Backyard chickens in Buffalo, New York

Yes. The City of Buffalo allows residents to keep domesticated chicken hens (roosters are prohibited) in residential districts, but only after obtaining a license from the City Clerk. Under Buffalo's Property Maintenance Code, keeping any fowl in a residential or commercial district is generally unlawful except as permitted under the chicken-hen exceptions (§ 341-11, § 341-11.1 through § 341-11.4).

Specifically: 'It shall be lawful for any person to keep, permit or allow any domesticated chicken hens in any residential district under the following terms and conditions and after having received a license to keep said chicken hens from the City Clerk' (§ 341-11.1). No more than five hens are allowed per single-family or multifamily dwelling, no roosters are permitted, hens must be confined to the rear/backyard, and neighboring residents (all adjacent property residents, plus any multifamily co-tenants) must give written consent before a license can issue.

Buffalo sits in USDA Hardiness Zone 6b, with Lake Erie moderating winter lows somewhat compared to inland areas at similar latitude, though the region still sees significant cold and heavy snow. Winters are cold, cloudy and snowy — much of it lake-effect snow — while summers are mild and pleasant with rare extreme heat, making cold-hardy chicken breeds and well-insulated, draft-free coops a priority for backyard flocks.

Raccoons are considered highly common and adaptable, making homes in both city and rural settings around Buffalo, and are frequently cited as a top threat to backyard flocks. Opossums and skunks are also frequently reported digging under decks, porches, and sheds in Buffalo neighborhoods, while red foxes and red-tailed hawks are common in the wider Western New York/urban parkland area. Coop builders in Buffalo are commonly advised to use hardware cloth rather than chicken wire and to secure latches, since predators such as foxes, raccoons, and hawks are active locally.