Backyard chickens in Brooklyn, New York
Everything you need to know before you start a backyard flock in Brooklyn – the rules, the climate and the neighbors with teeth.
Can you keep chickens in Brooklyn?
Thinking about keeping backyard hens in Brooklyn? Under NYC's citywide Health Code you can legally keep egg-laying hens with no permit and no borough-specific hen cap — but roosters and other fowl are off the table. Here's what Peggy's Happy Chickens found in the actual ordinance.
Yes – with conditions
Yes. Keeping backyard chickens is legal in Brooklyn and all five boroughs of New York City. The rules are set citywide by the New York City Health Code, Article 161, §161.19 (Keeping of Livestock, Live Poultry and Rabbits), which is administered by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene — there is no separate Brooklyn-specific ordinance.
The Health Code allows residents to keep hens, but roosters, ducks, geese, and turkeys are prohibited everywhere in the city except in licensed slaughterhouses or other specifically authorized facilities. As the NYC Mayor's Office of Urban Agriculture confirms: "" hens are permitted while other fowl are not.
Anyone who keeps poultry must keep the premises "clean and free of animal nuisances" (§161.19(b)), and the city's general animal-nuisance and noise rules also apply to any complaints from neighbors.
The rules at a glance
- Hens in city limits
- Allowed
- How many hens
- No Set Limit
- Roosters
- No
- Permit required
- No
- Permit cost
- Not specified
- Setback from property line
- Not specified
Peggy knows Brooklyn
The rules, straight from the municipal code.
The Health Code does not set a numeric hen limit, a residential coop setback, or a permit requirement for ordinary backyard hen-keeping. It does require that the premises where poultry are kept be maintained clean and free of animal nuisances (§161.19(b)).
A 25-foot building setback in §161.19(c) applies only to commercial live rabbit and poultry markets (birds kept for sale), not to residents keeping a few backyard hens as pets/egg-layers. Live poultry/rabbits intended for sale also cannot be kept on the same premises as a residence or multiple dwelling (§161.19(c)).
Renters should still get landlord/building approval, and any coop should be kept sanitary since complaints about odor, pests, or noise can trigger a Health Department nuisance investigation.
Keeping a flock happy in Brooklyn
🌡️ Climate
USDA Hardiness Zone 7a/7b
Brooklyn has a humid continental/temperate coastal climate with cold, damp winters (occasional snow and temperatures near or below freezing) and hot, humid summers. Coops should be insulated and draft-free but well-ventilated, with protection from winter wind and summer heat/humidity.
🦝 Who's after your hens
Even in dense urban Brooklyn, raccoons, red-tailed hawks, and opossums are common backyard predators, with foxes occasionally reported in park-adjacent and outer-borough areas. Hardware-cloth-covered runs, secure locking coop doors, and overhead netting or a covered run are recommended to protect hens.
🐔 Breeds that do well here
Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, Orpington, Wyandotte, Australorp (cold-hardy, docile urban-friendly breeds)
Our package comes with two Rhode Island Reds – hardy in heat and cold, and friendly with kids.
Questions people ask about Brooklyn
▸Do I need a permit to keep chickens in Brooklyn?
No. NYC's Health Code (§161.19) allows residents to keep hens without a specific permit; you simply must keep the premises clean and nuisance-free.
▸Can I keep a rooster in Brooklyn?
No. Roosters are prohibited citywide, along with ducks, geese, and turkeys, except in licensed slaughterhouses or other authorized facilities (§161.19(a)).
▸Is there a limit on how many hens I can keep?
The Health Code does not set a specific numeric cap on hens for residential keepers; the main requirements are cleanliness and avoiding nuisance conditions.
▸How far must a coop be from my neighbor's house?
The Health Code's 25-foot building setback applies to commercial live poultry markets, not to typical backyard hen coops, so there is no citywide numeric setback for residential keepers — though local nuisance rules can still apply.
▸What happens if my hens cause a nuisance complaint?
The Health Code requires that premises where poultry are kept remain clean and free of animal nuisances; the Department of Health can investigate complaints about odor, pests, or noise.
City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Brooklyn or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked August 30, 2026.
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