CA · verified 2026-10-28
Stockton, CA
Short answerYes: the City of Stockton code allows up to 4 birds; roosters are banned; the cited code does not mention a permit; and the coop setback is 20 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Stockton corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Stockton 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: Stockton Development Code § 16.80.060 Animal regulations, Table 3-14 and subsection F Keeping of Chickens/Ducks.
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 4 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Code does not mention a permit
- Setback
- 20 ft
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Stockton Development Code § 16.80.060 Animal regulations, Table 3-14 and subsection F Keeping of Chickens/Ducks.
How many hens
“4 per 5,000 square feet”
Four hens or ducks for every 5,000 sq ft of lot, on lots of at least 5,000 sq ft in the RL, RM and RH zones (so 8 on a 10,000 sq ft lot). The code does not say how a partial 5,000 sq ft block counts.
Stockton Development Code § 16.80.060 Animal regulations, Table 3-14 and subsection F Keeping of Chickens/Ducks.
Roosters
“Roosters shall not be permitted within the corporate limits of the City.”
Permit and fee
Code does not mention a permit. Ask the city whether a permit is needed before you buy birds.
§ 16.80.060 lists no permit for hobby hens within these limits. Enclosures must meet the accessory-structure rules in § 16.36.035.
Setback / screening
“In addition to property line setbacks identified in Table 3-14, all hen chickens/ducks shall be kept within an enclosure that is at least 20 feet distant from the nearest neighbors dwelling on an adjacent parcel.”
Enclosure at least 20 ft from the nearest neighbor’s home and 5 ft from property lines, in the side or rear yard behind a solid fence, structure or wall. Never in the front yard.
Also in this section
Side or rear yard
“Enclosures shall be situated in either the side or rear yard behind a solid fence, structure, or wall.”
Confined when unsupervised
“All hen chickens/ducks shall be confined in a pen, coop, cage, or other enclosure when not supervised.”
No front yard
“No hen chickens/ducks shall be kept in the front yard on any developed lot used for residential purposes.”
No slaughter
“No hen chickens/ducks shall be slaughtered on any residentially zoned lot.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Stockton, 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 — Lodi (#1857)
Lodi — 360 South Cherokee Ln, Lodi, CA 95240. (209) 369-5528. 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 2026-10-28 against Stockton Development Code § 16.80.060 Animal regulations, Table 3-14 and subsection F Keeping of Chickens/Ducks. at https://ecode360.com/43715115. Read the live code before you build or order birds.