NC · verified 2026-10-21
Waxhaw, NC
Short answerYes: the City of Waxhaw code allows up to 6 birds; roosters are banned; a permit is required, but the code lists no fee; and the coop setback is 5 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Waxhaw corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Waxhaw 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. 10-2. Chickens allowed in town; permit.
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 6 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Permit required, fee not listed in the code
- Setback
- 5 ft
Code cite: Sec. 10-2. Chickens allowed in town; permit.
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Sec. 10-2. Chickens allowed in town; permit.
How many hens
“No more than six chickens shall be kept or maintained on any detached single-family residential lot.”
Sec. 10-2. Chickens allowed in town; permit.
Roosters
“No male chickens/roosters shall be allowed;”
Permit and fee
“The owner or possessor must pay an annual chicken permit fee in an amount established and/or modified by the town.”
Annual renewals are due by July 1. Ask the town for the current fee.
Setback / screening
“The chicken coop shall be a minimum of 30 feet from the nearest residence other than that of the owner and a minimum of five feet from the lot line;”
5 ft from the lot line and 30 ft from any neighbor's home.
Coop and run size
“The chickens must be confined in a chicken coop not less than four square feet of floor area for each chicken.”
Also in this section
“Live chickens shall be allowed in the town's municipal limits with a valid permit, as provided herein.”
“No slaughter or sale of slaughtered chickens is allowed within the town;”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Charlotte, NC metro 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 — Harrisburg (#2547)
Harrisburg — 5655 Tractor Ln, Harrisburg, NC 28075. (980) 258-0126. 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
Queen City Animal Hospital
Charlotte — 920 Belmont Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28205. Its avian care page lists backyard pet chickens among the birds it sees and says it may refer advanced cases to an avian or exotic practice. Call (704) 703-1414.
Verified 2026-10-21 against Sec. 10-2. Chickens allowed in town; permit. at https://library.municode.com/nc/waxhaw/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH10AN_ARTIINGE_S10-2CHALTOPE. Read the live code before you build or order birds.