SC · verified 2026-10-21
Sumter, SC
Short answerYes: the City of Sumter code allows up to 12 birds; roosters are banned; the cited code does not mention a permit; and the coop setback is 50 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Sumter corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Sumter 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. 14-2. Keeping of domesticated female chickens; unlawful to keep other fowl.
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 12 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Code does not mention a permit
- Setback
- 50 ft
Code cite: Sec. 14-2. Keeping of domesticated female chickens; unlawful to keep other fowl.
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Sec. 14-2. Keeping of domesticated female chickens; unlawful to keep other fowl.
How many hens
“No more than 12 domesticated female chickens shall be kept or maintained on a single premises.”
Sec. 14-2. Keeping of domesticated female chickens; unlawful to keep other fowl.
Roosters
“It shall be unlawful to keep roosters or more than 12 domesticated female chickens.”
Permit and fee
Code does not mention a permit. Ask the city whether a permit is needed before you buy birds.
Setback / screening
“The chicken coop and fenced enclosure must be a minimum of 50 feet from the nearest residence other than that of the owner.”
Measured to the nearest home other than yours. No coop in a front or side yard.
Coop and run size
“Such domesticated female chickens must be housed in a coop which is fully enclosed with a solid floor.”
Also in this section
“No coop shall be placed in a front or side yard.”
“It shall be unlawful to keep or maintain domesticated female chickens at a duplex or apartment complex, in other multi-family residential settings, or in any non-residential or non-agricultural zoning district.”
“It shall be unlawful to slaughter any domesticated female chickens on the premises.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Sumter, SC area list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to South Carolina via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists South 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 — Sumter (#1502)
Sumter — 2705 Broad St, Sumter, SC 29150. (803) 905-2656. 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. 14-2. Keeping of domesticated female chickens; unlawful to keep other fowl. at https://library.municode.com/sc/sumter/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH14AN_ARTIINGE_S14-2KEDOFECHUNKEOTFO. Read the live code before you build or order birds.