Backyard Chickens in Peoria, Arizona

Can you keep chickens in Peoria?

Thinking about keeping hens in Peoria, Arizona? Thanks to a 2024 state law and the City's own Zoning Ordinance, backyard chicken-keeping is a permitted accessory use on single-family residential, suburban ranch, multi-family, and agricultural lots throughout Peoria — no permit needed for a small hen flock. Here's what Peoria's code actually says.

Yes – with conditions

Yes. Peoria's Zoning Ordinance expressly carves out the keeping of backyard fowl from the City's general animal-keeping rules in Chapter 16 of the Peoria City Code. In the City's single-family residential districts (R1-43 through R1-6), the Suburban Ranch district (SR-43/SR-35), Multi-Family Residential (RM-1), and General Agriculture districts, the Zoning Ordinance states: "Animals per Chapter 16 of the Peoria City Code, except for keeping of fowl, which shall be permitted pursuant to ARS § 9-462.10." (Secs. 21-411, 21-418, 21-427, 21-683/21-404).

That state statute is the vehicle through which Arizona's 2024 backyard-chicken law (House Bill 2325) operates. Under that state law, the bill allows residents to have up to six chickens in their backyard, and roosters are not allowed. Because Peoria's own zoning code defers to this state framework for fowl-keeping rather than imposing a separate municipal cap, the practical rule for Peoria residents is the statewide 6-hen/no-rooster standard.

Separately, Chapter 16 of the Peoria City Code contains general nuisance and sanitation rules that still apply to any animals or birds kept in the City: it is unlawful to keep animals or birds in a way that disturbs the peace of neighbors or creates offensive odors, and premises where animals, livestock, or birds are kept must be kept sanitary and are subject to inspection (§ 16-8). Chapter 16 also required that manure be removed from enclosures at least twice weekly and from the premises at least once weekly (§ 16-9(b)), though the City's 2024 zoning amendment confirms this general animal chapter no longer independently governs fowl-keeping standards where the state statute applies.

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: Not specified

Peggy knows Peoria

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Because Peoria's Zoning Ordinance routes backyard-fowl regulation to Arizona's statewide HB 2325 framework (ARS § 9-462.12, cited in the City's code as ARS § 9-462.10), the operative enclosure standards are the state-law defaults rather than a separate Peoria-specific coop ordinance:

The coop, which must be cleaned twice a week, can be a maximum of 200 square feet and up to 8 feet high.
It also requires composted manure to be kept in a way that prevents the migration of insects, water sources to have adequate overflow drainage, and feed to be stored in insect- and rodent-proof containers.

Separately, Peoria's general animal-keeping chapter (Chapter 16) requires that any premises where birds/poultry are kept be maintained in a sanitary condition and be subject to City inspection (§ 16-8), and (outside the fowl exemption) requires manure to be removed from enclosures twice weekly and from the premises weekly (§ 16-9(b)). Note that Chapter 16's 40-foot residence setback and 2-mammal-per-20,000-sq-ft density rule (§ 16-9(d)) apply only to "mammals" — Peoria's code defines mammal as "any animal except birds/fowl or reptiles" — so that particular distance rule does not, by the code's own terms, apply to chickens. Always confirm current enclosure placement with Peoria Planning & Zoning, since accessory-building setback rules in the Zoning Ordinance (e.g., Sec. 21-315/21-414) can still affect where a coop structure may be sited on a lot.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Peoria

🌡️ Climate

Hot desert (Köppen BWh) — USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 9b/10a

Peoria sits in the Sonoran Desert on the western edge of the Phoenix metro area, with scorching summers (regularly 105°F+ in June–August) and mild, dry winters. Backyard flocks need heavy shade, ventilation, and constant access to cool water during summer; heat stress is a far bigger risk to Peoria hens than cold ever is.

🦝 Who's after your hens

HawkCoyoteSnakeBobcatSkunk

Peoria's desert-adjacent neighborhoods, washes, and canal corridors bring red-tailed hawks and other raptors, coyotes, bobcats, rattlesnakes and gopher snakes, and skunks into contact with backyard flocks. A fully covered, hardware-cloth-wrapped run (not just chicken wire) is strongly recommended to deter both aerial and digging predators.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

Leghorn, Easter Egger, Egyptian Fayoumi, Andalusian, Naked Neck (Turken), Australorp

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

Questions people ask about Peoria

▸Do I need a permit to keep chickens in Peoria, AZ?

No. Peoria's Zoning Ordinance permits the keeping of fowl as an accessory use in residential and agricultural districts pursuant to state law, and no municipal chicken permit is required for a typical backyard flock.

▸How many chickens can I keep in Peoria?

Peoria's zoning code defers to Arizona's statewide backyard-chicken law (HB 2325), which allows up to six chickens per single-family residential lot.

▸Are roosters allowed in Peoria?

No. Under the state law that governs fowl-keeping in Peoria, roosters are not allowed.

▸What size does my coop need to be?

Under the state standard Peoria's code incorporates, a coop can be up to 200 square feet and up to 8 feet high, and must be cleaned at least twice a week with proper manure, water-drainage, and feed-storage management.

▸Does Peoria's general animal ordinance (Chapter 16) still apply to my chickens?

Some general nuisance and sanitation provisions of Chapter 16 (keeping premises sanitary, not creating offensive odors or disturbing neighbors) still apply to any animals or birds, but the specific distance/density rule in Section 16-9(d) applies only to "mammals," which the code defines to exclude birds/fowl.

City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Peoria or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked September 14, 2026.