowed.
Pharr – Up to 10, no free range, roosters allowed, no permit required.
Richardson – No number restrictions, no permit required.
Round Rock – Up to ten, no permit required.
Sachse – Up to 15, with at least three sq feet each, roosters allowed, permit required.
San Angelo – No limit on numbers, no permit, one rooster allowed.
San Antonio – Up to three, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Sweetwater – No number restrictions, no permit required, roosters allowed.
Texarcana – Twn per acre on farms and ranches only. No permit required.
Tyler – Up to six, but prohibited in some areas. No permit required, roosters allowed.
Waco – No number restrictions, no permit required.
Webster – 100 per acre on lots larger than 200 acres. No permit required.
Wichita – No number restrictions, 12 sq feet per hen, permit required.
Willis – No number limit, but four sq feet per bird, roosters allowed, no permit required.

Cities in Texas Where Keeping Chickens is Prohibited

Alamo Heights
Bunker Hill Village
Cedar Hill – Can only be kept “for educational purposes” (e.g. by agricultural students)
Kaufman
Kirby
Mount Vernon
Plano
Spring Valley Village
Wolfforth