Backyard Chickens in Rochester, Minnesota

Can you keep chickens in Rochester?

Thinking about keeping hens in the Med City? Rochester allows backyard chickens with a City permit, capping most households at three hens, banning roosters, and requiring a 25-foot setback from neighboring homes. Here's everything Peggy's Happy Chickens fans need to know before building a coop in Rochester, MN.

Yes – with conditions

Yes, backyard chickens are legal in Rochester, Minnesota, but only with a license/permit. Rochester Code of Ordinances Chapter 3-4 (formerly § 113A) governs chicken permits, and it is unlawful to keep or harbor chickens on any premises without a valid permit.

With a standard permit, up to three hen chickens are allowed per premises. A permit for up to 12 hens may be issued if the applicant is involved in an educational or instructional activity, provided a letter is submitted explaining the connection to that activity. Roosters are never permitted under any circumstance. The City Council must approve every chicken permit application before it is issued, and the property may be inspected at any reasonable time by an animal control officer.

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: 3
Roosters: No
Permit required: Yes
Permit cost: $40
Setback from property line: 25 ft.

Peggy knows Rochester

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Under the ordinance text (§113A.02–113A.04), applicants must submit a scaled diagram showing the location, size, and distance of the coop/run from adjoining structures and property lines. Key physical requirements include:

Any coop and run must be located at least 25 feet from any residential structure on another premises.
Chickens must be kept confined at all times in a coop and run, which must be screened with a solid fence or landscaped buffer at least 4 feet high.
Coops may not exceed 10 square feet per chicken or 6 feet in total height; attached runs may not exceed 20 square feet per chicken or 6 feet in height.
Coops must be elevated (24 inches of clear space beneath) or built on resistant concrete construction, and feed/manure must be stored in rodent- and raccoon-proof containers (not in yard compost piles).
Premises must not be kept in an unhealthy, unsanitary, or noxious condition, and odors may not carry to adjacent properties.
Permits are biannual (valid through December 31 of the second year) with a City license fee; a breeder's permit is additionally required if more than nine animals total are kept on a residential property.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Rochester

🌡️ Climate

USDA Hardiness Zone 4b/5a

Rochester, Minnesota has a cold continental climate with long, harsh winters (average lows well below freezing, with cold snaps to -10°F or colder) and warm, humid summers. Coop insulation, draft-free but ventilated housing, and frostbite prevention for combs/wattles are essential considerations for keepers in this area.

🦝 Who's after your hens

RaccoonHawkFoxCoyoteOpossum

Southeastern Minnesota backyards near Rochester are subject to predation from raccoons and opossums seeking feed, hawks (especially red-tailed hawks) targeting free-ranging birds, and foxes or coyotes which are common in the wooded and agricultural land surrounding the city. Secure, hardware-cloth-covered runs and predator-proof feed storage are strongly recommended, consistent with the city ordinance's requirement for rodent- and raccoon-proof feed containers.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

Wyandotte, Chantecler, Buckeye, Rhode Island Red, Buff Orpington, Brahma

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

Questions people ask about Rochester

▸How many chickens can I keep in Rochester, MN?

With a standard permit, you may keep up to three hens on any premises. If you are involved in an educational or instructional program, the City Council may approve a permit for up to 12 hens.

▸Are roosters allowed in Rochester?

No. The ordinance specifically states no permit shall be issued for the keeping of any rooster chicken on any premises.

▸How much does a Rochester chicken permit cost?

The City's biannual (2-year) chicken/duck license fee is $40, though an optional $50 expedited processing fee can get a license issued within 72 hours.

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

Any chicken coop and run must be located at least 25 feet from any residential structure on another premises, per the City's permit checklist and ordinance.

▸Does my chicken permit need City Council approval?

Yes. Unlike a simple staff-issued license, chicken permit applications are reviewed by City staff for ordinance compliance and then must be approved by the City Council before the permit is issued.

City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Rochester or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked September 15, 2026.