Backyard Chickens in Paducah, Kentucky

Can you keep chickens in Paducah?

Thinking about raising hens in Paducah, Kentucky? Thanks to a 2024 update to the city's fowl ordinance, backyard chicken keeping is easier than ever within city limits, with a generous flock size and a reduced setback distance. Here's what Paducah's Chapter 14 requires before you start collecting eggs.

Yes – with conditions

Yes. The City of Paducah allows residents to keep backyard chickens and other domestic fowl. On April 23, 2024, the Paducah Board of Commissioners approved an ordinance amending Chapter 14 of the Paducah Code of Ordinances governing the keeping of fowl, replacing the city's older, more restrictive rule.

Under the updated ordinance, fowl enclosures may not be located within 100 feet of another residence (reduced from the previous 300-foot requirement), and a lot may keep a maximum of eight fowl. Coops are only permitted in the rear yard, and the ordinance strengthens cleanliness/maintenance requirements and noise provisions (noise nuisances are addressed under Code section 14-1).

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: 8
Roosters: Not Specified
Permit required: No
Permit cost: Not specified
Setback from property line: 100 ft.

Peggy knows Paducah

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Flock size: Up to eight fowl total are allowed per lot under the 2024 amendment to Chapter 14.
Setback: Fowl enclosures must be at least 100 feet from another residence (reduced from the former 300-foot rule).
Coop location: The amendment allows coops only in the rear yard of a property.
Sanitation: The amendment strengthens language around cleanliness and the maintenance of coops to address neighbor concerns about odor and pests.
Noise: Animals emitting excessive noise are considered a nuisance as currently addressed in Code section 14-1.
Penalties/Abatement: Violations begin with a notice of violation, followed by 30 days to remedy, a fine of not more than $500, and another 30 days to remedy the issue; if the violation still exists after 60 days from the initial notification, there is an additional fine of not more than $500 and abatement procedures, with follow-up inspections every 30 days and fines not to exceed $2,500 in total, with appeals routed to the Code Enforcement Board.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Paducah

🌡️ Climate

USDA Hardiness Zone 7a

Paducah sits in western Kentucky along the Ohio River, with a humid subtropical climate featuring hot, humid summers and mild-to-cool, occasionally cold winters. Coops should provide good ventilation for summer humidity and some wind protection/insulation for winter cold snaps.

🦝 Who's after your hens

RaccoonHawkFoxCoyoteOpossumSnakeSkunk

Paducah's river-adjacent, wooded, and suburban-edge terrain supports populations of raccoons, opossums, hawks, foxes, coyotes, snakes, and skunks, all of which can threaten backyard flocks. Secure, fully-enclosed coops and runs with buried hardware cloth are recommended, especially since the 100-foot setback rule often places coops near tree lines or rear-yard edges where predators travel.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

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

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

Questions people ask about Paducah

▸How many chickens can I keep in Paducah, KY?

Under the ordinance amendment approved April 23, 2024, a property in Paducah may keep up to eight fowl total.

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

Fowl enclosures must be at least 100 feet from another residence, a reduction from the city's former 300-foot requirement.

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

Based on the city's published summary of the 2024 ordinance update, no permit process is described for keeping backyard fowl in Paducah; the rules focus on setbacks, flock size, coop placement, cleanliness, and noise.

▸Where can I put my chicken coop on my property?

The 2024 amendment restricts coops to the rear yard of a property, and the enclosure must meet the 100-foot residence setback.

▸What happens if my chickens become a nuisance?

Excessive noise and uncleanliness are treated as nuisances under Code section 14-1. Violations trigger a notice, a 30-day remedy period, fines of up to $500, and further abatement steps (with inspections every 30 days) if problems aren't fixed, up to $2,500 in total fines, with appeals handled by the Code Enforcement Board.

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