ChickenMap · Ordinance lookup
Can I have chickens in Queens, NY?
Yes
Backyard hens are allowed here
These are the City of Queens’s own rules, and they apply inside the city limits.
If your address is outside the city limits — a Queens 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 Queens city limits — residential zoning
- Hen limit
- Not specified
- Roosters
- Not allowed
- Permit
- Not required
- Setback
- Not specified
Queens is covered by the New York City Health Code rather than by any borough ordinance, so the rule is the citywide one. Hens are allowed, with no permit and no cap on how many you keep. Roosters are not allowed, and neither are ducks, geese or turkeys — the ban is on those birds specifically, not on poultry generally. Keeping has to stay sanitary, and complaints about smell, pests or noise are enforceable against you regardless of how many birds you have.
Keeping a rooster here? Queens 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.