NC · verified 2026-10-21
Clayton, NC
Short answerYes: the City of Clayton code allows up to 10 birds; roosters are banned; no permit is required; and the coop setback is 25 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Clayton corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Clayton 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: § 91.05 Keeping of livestock, fowl and non-domesticated animals prohibited (division (C), chickens)
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 10 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- No permit required
- Setback
- 25 ft
Code cite: § 91.05 Keeping of livestock, fowl and non-domesticated animals prohibited (division (C), chickens)
The rule, quoted
Word for word from § 91.05 Keeping of livestock, fowl and non-domesticated animals prohibited (division (C), chickens)
How many hens
“No more than ten chickens may be kept on any individual lot or lots owned by the same person or entity provided the property contains no less than 6,000 square feet.”
§ 91.05 Keeping of livestock, fowl and non-domesticated animals prohibited (division (C), chickens)
Roosters
“Roosters are prohibited.”
Permit and fee
“It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain fowl or poultry within the town, except chickens may be kept, with no permit requirement, subject to the following conditions:”
Setback / screening
“Any chicken pen or coop shall have a top or lid, must be located in the rear yard, shall be no less than 25 feet from any adjacent property line and shall be kept in a clean, sanitary and healthful condition with all droppings and organic materials to be removed and disposed of in a proper manner.”
Also in this section
“Chickens must be confined in a pen or chicken coop at all times.”
“Outdoor slaughter in public view shall be prohibited.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Research Triangle, 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 — Hillsborough (#1849)
Hillsborough — 1701 NC Hwy 86 South, Hillsborough, NC 27278. (919) 245-0522. 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
NC State Veterinary Hospital — Avian service
Raleigh — 1052 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607. Its avian page says it sees all pet birds including backyard poultry, and that no referral is needed. Call 919-513-6999 (emergencies 919-513-6911).
Verified 2026-10-21 against § 91.05 Keeping of livestock, fowl and non-domesticated animals prohibited (division (C), chickens) at https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/claytonnc/latest/clayton_nc/0-0-0-2611. Read the live code before you build or order birds.