ChickenMap · Ordinance lookup
Can I have chickens in Manhattan, NY?
Yes
Backyard hens are allowed here
These are the City of Manhattan’s own rules, and they apply inside the city limits.
If your address is outside the city limits — a Manhattan mailing address on unincorporated county land is common — your county’s code governs instead, and it may reach a different answer, particularly about roosters. We have not verified the county rule for this area. Check your parcel’s jurisdiction before relying on anything on this page.
Inside Manhattan city limits — residential zoning
- Hen limit
- Not specified
- Roosters
- Not allowed
- Permit
- Not required
- Setback
- Not specified
Manhattan has no chicken rule of its own — the New York City Health Code governs the whole city, so the answer here is the same as in every other borough. Hens are allowed. The Health Code lists the birds you may not keep at home — roosters, ducks, geese and turkeys — and hens are not among them. No permit is needed to keep hens at home and the code sets no maximum number. What it does require is that you not create a nuisance: odour, pests, waste and noise are all enforceable, and space is the real constraint in Manhattan rather than the law.
Keeping a rooster here? Manhattan does not allow them inside the city limits, so if you are within them, a complaint is usually all it takes to start a clock. Posting him is free, and there is no sign-up form — you confirm the post by email, and that link sets up a free account so you can edit or remove it later.
This is general information compiled from public ordinances, not legal advice. Rules change — confirm with the source and your local authority before keeping birds.
Check your HOA before you buy a single chick.
Even where local ordinance allows backyard chickens, a homeowners association or deed restriction can prohibit them entirely — and HOA rules override a city’s “yes.” Read your HOA’s covenants (CC&Rs) in addition to the city/county rules on this page.