CA · verified 2026-10-27
Sacramento, CA
Short answerYes: the City of Sacramento code allows up to 3 birds; roosters are banned; a permit is required, but the code lists no fee; and the coop setback is 20 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Sacramento corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Sacramento 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: Sacramento City Code §§ 9.44.860 Keeping of chickens, 9.44.870 Permit required, 9.44.880 Permit requirements.
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 3 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Permit required, fee not listed in the code
- Setback
- 20 ft
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Sacramento City Code §§ 9.44.860 Keeping of chickens, 9.44.870 Permit required, 9.44.880 Permit requirements.
How many hens
“A maximum of three hen chickens may be kept on a developed lot used exclusively for residential purposes, but only if authorized under a permit issued pursuant to this article.”
Up to three hens on a residential lot, and only with a city permit.
Sacramento City Code §§ 9.44.860 Keeping of chickens, 9.44.870 Permit required, 9.44.880 Permit requirements.
Roosters
“Roosters are not permitted on any developed lot used exclusively for residential purposes.”
Permit and fee
“It is unlawful for any person to keep, possess, or maintain any hen chicken on any lot used exclusively for residential purposes without first obtaining a permit from the animal care services manager.”
The code says the yearly fee is set by council resolution. The city’s Poultry License & Permit Application (Front Street Animal Shelter, 2127 Front Street) lists a $47 yearly coop permit plus a $20 yearly license for each chicken. The permit lasts one year and must be renewed.
Setback / screening
“All hen chickens shall be kept within an enclosure that is at least 20 feet distant from any dwelling unit on an adjacent parcel.”
The coop and run must sit in the rear yard, at least 20 ft from any home on a neighboring lot, and must not block any exit from a home.
Also in this section
Rear yard only
“Enclosures shall be situated in the rear yard.”
Always confined
“All hen chickens shall be confined in a pen, coop, or cage, or other enclosure at all times.”
Annual permit
“The permit shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of issuance.”
No slaughter
“No hen chickens shall be slaughtered on any developed lot used exclusively for residential purposes.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Sacramento, CA metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to California via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists California 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 — Antelope (#1817)
Antelope — 8139 Watt Ave, Antelope, CA 95843. (916) 338-3656. Store page lists a livestock department.
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, Farmhouse or Coastal finish); Wooden 8 ft run $1,899.00. Prices as shown on overezchickencoop.com on 2026-10-22.
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 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 2026-10-27 against Sacramento City Code §§ 9.44.860 Keeping of chickens, 9.44.870 Permit required, 9.44.880 Permit requirements. at https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/sacramentoca/latest/sacramento_ca/0-0-0-21428. Read the live code before you build or order birds.