Backyard Chickens in Gladstone, Missouri

Can you keep chickens in Gladstone?

Thinking about raising backyard hens in Gladstone, Missouri? The city permits hens with a required fowl permit from the Community Development Department, rear-yard coop placement, and specific size and setback rules — but roosters, guinea hens, geese, and turkeys are off the table. Here's what Peggy's Happy Chickens found in Gladstone's actual municipal code.

Yes – with conditions

Yes. The City of Gladstone allows residents to keep domesticated fowl (hens) in single-family residential areas, but only after obtaining a fowl permit from the city. Prior to keeping or housing fowl, a person shall first submit an application for a fowl permit to the City of Gladstone Community Development Department. Said permits are a one-time fee and non-transferable. The ordinance does not set a specific numeric cap on the number of hens; instead it controls flock size indirectly through coop/run size limits. The keeping of roosters, guinea hens, geese, and turkeys are prohibited. If you don't own the property, individuals that wish to own or maintain domesticated fowl on property that they do not own must include written permission from the property owner or landlord that explicitly indicates that the permittee has permission to own or maintain hens on the subject property, and such written permission shall be supplied as part of the fowl license application. Note also that notwithstanding the issuance of a permit by the city, private restrictions on the use of property shall remain enforceable and may prohibit the keeping of fowl as provided herein — so HOA covenants can still block chicken-keeping even with a city permit.

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: No Set Limit
Roosters: No
Permit required: Yes
Setback from property line: 10 ft.

Peggy knows Gladstone

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Gladstone's fowl ordinance (Chapter 105 — Animal and Insect Regulations) imposes detailed coop/run standards rather than a flat hen-count limit:

All fowl must have access to a covered enclosure (or coop) that allows for the housing of fowl. In addition, all coops must have direct access to an enclosed run area.
All coops and runs shall be located in the rear yard and be designed in a manner to minimize their visual impact.
All coops and runs shall be at least ten feet from any property line and at least 50 feet from any residential structure, deck, or porch not owned by the permittee.
The coop and run may not exceed 100 square feet.
The maximum height of the coop shall be eight feet.
The keeping of roosters, guinea hens, geese, and turkeys are prohibited — only hens may be kept.
Nuisance-complaint inspections may be conducted by the Animal Control Officer and/or Code Enforcement Officer.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Gladstone

🌡️ Climate

USDA Hardiness Zone 6b, Humid Continental

Gladstone, Missouri, sits in the Kansas City metro area and experiences a humid continental climate with hot, humid summers (often into the 90s°F) and cold winters that can dip well below freezing with occasional snow and ice. Coops should be built to provide summer ventilation/shade and winter wind protection and insulation, since Gladstone's 8-foot coop height cap and 100-square-foot combined coop/run limit still leave room for good cross-ventilation.

🦝 Who's after your hens

RaccoonHawkFoxCoyoteOpossum

Suburban Kansas City-area flocks commonly face raccoons, red-tailed hawks, foxes, coyotes, and opossums. Because Gladstone requires coops and runs to be fully enclosed and located in the rear yard, keepers should use hardware cloth (not just chicken wire), bury an apron around the run perimeter, and ensure the coop is secured nightly to deter nocturnal predators like raccoons and opossums, while overhead netting on runs helps protect against hawks.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, Wyandotte, Orpington, Australorp

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

Questions people ask about Gladstone

▸Do I need a permit to keep chickens in Gladstone, MO?

Yes. Prior to keeping or housing fowl, a person shall first submit an application for a fowl permit to the City of Gladstone Community Development Department. Said permits are a one-time fee and non-transferable.

▸How many hens can I have in Gladstone?

Gladstone's ordinance does not set a specific maximum number of hens. Instead, flock size is effectively limited by the requirement that the coop and run may not exceed 100 square feet.

▸Are roosters allowed in Gladstone?

No. The keeping of roosters, guinea hens, geese, and turkeys are prohibited under the city's fowl regulations.

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

All coops and runs shall be at least ten feet from any property line and at least 50 feet from any residential structure, deck, or porch not owned by the permittee.

▸Can my landlord or HOA still stop me from keeping chickens even with a city permit?

Yes. Notwithstanding the issuance of a permit by the city, private restrictions on the use of property shall remain enforceable and may prohibit the keeping of fowl as provided herein. Renters must also get written landlord permission as part of the application.

City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Gladstone or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked September 27, 2026.