GA · verified 2026-10-21
Roswell, GA
Short answerYes: the City of Roswell code allows up to 6 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 Roswell corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Roswell 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: UDC Sec. 9.7.22. Poultry Raising
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 6 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Code does not mention a permit
- Setback
- 25 ft
Code cite: UDC Sec. 9.7.22. Poultry Raising
The rule, quoted
Word for word from UDC Sec. 9.7.22. Poultry Raising
How many hens
“0.34 acre to 1.00 acre is allowed a maximum of 6 poultry,”
Lots under a third of an acre cannot keep poultry. Lots over 1 acre may keep 12 per acre, up to 36. Poultry raising is a limited use, so check that your zoning district allows it.
UDC Sec. 9.7.22. Poultry Raising
Roosters
“Roosters are expressly prohibited.”
Permit and fee
Code does not mention a permit. Ask the city whether a permit is needed before you buy birds.
If the enclosure is permanently attached to the ground it must meet the accessory-structure rules, so ask Roswell Planning whether it needs a permit.
Setback / screening
“Any poultry enclosure, whether permanent or not, must be located a minimum of 25 feet from any residential structure on an abutting lot;”
The 25 ft is measured to a house on the lot next door, not to the property line.
Also in this section
“Less than 0.33 acre is not allowed poultry,”
“Poultry must be kept only in the rear or side yard and must be within a fenced area.”
“The keeping of poultry is for non-commercial, personal use only.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Atlanta, GA metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to Georgia via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists Georgia 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 — Fairburn (#2627)
Fairburn — 8015 Senoia Rd, Fairburn, GA 30213. (770) 964-2082. Has a Feed Center. 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
Shepherd's Heart
Atlanta (mobile, house calls) — Mobile vet serving Atlanta and metro Atlanta, with no clinic address. Its services page says it sees chickens, ducks and other farm animals. Book through its website.
Verified 2026-10-21 against UDC Sec. 9.7.22. Poultry Raising at https://library.municode.com/ga/roswell/codes/unified_development_code?nodeId=UNIFIED_DEVELOPMENT_CODE_ART9USPR_S9.7ACUS_9.7.22PORA. Read the live code before you build or order birds.