Backyard Chickens in New Orleans, Louisiana

Can you keep chickens in New Orleans?

Craving fresh eggs in the Crescent City? New Orleans allows residents to keep up to six hens right in their own backyard under the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance - no rooster crowing required (or allowed!). With the right rear-yard coop setup, a little Gulf Coast humidity management, and predator-proofing, your flock can thrive in the Big Easy.

Yes – with conditions

Yes, hens are legal to keep in New Orleans. The City's Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO) Section 21.6.I "Chicken Coop" expressly permits residents to keep chickens as an accessory use on residential property, subject to coop, setback, and flock-size rules. No more than six (6) chickens may be kept on any property at one time, and roosters are not permitted anywhere in the city.

If a hatched chick's sex cannot be determined, it may be kept for up to six months even if it turns out to be a rooster, but it must be removed after that grace period. Commercial sale of eggs is allowed only under the agricultural-use provisions of Article 20, Section 20.3.C.6, and on-site slaughter of chickens is prohibited.

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: 6
Roosters: No
Permit required: No
Permit cost: Not specified
Setback from property line: 10 ft.

Peggy knows New Orleans

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Location: Chicken coops and runs may only be located in the rear yard, at least 10 feet from all lot lines and 10 feet from any dwelling (§21.6.I.1.a).
Maintenance: The coop must be kept in good repair, clean, sanitary, and free of vermin and odors, and must not create a noise, odor, or health nuisance for neighbors (§21.6.I.1.b).
Animal welfare: Coops/runs must be designed to protect the health and well-being of the birds and must be adequately lit and ventilated (§21.6.I.1.c-d).
Flock size: No more than 6 chickens per property at any one time (§21.6.I.2). Additional accessory-structure space is required (50 sq ft per bird) for any authorized agricultural use exceeding six chickens.
No commercial activity may result from keeping chickens, except egg sales permitted under Article 20, §20.3.C.6 agricultural-use rules (§21.6.I.3).
Roosters: Not permitted. An unsexed chick may stay up to 6 months (§21.6.I.4).
Confinement: Chickens must be kept in coops/fenced runs when the owner/operator is absent; free-ranging is allowed only on fenced property while the owner is present (§21.6.I.5).
Manure: No manure storage within 20 feet of any lot line; manure must be composted immediately with carbon-rich material or removed from the property (§21.6.I.6).
Slaughter: On-site slaughtering of chickens is prohibited (§21.6.I.7).
Building an accessory structure such as a coop may still require a standard City Accessory Structure building permit, though no chicken-specific permit or fee is imposed by the CZO.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in New Orleans

🌡️ Climate

USDA Hardiness Zone 9a/9b (Humid Subtropical, Köppen Cfa)

New Orleans has a hot, humid subtropical climate with mild winters and long, sweltering summers. Average annual minimum temperatures fall in the 25-30°F range, and frost is rare, meaning coops need far more attention to heat, humidity, and ventilation than to cold protection. Flock owners should prioritize shade, airflow, and mold/parasite prevention in the wet Gulf Coast climate, and elevate coops to handle heavy seasonal rainfall and occasional flooding.

🦝 Who's after your hens

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Backyard flocks in New Orleans face pressure from raccoons and opossums raiding coops at night, hawks patrolling from above during the day, and snakes drawn to feed and eggs in the city's humid, marshy environment. Foxes are also present in and around the city's parks and greenbelts. Secure, predator-proof coops with hardware cloth (not chicken wire), locking doors, and buried perimeter wire are strongly recommended given the dense urban-wildlife interface.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

Easter Egger, Australorp, Rhode Island Red, Buff Orpington, Leghorn, and other heat-tolerant breeds with smaller combs/wattles do well in New Orleans' hot, humid climate.

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

Questions people ask about New Orleans

▸How many chickens can I legally keep in New Orleans?

Up to six (6) chickens per property at any one time, per CZO §21.6.I.2.

▸Are roosters allowed in New Orleans?

No. Roosters are not permitted anywhere in the city under CZO §21.6.I.4. An exception exists only for a chick whose sex can't be determined at hatching, which may stay for up to six months.

▸Do I need a permit to keep chickens in New Orleans?

The Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance does not require a specific chicken-keeping permit, though building a coop as an accessory structure may require a standard City building permit.

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

Coops and runs must be located only in the rear yard, at least 10 feet from all lot lines and 10 feet from any dwelling (CZO §21.6.I.1.a).

▸Can I slaughter chickens at home in New Orleans?

No. On-site slaughtering of chickens is expressly prohibited by CZO §21.6.I.7.

City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with New Orleans or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked September 1, 2026.