Are roosters allowed where you live?
If you are here because a neighbour complained, or because you have just worked out that one of your pullets is not a pullet — that is the ordinary way this happens, and it is worth reading the actual rule before you do anything hasty. A ban inside the city does not always reach your address.
Most city codes that permit backyard chickens treat roosters separately, and a good number ban them by name. Of the 33 cities we have researched against their own published ordinance, 21 prohibit roosters, 5 permit them (often with a cap on how many), and 7 do not mention them at all.
Silence is not permission.Where a code never mentions roosters, the bird is usually still reachable through a general noise or nuisance clause, and a single complaint from a neighbour is all it takes. We report those cities as “not addressed” rather than guessing.
A city ban stops at the city line. The last two columns split that: what your city says, and what the government just outside its line says. They regularly disagree — unincorporated San Diego County permits roosters by the acre while the cities inside it do not. A mailing address does not settle which side of that line you are on, so confirm your parcel’s jurisdiction before you act on either column.
For 3 of the 21 cities that ban roosters, the surrounding county allows them — at least on some land. If that is where you are, you may not need to rehome the bird at all.
If he has to go, he does not have to go far
Roosters take longer to place than hens — that is honest, not discouraging. What works is reach: a bird posted where nearby keepers, farms and rescues are actually looking. Posting is free, and you can take the post down the moment he is placed.
Rooster rules by city
33 cities researched
El Cajon
CaliforniaEl Cajon ordinance →Hens, in the cityUp to 10Roosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsAllowedunincorporated San Diego CountyClewiston
FloridaClewiston ordinance →Hens, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsAllowed on farm landunincorporated Hendry CountyHens: No county cap on agricultural landLakeland
FloridaLakeland ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, no stated limitRoosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot addressedunincorporated Polk CountyHens: No county limit on how manyOrlando
FloridaOrlando ordinance →Hens, in the cityUp to 4Roosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsAllowed on farm landunincorporated Orange CountyHens: 30 birds up to 5 acres, 100 up to 10West Palm Beach
FloridaWest Palm Beach ordinance →Hens, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot addressedunincorporated Palm Beach CountyHens: Acreage-tiered; figures not re-verifiedLouisville
KentuckyLouisville ordinance →Hens, in the cityUp to 5Roosters, in the cityAllowedRoosters, outside city limitsNo county landAlbany
New YorkAlbany ordinance →Hens, in the cityUp to 6Roosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe town or village next to AlbanyBronx
New YorkBronx ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, no stated limitRoosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNo county landBrooklyn
New YorkBrooklyn ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, no stated limitRoosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNo county landManhattan
New YorkManhattan ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, no stated limitRoosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNo county landQueens
New YorkQueens ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, no stated limitRoosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNo county landStaten Island
New YorkStaten Island ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, no stated limitRoosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNo county landSyracuse
New YorkSyracuse ordinance →Hens, in the cityUp to 6Roosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe town or village next to SyracuseFargo
North DakotaFargo ordinance →Hens, in the cityUp to 6Roosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe township or county land around FargoWest Fargo
North DakotaWest Fargo ordinance →Hens, in the cityUp to 6Roosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe township or county land around West FargoAkron
OhioAkron ordinance →Hens, in the cityDepends on your lotRoosters, in the cityNot addressedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe township or county land around AkronLancaster
PennsylvaniaLancaster ordinance →Hens, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe township or borough next to LancasterPhiladelphia
PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia ordinance →Hens, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNo county landAmarillo
TexasAmarillo ordinance →Hens, in the cityUp to 4Roosters, in the cityAllowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding AmarilloBeaumont
TexasBeaumont ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, no stated limitRoosters, in the cityNot addressedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding BeaumontConroe
TexasConroe ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, no stated limitRoosters, in the cityNot addressedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding ConroeDallas
TexasDallas ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, no stated limitRoosters, in the cityAllowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding DallasFort Worth
TexasFort Worth ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, by lot sizeRoosters, in the cityAllowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Fort WorthFrisco
TexasFrisco ordinance →Hens, in the cityUp to 12Roosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding FriscoGrand Prairie
TexasGrand Prairie ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, no stated limitRoosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Grand PrairieHouston
TexasHouston ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, by lot sizeRoosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding HoustonLongview
