Backyard Chickens in Bakersfield, California

Can you keep chickens in Bakersfield?

Thinking about raising hens in Bakersfield? The city's fowl rules are narrower than many nearby communities — chicken-keeping is tied directly to zoning, so it's important to know exactly where it's allowed before you build a coop.

Yes – with conditions

Under the Bakersfield Municipal Code, keeping chickens (and other poultry/fowl) is heavily restricted by zoning. Section 6.08.010, "Keeping prohibited—Exception," states that it is unlawful to keep any chickens, ducks, geese, or poultry/fowl of any kind within the city unless the birds are kept securely enclosed in a yard or pen at all times and the property is located within an agricultural zone or a Residential Suburban (R-S) zone, as those zones are defined in Title 17 (Zoning) of the code (§ 6.08.010).

Because the vast majority of Bakersfield's residential parcels are zoned R-1 (standard single-family residential) rather than R-S, most homeowners in the city are technically not permitted to keep backyard chickens. The city council briefly passed an ordinance in September 2020 allowing hens on most R-1 lots (with tiered setback rules), but that ordinance was rescinded by a 4-3 council vote in February 2021 after a CEQA lawsuit, restoring the original ag-zone/R-S-only rule found today in § 6.08.010.

Violations of the fowl-keeping rule are treated as a continuing offense — each day a violation continues is a separate offense under § 6.08.020.

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: No Set Limit
Roosters: Yes
Permit required: No
Permit cost: Not specified
Setback from property line: Not specified

Peggy knows Bakersfield

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Zoning is the key restriction: Chickens/poultry may only be legally kept on property located in an agricultural zone or a Residential Suburban (R-S) zone, per Title 17 Zoning definitions (§ 6.08.010). Standard R-1 single-family lots — the majority of Bakersfield housing — do not qualify.
Enclosure requirement: Birds must be "kept securely enclosed in a yard or pen at all times" (§ 6.08.010). No specific setback distance (feet from property line/dwelling) is codified in this section.
No numeric cap: The current code does not set a maximum number of hens — the ordinance's only stated conditions are enclosure and correct zoning.
No fowl-specific permit: Title 6's permit chapter (6.09, Breeder Permits) applies only to dog breeding, not to keeping chickens or other poultry, so no city permit or fee is required for fowl-keeping itself, provided the zoning and enclosure conditions are met.
Continuing violation: Each day an unlawful flock is kept constitutes a separate offense (§ 6.08.020).
History note: A 2020 ordinance briefly allowed hens (4 hens/10 ft setback, 6 hens/15 ft, 8 hens/20 ft) on most residential lots citywide, but it was rescinded in February 2021, so those tiered setback numbers are no longer in effect.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Bakersfield

🌡️ Climate

USDA Hardiness Zone 9b / Köppen BSk (hot semi-arid, Central Valley)

Bakersfield summers are extremely hot and dry, frequently exceeding 100°F, with mild, occasionally frosty winters. Flock owners should prioritize shade, ventilation, and constant cool water in coop design, and choose heat-tolerant breeds over cold-hardy ones.

🦝 Who's after your hens

RaccoonHawkCoyoteOpossumSkunk

Kern County's mix of urban-edge and agricultural surroundings means backyard flocks in Bakersfield can face raccoons, opossums, and skunks raiding at night, red-tailed hawks and other raptors during the day, and coyotes on the urban fringe. Fully enclosed, secure pens (required by city code) help guard against all of these.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

Leghorn, Easter Egger, Australorp, Egyptian Fayoumi, Rhode Island Red

Our package comes with two Rhode Island Reds – hardy in heat and cold, and friendly with kids.

Questions people ask about Bakersfield

▸Can I legally keep chickens on a typical Bakersfield residential (R-1) lot?

Generally, no. Bakersfield Municipal Code § 6.08.010 only permits keeping chickens or other poultry on property zoned agricultural or Residential Suburban (R-S). Most standard single-family (R-1) lots do not qualify.

▸Didn't Bakersfield pass a law allowing backyard hens?

In September 2020 the city council approved an ordinance allowing hens on most residential lots with tiered setback requirements, but after a CEQA lawsuit the council rescinded that ordinance in February 2021, reverting to the earlier ag-zone/R-S-only rule.

▸Is a permit required to keep chickens in Bakersfield?

No permit specific to keeping fowl exists in Title 6 of the municipal code. The city's only animal permit program (Chapter 6.09) covers dog breeding, not poultry.

▸Are roosters allowed in Bakersfield?

The ordinance does not distinguish roosters from hens — any poultry kept securely enclosed on qualifying ag or R-S zoned property is treated the same, so roosters are allowed under the same zoning/enclosure conditions as hens.

▸What happens if I keep chickens illegally in an R-1 zone?

Because keeping poultry outside an agricultural or R-S zone is unlawful, code enforcement can require removal of the birds, and each day the violation continues counts as a separate offense under § 6.08.020.

City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Bakersfield or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked August 3, 2026.