Backyard Chickens in Johnson City, Tennessee

Can you keep chickens in Johnson City?

Thinking about keeping backyard hens in Johnson City, Tennessee? Before you order chicks, it's essential to understand the city's animal control ordinance, which regulates where and how chickens can legally be kept - including a significant setback rule that limits most in-town properties. Read on for what Johnson City's code actually says, plus tips for raising a happy, healthy flock in the Appalachian foothills.

Yes – with conditions

Johnson City's Animal Control Ordinance (Title 10, Chapter 1 of the Municipal Code) does not flatly ban chickens, but it makes them very difficult to keep on a typical residential lot. Under §10-111 ("Compliance"), no property owner, lessee, or tenant may keep chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, or similar fowl "except under conditions set forth in the provisions of this chapter." The controlling condition is §10-112 ("Near residence or business"), which prohibits keeping any fowl within 1,000 linear feet of any residence or place of business or industry without the approval of the city/county Health Officer. The Health Officer decides case-by-case whether keeping the birds "will not injuriously affect the public health and welfare" (§10-113). In practice, this 1,000-foot buffer from every neighboring residence or business rules out nearly all conventional in-town residential lots, and effectively limits legal chicken-keeping to large-acreage or agriculturally-zoned properties, or to situations where the Health Officer grants a special approval. The ordinance does not set a numeric cap on the number of hens, and it does not separately mention or restrict roosters - both are covered by the same generic term 'chickens/fowl,' so roosters are subject to the identical 1,000-ft/Health-Officer-approval standard as hens.

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: No Set Limit
Roosters: conditional
Permit required: Yes
Setback from property line: 1000 ft.

Peggy knows Johnson City

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Chickens/fowl must be confined and cannot run at large (§10-103). Any coop, pen, or yard housing fowl must be kept clean so that manure and liquid waste do not accumulate to an offensive degree and must be cleaned regularly to control flies, rodents, and odor (§10-114). The Health Officer may order removal of birds or require routine cleaning of pens/yards if sanitary conditions are not maintained (§10-115), and keepers must store feed in a rat-proof, fly-tight container (§10-115). No coop, pen, or similar structure may be allowed to become dangerous or detrimental to human health through lack of care, food, ventilation, or cleanliness (§10-116). The Health Officer has a right of entry to inspect premises for compliance (§10-117).

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Johnson City

🌡️ Climate

USDA Hardiness Zone 7a/7b

Johnson City sits in a valley of the southern Appalachian Mountains in northeastern Tennessee, giving it a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons. Winters bring occasional snow and freezing temperatures, while summers are warm and humid, moderated somewhat by elevation. Flock owners should plan for cold-hardy coop insulation and ventilation for winter, and shade plus airflow for the humid summer months.

🦝 Who's after your hens

RaccoonHawkFoxCoyoteOpossumSkunk

Johnson City's location amid Appalachian forests and foothills means backyard flocks face pressure from a wide range of wildlife. Raccoons are especially prevalent statewide, and coyotes, foxes, opossums, and skunks are known to thrive in and around Tennessee's urban and suburban areas. Red-tailed and Cooper's hawks are common daytime aerial predators of poultry in the region, so covered runs and secure, predator-proof coops are strongly recommended.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

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

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

Questions people ask about Johnson City

▸Can I legally keep chickens in Johnson City city limits?

Chickens are not outright banned, but Johnson City's ordinance requires that fowl be kept at least 1,000 feet from any residence or business unless the Health Officer grants special approval (§10-112). This makes legal chicken-keeping impractical on most standard residential lots and generally limits it to large-acreage or agriculturally zoned properties.

▸How many hens am I allowed to keep?

The Johnson City animal control code does not set a specific numeric limit on the number of hens. Instead, keeping any number of fowl is subject to the 1,000-foot setback and Health Officer approval requirement described in §10-111 through §10-113.

▸Are roosters allowed?

The ordinance does not separately address roosters - they fall under the same general 'chickens/fowl' category as hens, meaning they are subject to the identical 1,000-foot setback and Health Officer approval requirements (§10-112).

▸Do I need a permit to keep chickens?

There isn't a standalone 'chicken permit,' but because of the 1,000-foot proximity rule, most properties will need Health Officer approval before fowl may be kept (§10-112, §10-113). The ordinance does not list an associated fee for this approval.

▸What sanitation rules apply to my coop?

Coops, pens, and yards must be kept clean and free of offensive odors, with manure properly stored or removed to control flies and rodents (§10-114). Failure to maintain sanitary conditions can result in the Health Officer ordering the birds removed (§10-115, §10-116).

City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Johnson City or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked September 20, 2026.