Backyard Chickens in Fontana, California

Can you keep chickens in Fontana?

Thinking about keeping a backyard flock in Fontana, California? The city permits chickens as an accessory residential use across all of its residential zoning districts, with the number of hens tied to your lot size and roosters largely restricted to larger Residential Estates (R-E) parcels. Here's exactly what Fontana's municipal code requires before you build that coop.

Yes – with conditions

Yes, backyard chickens are allowed in Fontana. Under the City's Zoning and Development Code, the raising of chickens, rabbits, or other similar fowl or small animals is permitted subject to special use regulations in every residential zoning district (R-E, R-1, R-2, R-3, and R-PC), provided the animals are corralled, penned, or caged and comply with health ordinances (Fontana Municipal Code § 30-432(2)a). No animal slaughtering is permitted in any zoning district for either commercial products or private consumption.

The number of hens allowed scales with lot size rather than being a flat cap: Table No. 30-432 permits "Chicken, pigeon, duck, or similar small fowl" at a rate of 5 birds per 15,000 square feet of site area, which is the minimum lot size required to keep them. Roosters are treated separately and more strictly — they fall under the "crowing/squawking bird" category (with geese, peacocks, etc.), which is only permitted in the Residential Estates (R-E) zone on lots of at least ½ acre, at a maximum of two per ½ acre (§ 30-432(2)b, Table No. 30-432).

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: 5
Roosters: conditional
Permit required: No
Permit cost: Not specified
Setback from property line: 40 ft.

Peggy knows Fontana

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Per Fontana Municipal Code § 30-432(2)(c), all animal enclosures (coops, pens, cages) must be:

Located at least 40 feet from any dwelling on the property (including contiguous parcels under one ownership used as one property) containing the enclosure, and at least 20 feet from any property line.
Kept out of the public right-of-way, front setback, or street-side setback at all times (grazing is prohibited there).
Chickens/small fowl are capped at 5 birds per 15,000 sq. ft. of lot area (Table No. 30-432) — larger lots may keep proportionally more, so a 30,000 sq. ft. lot could keep up to 10, etc.
Roosters (grouped with geese, peacocks, and other "crowing/squawking" birds) are only allowed in the R-E (Residential Estates) zone, require a minimum ½-acre site, and are capped at two per ½ acre — they are not permitted by right in standard R-1 single-family lots.
All animal-keeping must comply with additional city and county health ordinances, and on-site slaughtering of animals for products or personal consumption is prohibited citywide.
Generally accepted small household pets (fish, hamsters, lizards, etc.) are exempt from these animal-keeping regulations, but chickens are specifically included and are not exempt.

No separate city permit or fee is required to keep a code-compliant small backyard flock — it is a permitted accessory use by right in residential zones, subject to the above standards.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Fontana

🌡️ Climate

Hot-Summer Mediterranean (Köppen Csa) / USDA Hardiness Zone 10a

Fontana sits in the Inland Empire and has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. Average annual temperatures range from about 53°F (low) to 79°F (high), with roughly 15 inches of rain per year concentrated in winter. Summers are hot and dry, with highs frequently reaching the mid-90s to over 100°F and occasional heat advisories, while winters are mild with lows rarely dropping below freezing. Flock owners should prioritize shade, ventilation, and extra water in summer, and heat-tolerant breeds do best here.

🦝 Who's after your hens

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Fontana's Inland Empire location means backyard flocks face pressure from several common Southern California predators. Owners should use hardware cloth rather than chicken wire, bury fencing several inches deep, and secure coops with predator-proof latches, since raccoons are dexterous and coyotes/foxes are common on the urban edge.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

Leghorn, Rhode Island Red, Australorp, Easter Egger, Plymouth Rock — heat-tolerant, hardy breeds that do well in the Inland Empire's hot, dry summers and mild winters.

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

Questions people ask about Fontana

▸How many chickens can I legally keep in Fontana?

Fontana allows chickens at a rate of 5 per 15,000 square feet of lot area under Table No. 30-432 of the Zoning and Development Code — so the exact number scales with the size of your property rather than being a flat citywide cap.

▸Are roosters allowed in Fontana?

Only conditionally. Roosters are classified with geese, peacocks, and other crowing/squawking birds, and are only permitted in the R-E (Residential Estates) zone on lots of at least ½ acre, at a maximum of two per ½ acre — they are not permitted by right on typical single-family (R-1) lots.

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

No separate permit is required. Keeping small numbers of chickens is a permitted accessory use by right in residential zones, subject to the setback, enclosure, and health-ordinance requirements in § 30-432.

▸How far from my house or the property line does my coop need to be?

Coops and enclosures must be at least 40 feet from any dwelling on the property and at least 20 feet from any property line, per § 30-432(2)(c) of the Fontana Municipal Code.

▸Can I slaughter chickens at home in Fontana?

No. Animal slaughtering for the production of marketable products or for private consumption is expressly prohibited in all zoning districts under § 30-432.

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