Backyard Chickens in Corona, California

Can you keep chickens in Corona?

Thinking about raising backyard hens in Corona, California? The Circle City allows female chickens in single-family residential zones under a licensed, lot-size-based system — but roosters are off-limits everywhere in the city. Here's what Peggy's Happy Chickens found in Corona's actual municipal code.

Yes – with conditions

Yes. In Corona, keeping female chickens (hens) over six months of age is expressly permitted in single-family residential zones, subject to the criteria in Chapter 6.20 of the Corona Municipal Code. The keeping of chickens younger than six months old is prohibited, and a license from the Animal Control Bureau is required before keeping any hens (§ 6.20.020, § 6.20.030). Roosters are prohibited citywide (§ 6.20.040(G)). Properties in agricultural zones are governed separately under Chapter 17.06 of the code.

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: 4
Roosters: No
Permit required: Yes
Permit cost: $116
Setback from property line: 10 ft.

Peggy knows Corona

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Corona's ordinance (CMC Chapter 6.20) sets out detailed standards for keeping hens in single-family residential zones:

Minimum lot size: Chickens may only be kept on lots of at least 5,000 sq. ft.; the City does not allow chickens on smaller lots.
Tiered hen limits by lot size: 5,000–9,999 sq. ft. = 4 hens; 10,000–14,999 sq. ft. = 6 hens; 15,000–19,999 sq. ft. = 8 hens; 20,000 sq. ft. or more = 10 hens (the citywide maximum on any lot).
Coop/enclosure: Hens must be contained at all times in a suitable house or coop no more than 6 feet in height with an enclosed runway providing weather protection; hens may not run at large on or off the lot.
Distance requirements: No chicken house or coop may be located within 10 feet of a property line, or within 100 feet of any school, hospital, hotel, day care facility, health care facility, food establishment, restaurant, or similar institution.
Sanitation: Premises must be kept clean, sanitary, and free of offensive odors, with clean potable water and food available; slaughtering of animals is prohibited in single-family zones.
Noncommercial only: Selling or trading eggs produced from these hens for money or goods is prohibited, and commercial chicken-keeping in residential zones is banned.
Roosters: Keeping or maintaining any rooster anywhere in the city is prohibited.
Licensing: A license from the Animal Control Bureau is required; the city's Animal Services page describes a multi-step process including a site diagram, a non-refundable $116 application fee, and a property inspection before a hen license is issued.
Enforcement: Noise complaints follow the escalation process in CMC 6.11 (letter, packet, hearing, and possible permit revocation), and odor/cleanliness issues can lead to correction notices and, if uncorrected, permit revocation.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Corona

🌡️ Climate

USDA Hardiness Zone 9b/10a (Inland Empire, Riverside County)

Corona sits in the Inland Empire and experiences a warm-summer Mediterranean/semi-arid climate with long, hot, dry summers (frequently 95–105°F+) and mild, occasionally chilly winters. Surrounding foothills block ocean breezes, so Corona tends to run hotter in summer and a bit colder on winter nights than coastal Orange County. Backyard flocks need heat mitigation (shade, ventilation, frozen water treats) in summer and only minimal cold-weather protection in winter.

🦝 Who's after your hens

HawkCoyoteRaccoonOpossumSnake

Corona's mix of suburban neighborhoods bordering open hillside and flood-control channels means backyard flocks can attract red-tailed hawks and other raptors overhead, along with ground-based nighttime visitors like raccoons, opossums, and coyotes that come down from the surrounding hills. Rat snakes and gopher snakes may raid nest boxes for eggs. Secure, fully-enclosed coops with hardware cloth (not chicken wire) and a covered run are strongly recommended.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

Leghorn, Australorp, Easter Egger, Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red

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

Questions people ask about Corona

▸Can I keep roosters in Corona?

No. Corona Municipal Code § 6.20.040(G) states that no person shall keep or maintain any roosters within the city, regardless of zoning.

▸How many hens can I keep on my property in Corona?

It depends on your lot size: 4 hens on lots of 5,000–9,999 sq. ft., 6 hens on 10,000–14,999 sq. ft., 8 hens on 15,000–19,999 sq. ft., and up to 10 hens on lots 20,000 sq. ft. or larger (CMC § 6.20.040(B)). Lots under 5,000 sq. ft. are not eligible to keep chickens.

▸Do I need a permit to keep chickens in Corona?

Yes. CMC § 6.20.030 requires a license from the Animal Control Bureau before keeping chickens. The city's process includes a site diagram, a non-refundable $116 application fee, and a property inspection by an Animal Services Officer before the license is issued.

▸How far must my coop be from my property line or neighbors?

Under CMC § 6.20.040(E), no chicken house or coop may be located within 10 feet of any property line, or within 100 feet of a school, hospital, hotel, day care facility, health care facility, food establishment, or restaurant.

▸Can I sell eggs from my backyard hens in Corona?

No. CMC § 6.20.040(F) prohibits selling, trading, transferring, or exchanging for money or goods any eggs produced from chickens kept under this chapter, and bans commercial chicken-keeping in single-family residential zones.

City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Corona or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked August 4, 2026.