GA · verified 2026-10-21
Atlanta, GA
Short answerYes: the City of Atlanta code allows up to 25 fowl per premises; the cited code does not mention roosters; the cited code does not mention a permit; and the coop setback is 50 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Atlanta corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Atlanta corporate limits only. An HOA or neighborhood covenant can still ban hens. Those private rules are usually not public, so HenCheck does not look them up.
Primary source: Sec. 18-7. Enclosures for keeping small animals.
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 25 fowl per premises
- Roosters
- Not addressed in the cited code
- Permit & fee
- Code does not mention a permit
- Setback
- 50 ft
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Sec. 18-7. Enclosures for keeping small animals.
How many hens
“Turkeys, chickens, bantams or similar fowl, 25.”
The 25 covers turkeys, chickens, bantams and similar fowl combined, on a single premises.
Sec. 18-7. Enclosures for keeping small animals.
Roosters
The cited code section does not mention roosters. Ask the city before you keep one.
Permit and fee
Code does not mention a permit. Ask the city whether a permit is needed before you buy birds.
Setback / screening
“Distance from any residence, except that of owner, or any business establishment, 50 feet.”
Sec. 18-7 applies citywide. In the part of Atlanta inside Fulton County, Sec. 18-129 also applies and lists 75 fowl and 25 feet; Sec. 18-7's 25 fowl and 50 feet are the stricter numbers.
Coop and run size
“Chickens and similar fowl, two square feet per bird over four months of age.”
Also in this section
Chickens allowed
“Small animals, such as dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, turkeys and the like, may be kept within the city limits, subject to the following:”
“Distance from owner's residence, five feet.”
Fulton County part of the city
“This article shall apply to that portion of the city within Fulton County.”
Sec. 18-100. Applicability.
“Chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, pigeons or similar fowl 75”
Sec. 18-129(b)(4). Nuisances (maximum number, Fulton County part of the city).
“Chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, pigeons, or similar fowl 25”
Sec. 18-129(b)(2). Nuisances (minimum distance in feet, Fulton County part of the city).
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Atlanta, GA metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to Georgia via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists Georgia among the states it ships to, with chicks going out Mondays and Wednesdays from February to August and Wednesdays only from August to late October. Order sexed pullets if your city bans roosters or does not address them.
Feed store
Tractor Supply — Fairburn (#2627)
Fairburn — 8015 Senoia Rd, Fairburn, GA 30213. (770) 964-2082. Has a Feed Center. Store page lists livestock feed and farm supplies, including chicken coops, waterers and feeders.
Coop
OverEZ Medium Chicken Coop with Wooden 8 ft Chicken Run
Dimensions: Coop 50¼ in L × 52½ in W × 62¼ in H (includes nesting box), sized by OverEZ for up to 10 chickens; Wooden 8 ft run 8 ft W × 8 ft L × 6 ft 3 in H
Price: Coop $1,699.00 (Classic or Coastal finish; the Farmhouse finish was out of stock); Wooden 8 ft run $1,899.00. Prices as shown on overezchickencoop.com on 2026-10-21. OverEZ lists its smaller 5-chicken coop as out of stock.
The coop footprint is about 4.2 ft × 4.4 ft and the run is 8 ft × 8 ft, so with the coop at the end of the run plan on roughly 8 ft × 12.5 ft. Measure your setback from the cited code before you pick a spot, and check any height limit: the run is 6 ft 3 in tall. OverEZ ships coops and runs by tractor-trailer freight to the end of your driveway; homes on islands or on roads a truck cannot reach may need to pick up at a freight terminal.
Vet
Shepherd's Heart
Atlanta (mobile, house calls) — Mobile vet serving Atlanta and metro Atlanta, with no clinic address. Its services page says it sees chickens, ducks and other farm animals. Book through its website.
Verified 2026-10-21 against Sec. 18-7. Enclosures for keeping small animals. at https://library.municode.com/ga/atlanta/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOORENOR_CH18AN_ARTIINGE_S18-7ENKESMAN. Read the live code before you build or order birds.