SC · verified 2026-08-30
Forest Acres, SC
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Forest Acres corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
These rules apply inside the City of Forest Acres 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. 4-30. Raising and keeping chickens.
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 4 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- None listed in Sec. 4-30
- Setback
- 15 ft
The rule, quoted
How many hens
“Any developed property or premises greater than ten thousand (10,000) square feet but less than five (5) acres, the number of hens on any single premises or lot shall not exceed more than four (4). No roosters whatsoever shall be allowed.”
Sec. 4-30. Raising and keeping chickens.
Roosters
“No roosters whatsoever shall be allowed.”
Permit and fee
“Chicken coops, runs, or other structure for housing chickens shall not constitute an accessory structure.”
This section does not charge a chicken permit or inspection fee, and it says the coop is not an accessory structure. Lots under 10,000 sq ft cannot keep chickens at all. Confirm with Forest Acres before you build.
Setback / screening
“Chickens, coops, runs, or other structure for housing chickens shall only be located or permitted between the rear of the principal structure and the rear lot line of the premises; must be screened from the side and rear lot lines by shrubbery or privacy fence at least five (5) feet tall; and shall not be located within fifteen (15) feet of any property line and sixty (60) feet of the nearest residence or commercial building.”
15 feet from any property line is a hard minimum. You also need 60 feet from the nearest house or commercial building, rear yard only, plus a 5-foot screen on the side and rear lot lines.
Coop and run size
“For premises greater than ten thousand (10,000) square feet but less than five (5) acres, hens must be confined in a coop not more than three (3) feet in height and with a square foot or floor area not to exceed eight (8) square feet connected to a run of not more than twenty (20) square feet.”
Also in this section
“Any property or premises less than ten thousand (10,000) square feet, the raising or keeping of chickens is prohibited.”
“Any developed property or premises greater than five (5) acres, the number of hens on any single premises or parcel shall not exceed more than eight (8); provided however, the use shall be exclusively for institutional educational purposes. No roosters whatsoever shall be allowed.”
“No chickens shall be raised for commercial purposes and all eggs laid by the chickens must be utilized on the premises.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to South Carolina (and most U.S. states) via USPS Priority Mail, typically Monday and Wednesday hatches. Forest Acres bans roosters, so order sexed pullets, not straight-run. Typical lots are capped at four hens, so a 3- or 4-pullet order is the legal flock. Lots under 10,000 sq ft cannot keep chickens.
Feed store
Tractor Supply, Columbia Southeast (#2329)
Columbia — 7831 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC 29209. A short drive from Forest Acres. Stocks livestock/poultry feed, chick starter, layer pellets, waterers, and coops.
Coop
Omlet Eglu Go
Dimensions: Coop 78 cm W × 75 cm L × 59 cm H (about 2 ft 6 in × 2 ft 5 in × 1 ft 11 in). Floor is about 6.3 sq ft.
Sec. 4-30(b)(1) is a maximum, not a minimum: coop no more than 3 ft high, floor no more than 8 sq ft, run no more than 20 sq ft. The Eglu Go coop body is under both caps. Keep the attached run at or under 20 sq ft (skip the long 3 m / 4 m Omlet runs).
Forest Acres typical lots (10,000 sq ft to under 5 acres) cap the coop at 3 ft tall and 8 sq ft of floor, with a run of no more than 20 sq ft. This coop is 23 in tall and about 6.3 sq ft, so it fits those caps. Pair it with a run that stays at or under 20 sq ft. Place it in the rear yard, 15 ft from every property line and 60 ft from the nearest house or commercial building, and screen the side and rear lot lines with a 5-foot fence or shrubbery. Do not buy a tall prefab coop here, a 54-inch OverEZ is illegal on these lots.
Vet
Sunset Animal Clinic
West Columbia — 127 Professional Avenue, West Columbia, SC 29169. Lists chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys among exotic and barnyard avian patients. Call (803) 791-5575 to confirm they are accepting poultry before you need an emergency visit.
Verified 2026-08-30 against Sec. 4-30. Raising and keeping chickens. at https://library.municode.com/sc/forest_acres/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH4ANFO_ARTIIIBI_S4-30RAKECH. Read the live code before you build or order birds.