NC · verified 2026-10-21
Burgaw, NC
Short answerYes: the Town of Burgaw code allows up to 5 birds; roosters are banned; a permit is required, but the code lists no fee; and the hen section sets no numeric setback.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the Town of Burgaw corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the Town of Burgaw 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. 4-7. - Keeping of fowl—Hens.
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 5 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Permit required, fee not listed in the code
- Setback
- No numeric setback in the hen section
Code cite: Sec. 4-7. - Keeping of fowl—Hens.
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Sec. 4-7. - Keeping of fowl—Hens.
How many hens
“(2) An exception for the keeping of up to five hens in an enclosure with an approved zoning permit in the R-20 and R-12 single family residential zoning districts.”
Up to 5 hens with a zoning permit in the R-20 and R-12 single-family districts, in a rear-yard enclosure.
Sec. 4-7. - Keeping of fowl—Hens.
Roosters
“(a) [Up to five hens permitted.] (1) Hens only, no rooster(s), located in the rear yard in a permitted enclosure.”
Permit and fee
“(2) An exception for the keeping of up to five hens in an enclosure with an approved zoning permit in the R-20 and R-12 single family residential zoning districts.”
Setback / screening
No numeric setback in the hen section.
The hen rule sets no coop distance of its own. Check general accessory-structure setbacks with the town before you build.
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Cape Fear (Wilmington), NC metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to North Carolina via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists North Carolina 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 — Wilmington (#3194)
Wilmington — 4310 Shipyard Blvd, Unit 102, Wilmington, NC 28403. (910) 781-8409. Store page lists a Feed Center with equine, livestock and poultry feed.
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
Rocky Point Animal Hospital
Rocky Point — 9185 US Hwy 117 South, Rocky Point, NC 28457, about 20 miles north of Wilmington. Its backyard poultry page says Dr. Joni Shimp sees chickens and other poultry by appointment (she is the only vet there who does). Call 910-602-6633.
Verified 2026-10-21 against Sec. 4-7. - Keeping of fowl—Hens. at https://library.municode.com/nc/burgaw/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIITHCO_CH4ANFO_S4-7KEFOEN. Read the live code before you build or order birds.