NC · verified 2026-10-21
Greensboro, NC
Short answerYes: the City of Greensboro code allows up to 4 birds; roosters are banned; the cited code does not mention a permit; and the coop setback is 25 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Greensboro corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Greensboro 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: LDO Sec. 30-8-11.3 Animals and Livestock: Poultry and Bees (as accessory to single-family detached dwellings)
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 4 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Code does not mention a permit
- Setback
- 25 ft
The rule, quoted
Word for word from LDO Sec. 30-8-11.3 Animals and Livestock: Poultry and Bees (as accessory to single-family detached dwellings)
How many hens
“In no case shall the total number exceed 4 animals over 6 months of age.”
This is the limit on lots of 7,000 to 12,000 sq ft, at one bird per 3,000 sq ft. Lots under 7,000 sq ft cannot keep poultry. Lots over 12,000 sq ft may keep one bird per 2,000 sq ft, up to 20.
LDO Sec. 30-8-11.3 Animals and Livestock: Poultry and Bees (as accessory to single-family detached dwellings)
Roosters
“No poultry animals that make sounds clearly audible off-site are permitted.”
The LDO does not name roosters, but it bars any poultry that can be clearly heard off-site, which rules out a crowing rooster.
Permit and fee
Code does not mention a permit. Ask the city whether a permit is needed before you buy birds.
Setback / screening
“Coops, shelters and colonies for such animals shall be not less than 25 feet from any property line and not less than 50 feet from any principal building located on an abutting lot.”
That is the rule for lots of 7,000 to 12,000 sq ft. On lots over 12,000 sq ft the coop must be at least 50 ft from every property line.
Also in this section
“Lots less than 7,000 square feet in area shall not be permitted to have poultry or bees.”
“The standards of this section apply in all R-3, R-5, R-7, RM-5, RM-8, RM-12, and RM-18 districts.”
“Coops and shelters for poultry shall be located behind the rear wall of the principal building.”
Lots over 12,000 sq ft
“No more than one animal over 6 months of age shall be permitted for every 2,000 square feet of lot area. In no case shall the total number exceed 20 animals.”
Lots over 12,000 sq ft
“Coops and shelters for poultry shall be not less than 50 feet from any property line.”
“No poultry shall be permitted to roam loose from a residential property addressed in this section.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Piedmont Triad, 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 — Greensboro (#2120)
Greensboro — 4104 South Elm Eugene St, Greensboro, NC 27406. (336) 333-3033. 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
No verified poultry vet yet
We have not confirmed a clinic here that says it treats chickens. Call local vets and ask before you need one.
Verified 2026-10-21 against LDO Sec. 30-8-11.3 Animals and Livestock: Poultry and Bees (as accessory to single-family detached dwellings) at https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/greensboro-nc/doc-viewer.aspx?secid=91. Read the live code before you build or order birds.