TexasLongview ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, no stated limitRoosters, in the cityNot addressedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding LongviewLubbock
TexasLubbock ordinance →Hens, in the cityUp to 6Roosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding LubbockMidland
TexasMidland ordinance →Hens, in the cityUp to 4Roosters, in the cityNot addressedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding MidlandPasadena
TexasPasadena ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, no stated limitRoosters, in the cityNot addressedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding PasadenaSan Angelo
TexasSan Angelo ordinance →Hens, in the cityAllowed, no stated limitRoosters, in the cityAllowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding San AngeloThe Woodlands
TexasThe Woodlands ordinance →Hens, in the cityUp to 3Roosters, in the cityNot allowedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding The WoodlandsTyler
TexasTyler ordinance →Hens, in the cityUp to 6Roosters, in the cityNot addressedRoosters, outside city limitsNot set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Tyler
| Inside city limits | Outside city limits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | State | Hens | Roosters | Roosters | Full rules |
| El Cajon | California | Up to 10 | Not allowed | Allowedunincorporated San Diego County | El Cajon ordinance |
| Clewiston | Florida | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed on farm landunincorporated Hendry CountyHens: No county cap on agricultural land | Clewiston ordinance |
| Lakeland | Florida | Allowed, no stated limit | Not allowed | Not addressedunincorporated Polk CountyHens: No county limit on how many | Lakeland ordinance |
| Orlando | Florida | Up to 4 | Not allowed | Allowed on farm landunincorporated Orange CountyHens: 30 birds up to 5 acres, 100 up to 10 | Orlando ordinance |
| West Palm Beach | Florida | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not addressedunincorporated Palm Beach CountyHens: Acreage-tiered; figures not re-verified | West Palm Beach ordinance |
| Louisville | Kentucky | Up to 5 | Allowed | No county land | Louisville ordinance |
| Albany | New York | Up to 6 | Not allowed | Not set by the countythe town or village next to Albany | Albany ordinance |
| Bronx | New York | Allowed, no stated limit | Not allowed | No county land | Bronx ordinance |
| Brooklyn | New York | Allowed, no stated limit | Not allowed | No county land | Brooklyn ordinance |
| Manhattan | New York | Allowed, no stated limit | Not allowed | No county land | Manhattan ordinance |
| Queens | New York | Allowed, no stated limit | Not allowed | No county land | Queens ordinance |
| Staten Island | New York | Allowed, no stated limit | Not allowed | No county land | Staten Island ordinance |
| Syracuse | New York | Up to 6 | Not allowed | Not set by the countythe town or village next to Syracuse | Syracuse ordinance |
| Fargo | North Dakota | Up to 6 | Not allowed | Not set by the countythe township or county land around Fargo | Fargo ordinance |
| West Fargo | North Dakota | Up to 6 | Not allowed | Not set by the countythe township or county land around West Fargo | West Fargo ordinance |
| Akron | Ohio | Depends on your lot | Not addressed | Not set by the countythe township or county land around Akron | Akron ordinance |
| Lancaster | Pennsylvania | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not set by the countythe township or borough next to Lancaster | Lancaster ordinance |
| Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | Not allowed | Not allowed | No county land | Philadelphia ordinance |
| Amarillo | Texas | Up to 4 | Allowed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Amarillo | Amarillo ordinance |
| Beaumont | Texas | Allowed, no stated limit | Not addressed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Beaumont | Beaumont ordinance |
| Conroe | Texas | Allowed, no stated limit | Not addressed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Conroe | Conroe ordinance |
| Dallas | Texas | Allowed, no stated limit | Allowed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Dallas | Dallas ordinance |
| Fort Worth | Texas | Allowed, by lot size | Allowed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Fort Worth | Fort Worth ordinance |
| Frisco | Texas | Up to 12 | Not allowed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Frisco | Frisco ordinance |
| Grand Prairie | Texas | Allowed, no stated limit | Not allowed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Grand Prairie | Grand Prairie ordinance |
| Houston | Texas | Allowed, by lot size | Not allowed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Houston | Houston ordinance |
| Longview | Texas | Allowed, no stated limit | Not addressed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Longview | Longview ordinance |
| Lubbock | Texas | Up to 6 | Not allowed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Lubbock | Lubbock ordinance |
| Midland | Texas | Up to 4 | Not addressed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Midland | Midland ordinance |
| Pasadena | Texas | Allowed, no stated limit | Not addressed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Pasadena | Pasadena ordinance |
| San Angelo | Texas | Allowed, no stated limit | Allowed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding San Angelo | San Angelo ordinance |
| The Woodlands | Texas | Up to 3 | Not allowed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding The Woodlands | The Woodlands ordinance |
| Tyler | Texas | Up to 6 | Not addressed | Not set by the countythe unincorporated county land surrounding Tyler | Tyler ordinance |
Each city page carries the source ordinance link and the date we last verified it. Codes change; confirm with your municipality before you rely on any of this.
Your city not listed yet?
We read each city’s own published code end to end before it goes on this list, rather than scraping aggregators — so the list grows a few cities at a time, and new ones land here regularly. Check back, or ask for yours and we will put it near the front of the queue.
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