NC · verified 2026-10-21
New Bern, NC
Short answerYes: the City of New Bern code allows up to 10 birds; the cited code does not mention roosters; the cited code does not mention a permit; and the coop setback is 30 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of New Bern corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of New Bern 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. 6-10. Keeping certain animals in city. (e) Chickens
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 10 hens
- Roosters
- Not addressed in the cited code
- Permit & fee
- Code does not mention a permit
- Setback
- 30 ft
Code cite: Sec. 6-10. Keeping certain animals in city. (e) Chickens
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Sec. 6-10. Keeping certain animals in city. (e) Chickens
How many hens
“It shall be unlawful for any person to keep more than ten chickens within the corporate limits of the city.”
Sec. 6-10. Keeping certain animals in city. (e) Chickens
Roosters
The cited code section does not mention roosters. Ask the city before you keep one.
Sec. 6-10 does not ban roosters outright, but a rooster that crows loudly and habitually is a public nuisance under Sec. 6-10(f).
Permit and fee
Code does not mention a permit. Ask the city whether a permit is needed before you buy birds.
Setback / screening
“Chickens must be kept a minimum of 30 feet from the nearest residence other than that of the owner and may not be kept between the street and a line drawn parallel to the street facing walls of a residence.”
The 30 ft is measured to the nearest home other than yours, and chickens cannot be kept in front of the house.
Also in this section
Noisy fowl
“It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain on any premises or lot within the city any rooster, duck, goose or other such bird or fowl that by loud and habitual crowing, quacking or honking or in any other manner constitutes a public nuisance.”
“It shall be unlawful to raise chickens for commercial purposes within the corporate limits of the city.”
“All chicken houses and lots must be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition at all times.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared New Bern, NC area 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 — New Bern (#1636)
New Bern — 3821 Dr ML King Jr Blvd, New Bern, NC 28562. (252) 638-0131. 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 Sec. 6-10. Keeping certain animals in city. (e) Chickens at https://library.municode.com/nc/new_bern/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH6ANANCO_S6-10KECEANCI. Read the live code before you build or order birds.