Backyard chickens in Pflugerville, Texas

Yes. Pflugerville's Code of Ordinances, Chapter 90 (the "Animal Welfare Ordinance," Ordinance 1468-20-11-24) does not prohibit keeping hens. Under the chapter's definitions (§ 90.02), a DOMESTIC ANIMAL lawfully kept as a pet includes "Any birds commonly kept as pets, or any bird kept for falconry purposes by a state and federally permitted falconer." Hens fall into this pet-bird category and are not singled out for a numeric cap, distance rule, or permit in the animal code.

Roosters are treated very differently: the ordinance's definition of LIVESTOCK expressly lists "roosters" alongside horses, cattle, sheep, goats, llamas/alpacas and hogs. Because roosters are legally "livestock," they fall under § 90.75, which makes it an offense to keep livestock "except in conformance with the zoning ordinances of the city," and requires any livestock enclosure to sit at least 50 feet from adjoining residential property, from any occupied structure other than the owner's own home, and from parks/schools. So roosters are allowed only conditionally — if the coop/run meets that 50-foot livestock setback and complies with zoning. All poultry housing, whether for hens or roosters, must also meet the general enclosure standards of § 90.22 (secure, sanitary, pest- and odor-free) and avoid becoming a "public nuisance" under § 90.21 (e.g., excessive noise or offensive odor detectable across the property line).

Pflugerville sits in Central Texas just northeast of Austin, in a humid subtropical climate. Summers are long, hot and humid with highs regularly in the mid-90s°F, while winters are short and mild with only occasional hard freezes into the high teens/low 20s°F. This climate favors heat-tolerant, well-ventilated coop designs with shade and plenty of fresh water access in summer, plus simple draft-free shelter for the rare winter cold snap.

Suburban Central Texas flocks in Pflugerville commonly face raccoons and opossums raiding coops at night, hawks (including red-tailed hawks) targeting free-ranging birds by day, rat snakes going after eggs and chicks, and coyotes and skunks occasionally testing perimeter fencing, especially near the greenbelts and creek corridors that run through the city.