Backyard Chickens in Puyallup, Washington

Can you keep chickens in Puyallup?

Thinking about keeping hens in Puyallup? Good news — backyard chickens (and even roosters, geese, ducks, and miniature goats) are welcomed under the City's Municipal Code, as long as you respect lot-size-based flock limits, coop setbacks, and the City's noise rules. Here's what Peggy's Happy Chickens found when we read the actual ordinance.

Yes – with conditions

Yes. Under Puyallup Municipal Code (PMC) § 8.08.010, the keeping of small farm animals, including chickens, geese, ducks, other domestic fowl, rabbits, and miniature goats, is a permitted accessory use to a residence in the City of Puyallup, subject to density, structure-location, and sanitation standards. The City's own Code Compliance guidance confirms that chickens and roosters, along with other domestic fowl such as geese and ducks, are allowed in the City of Puyallup under certain conditions.

There is no flat numeric cap on hens — instead the number of fowl is tied to lot size, and structures must meet a 50-foot (or 25-foot for uncovered runs) setback from neighboring residences (§ 8.08.010(1), (3)).

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: No Set Limit
Roosters: conditional
Permit required: No
Permit cost: Not specified
Setback from property line: 50 ft.

Peggy knows Puyallup

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Per PMC § 8.08.010, the maximum number of all fowl permitted accessory to a residence is tied to lot size rather than a flat cap: "One per 1,000 square feet of lot area on lots less than one-half acre" and "One per 500 square feet of lot area on lots greater than one-half acre."

Structure setback: Coops/pens housing domestic fowl or rabbits must be located at least 50 feet from the nearest portion of any residence, dwelling, hotel, or apartment house; an uncovered runway or enclosure may instead be as close as 25 feet from a neighboring residence.
Rodent-proofing: Structures must be designed to deter rodents – e.g., raising the floor 8–12 inches above grade, using portable pens moved every few days with ground cleanup, or an equivalent technique.
Rabbits may be kept alongside fowl at up to roughly 3.5 sq ft of hutch space per rabbit (max. two dozen), and miniature (pygmy/dwarf) goats are allowed on lots of at least 6,000 sq ft at a ratio of two goats per 10,000 sq ft, with males neutered.
Noise: The City's own guidance stresses that rooster/fowl owners must ensure compliance with the City's noise ordinance, which prohibits frequent, repetitive, or continuous animal noise that unreasonably disturbs neighbors' peace and comfort; a bird that repeatedly violates this is subject to impoundment.
Running at large: It is unlawful to allow any fowl, rabbit, or goat kept under this chapter to run at large on streets, alleys, or public places (§ 8.08.040).

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Puyallup

🌡️ Climate

USDA Hardiness Zone 8b (Marine West Coast / Pacific Northwest)

Puyallup sits in the Puget Sound lowlands with mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Flocks need good winter ventilation combined with draft-free roosts to manage damp cold, and ample shade plus cool water in the brief but sometimes hot July–August stretch. Year-round regional rainfall makes well-drained, rodent-resistant coop flooring and runs (as required by PMC § 8.08.010(3)(b)) especially important to prevent mud and moisture-related health issues.

🦝 Who's after your hens

RaccoonHawkCoyoteOpossumSkunk

In Puyallup's mix of suburban neighborhoods and nearby riverbanks/foothills, raccoons and opossums are frequent nighttime coop raiders, while hawks pose a daytime threat to free-ranging birds in open yards. Coyotes and skunks are also regularly reported in and around Pierce County residential areas, making secure, rodent-proof, predator-resistant coop construction (as emphasized in the City's ordinance) essential.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

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

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

Questions people ask about Puyallup

▸How many chickens can I keep in Puyallup?

There's no flat numeric cap. Instead, PMC § 8.08.010(1) ties the number of fowl to your lot size: one bird per 1,000 square feet on lots under half an acre, or one per 500 square feet on lots over half an acre.

▸Are roosters allowed in Puyallup?

Yes, roosters are permitted along with hens and other domestic fowl, but owners must ensure their birds don't violate the City's noise ordinance, which prohibits frequent, repetitive, or continuous animal noise that disturbs neighbors; repeat noise violations can lead to impoundment.

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

The City's fowl-keeping standards in PMC § 8.08.010 do not impose a separate chicken permit or license requirement – the rules instead focus on density limits, coop placement, and sanitation.

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

Coops or pens must be at least 50 feet from the nearest neighboring residence. If the birds are kept in an open runway or enclosure rather than a full structure, that distance may be reduced to 25 feet.

▸Can I also keep rabbits or goats with my chickens?

Yes. The same chapter allows rabbits (about 3.5 sq ft of hutch space each, up to two dozen) and miniature pygmy/dwarf goats on lots of at least 6,000 sq ft, at two goats per 10,000 sq ft, with male goats required to be neutered.

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