Backyard Chickens in Holland, Michigan

Can you keep chickens in Holland?

Thinking about keeping hens in Tulip City? The City of Holland allows backyard chickens, but the rules are specific: hens only (no roosters), a permit from the Community & Neighborhood Services Department, and strict limits on flock size, coop placement, and sanitation. Here's exactly what Holland's municipal code requires before you build that coop.

Yes – with conditions

Yes, backyard chickens are allowed in the City of Holland, Michigan, but only as permitted, hens-only, non-commercial egg/meat production under City Code Chapter 4, Article I, Sec. 4-3(e) (with a limited no-permit exception for a single pet hen under Sec. 4-3(d)).

Under Sec. 4-3(e), a resident must obtain a permit from the Department of Community and Neighborhood Services before keeping chickens. The ordinance caps the number of hens based on lot size, bans roosters outright, prohibits outdoor slaughtering, and imposes coop placement, size, and sanitation rules. Separately, Sec. 4-3(d) allows any resident — without a permit — to keep just one pet hen, duck, goose, or similar fowl if it is housed at least 25 feet from a neighboring dwelling.

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: 6
Roosters: No
Permit required: Yes
Permit cost: $25
Setback from property line: 25 ft.

Peggy knows Holland

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Flock size (§4-3(e)(2)): 4 hens max on parcels ≤ 1/2 acre; 5 hens on parcels 1/2–1 acre; 6 hens on parcels over 1 acre. Roosters are prohibited entirely.
Permit-free pet exception (§4-3(d)): One pet hen, duck, goose, or similar fowl may be kept without a permit if housed in a pen at least 25 feet from any neighboring dwelling, plus up to 10 chicks under 5 weeks old.
Purpose (§4-3(e)(1)): Chicken-keeping must be non-commercial and used only by the occupants as a local food source for eggs or meat.
Slaughter (§4-3(e)(3)): Outdoor slaughtering of chickens is prohibited.
Enclosure & placement (§4-3(e)(4)-(6)): Chickens must be kept in a covered enclosure or an attached fenced enclosure at all times (unless supervised in a fully fenced side/rear yard). The enclosure must sit in the rear yard, at least 5 feet from any adjacent property line, and at least 25 feet from any residential structure on an adjacent property. The coop/pen combined footprint may not exceed 80 square feet or 8 feet in height.
Construction & pest control (§4-3(e)(7)-(8)): Enclosures must be built in a workmanlike manner with a full top/cover to keep out rodents; feed must be stored in sealed, rodent-proof containers.
Care standards (§4-3(e)(9)): Chickens must be kept per the Michigan Department of Agriculture's Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices for farm animals.
Permits (§4-3(e)(10)-(13)): Applications go through the Department of Community & Neighborhood Services and are issued within a week if conditions are met. An initial permit is valid 3 years; renewals are valid 2 years, at the fee set by the City Council's fee resolution (currently $25 for the 3-year initial permit).
Agricultural exception (§4-3(b)): Fowl kept as farm animals on a 4+ acre agricultural parcel may be housed if at least 125 feet from any other person's dwelling — a separate rule from the residential backyard-chicken permit.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Holland

🌡️ Climate

Humid Continental (Köppen Dfa/Dfb), USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6a

Holland sits on Michigan's Lake Michigan shoreline and experiences cold, snowy winters (lake-effect snow is common) and warm, humid summers. Coops should be well-insulated and draft-free for winter while still ventilated for summer heat, and predator-proofing should account for snow drifts that can help predators reach over low fencing.

🦝 Who's after your hens

RaccoonHawkFoxCoyoteOpossumSkunk

West Michigan backyard flocks commonly face raccoons and opossums raiding coops at night, hawks (including red-tailed hawks) hunting free-ranging birds by day, and foxes or coyotes that have adapted to suburban Ottawa County neighborhoods near wooded or riparian areas. Skunks can also be a nuisance predator of eggs and young chicks.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

Cold-hardy, dual-purpose breeds do best in Holland's lake-effect winters: Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte, Buff Orpington, and Australorp are popular choices among West Michigan keepers for their cold tolerance and steady egg production.

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

Questions people ask about Holland

▸How many chickens can I keep in Holland, Michigan?

It depends on your lot size: up to 4 hens on parcels of 1/2 acre or less, 5 hens on parcels between 1/2 and 1 acre, and 6 hens on parcels larger than 1 acre. Roosters are never allowed (§4-3(e)(2)).

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

Yes, for a standard backyard flock you need a permit from the Department of Community and Neighborhood Services. The only exception is a single pet hen (or similar fowl) kept without a permit if housed at least 25 feet from a neighboring dwelling (§4-3(d)).

▸How much does a Holland backyard chicken permit cost?

An initial permit is valid for three years and currently costs $25; renewal permits are valid for two years at the fee set by the City Council's fee resolution.

▸Are roosters allowed in Holland?

No. City Code §4-3(e)(2) explicitly states that roosters are prohibited within the city limits.

▸How far must a chicken coop be from my neighbor's house?

Coops and fenced enclosures must be located in the rear yard, at least 5 feet from any adjacent property line, and at least 25 feet from any residential structure on an adjacent property (§4-3(e)(5)-(6)). The enclosure's total footprint is capped at 80 square feet and 8 feet in height.

City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Holland or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked September 16, 2026.