Backyard Chickens in Round Rock, Texas

Can you keep chickens in Round Rock?

Thinking about raising chickens in Round Rock, Texas? Good news — the city allows backyard chickens, as long as your coop meets the required setback distance from your neighbors' homes. Here's what Peggy's Happy Chickens found in the actual municipal code.

Yes – with conditions

Yes, backyard chickens are legal in Round Rock, Texas, but the city caps the number of birds based on how far the pen is from a neighbor's dwelling. Under Round Rock Code of Ordinances Chapter 8, Article I, § 8-6 ("Limitations on number of fowl"), it is unlawful to keep fowl unless they are confined in an enclosed pen and kept within the numeric limits tied to setback distance.

If the enclosed pen is 50 feet or more from any dwelling occupied by someone other than the fowl's owner, up to 10 fowl (which includes chickens) may be kept. If the pen is less than 50 feet but more than 25 feet from such a dwelling, the limit drops to no more than five fowl. Pens closer than 25 feet to a neighboring dwelling are not permitted. This section does not apply to property zoned AG (Agricultural) or SF-R (a large-lot rural single-family zoning category), which are exempt from the numeric cap.

The city's general nuisance provision (§ 8-3) also makes it unlawful to keep any animal, including fowl, in a way that creates a public nuisance or health/safety menace, which can be invoked against noisy or malodorous flocks.

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: 10
Roosters: Not Specified
Permit required: No
Permit cost: Not specified
Setback from property line: 25 ft.

Peggy knows Round Rock

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

25 ft minimum: Fowl pens closer than 25 feet to any neighboring occupied dwelling are not allowed at all (§ 8-6(b)).
25–50 ft setback: Up to 5 total fowl permitted (§ 8-6(b)(2)).
50+ ft setback: Up to 10 total fowl permitted (§ 8-6(b)(1)).
Zoning exemption: Properties zoned AG or SF-R are exempt from these fowl-number limits entirely (§ 8-6(a)).
General nuisance rule: Regardless of numbers, keeping any animal (including fowl) in a way that creates a public nuisance or health/safety menace is unlawful under § 8-3, and animals causing 'disturbing noises' or 'noxious or offensive odors' can be declared a public nuisance animal per the Chapter 8 definitions.
No standard permit: The code's only fowl-related permit is a narrow FFA/4-H 'Educational Exemption Permit' (§§ 8-57, 8-58) that lets enrolled students exceed the normal numeric caps for school agriculture projects — it is not required for ordinary backyard flocks.
The definition of 'fowl' in § 8-2 expressly includes chickens, so hens and roosters are counted together toward the same cap; the ordinance does not set a separate rule for roosters.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Round Rock

🌡️ Climate

USDA Hardiness Zone 8b (portions 9a)

Round Rock sits in the Blackland Prairie/Balcones Escarpment area of central Texas, just north of Austin. Summers are hot and humid with many days over 95°F, while winters are short and mild with only occasional hard freezes, giving a long, nearly year-round growing/keeping season.

🦝 Who's after your hens

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Round Rock's mix of suburban neighborhoods, greenbelts, and creeks (like Brushy Creek) supports healthy populations of raccoons, opossums, and skunks that can raid coops at night, along with hawks and owls that hunt free-ranging birds during the day. Wooded and creekside areas on the city's edges also see foxes, coyotes, and snakes, so secure, buried-wire coop fencing and a fully covered run are strongly recommended.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

Heat-tolerant, hardy breeds do best in Round Rock's hot summers: Rhode Island Red, Australorp, Leghorn, Easter Egger, Barred Plymouth Rock, and Naked Neck (Turken) are popular choices for Central Texas backyard flocks.

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

Questions people ask about Round Rock

▸How many chickens can I keep in Round Rock?

Up to 10 fowl (including chickens) if your enclosed pen is 50 feet or more from any neighbor's dwelling, or up to 5 if the pen is between 25 and 50 feet away. Pens closer than 25 feet to a neighboring home are not allowed (Round Rock Code § 8-6).

▸Do I need a permit to keep backyard chickens in Round Rock?

No general permit is required for ordinary backyard flocks. The city's only fowl-related permit is a special exemption for FFA/4-H students who need to exceed the standard limits for school agricultural projects (§§ 8-57, 8-58).

▸Are roosters allowed in Round Rock?

The ordinance does not single out roosters — they're simply counted as part of your total 'fowl' allowance. However, the city's general nuisance rules (§ 8-3) could be enforced against a rooster (or any animal) whose crowing or noise disturbs neighbors, so check with Animal Control or your HOA before keeping one.

▸Is there a required setback distance for chicken coops in Round Rock?

Yes. Pens must be at least 25 feet from any neighboring occupied dwelling to be allowed at all, and at least 50 feet away to qualify for the higher 10-bird limit (§ 8-6).

▸Do these rules apply to every property in Round Rock?

No. Property zoned AG (Agricultural) or SF-R is exempt from the numeric fowl limits in § 8-6, though general nuisance and animal care provisions still apply.

City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Round Rock or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked September 17, 2026.