Backyard Chickens in San Antonio, Texas

Can you keep chickens in San Antonio?

Dreaming of fresh eggs in the Alamo City? San Antonio residents can legally keep up to eight backyard chickens — including one rooster — without any permit, city inspection, or fee, making it one of the more flock-friendly big cities in Texas. Just keep the coop clean, sized right, and your birds contained, and you're good to go!

Yes – with conditions

Yes. San Antonio's Municipal Code, Section 5-107 (Animal Limits; Excess Animal Permit), allows a residence to keep up to eight (8) domestic fowl, of which only one (1) may be a rooster, without any permit.

If a resident wants to keep more than eight domestic fowl, they must obtain an Excess Animal Permit from Animal Care Services, which is valid for one year and comes with additional distance/setback requirements.

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: 8
Roosters: conditional
Permit required: No
Permit cost: $25
Setback from property line: 50 ft.

Peggy knows San Antonio

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Base flock (no permit needed): Up to 8 domestic fowl per residence, with a maximum of 1 rooster in that count.
Housing: All domestic fowl must be kept in a coop and run that is at least 24 square feet, or 6 square feet per bird — whichever is larger.
Nuisance/Sanitation: Fowl must be housed/confined so as not to create a nuisance, and sanitation must prevent the attraction of pests.
Roaming: Up to 8 fowl may temporarily roam outside the coop/run, but only within the owner's fenced property boundaries and only between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
Excess Animal Permit (needed for >8 fowl): $25 permit fee (1-year validity) plus a $25 inspection/re-inspection fee. Facilities are subject to inspection.
Setback for excess flocks: 9–25 fowl require the coop/run to be at least 50 ft from any neighboring occupied dwelling or business; 26–50 fowl require at least 75 ft; 51+ fowl require at least 100 ft plus a business license showing need for that many birds.
Rooster ratio for excess permits: Maximum of 1 rooster per every 10 authorized domestic fowl.
For flocks of 8 or fewer, there is no minimum setback distance from a neighbor's dwelling required by the base ordinance.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in San Antonio

🌡️ Climate

USDA Hardiness Zone 8b/9a — Humid Subtropical (Cfa)

San Antonio has long, hot, humid summers (frequently 95–100°F+) and mild, short winters with rare hard freezes. Heat stress, not cold, is the primary welfare concern for backyard flocks — coops need excellent ventilation, shade, and constant access to cool water.

🦝 Who's after your hens

RaccoonHawkCoyoteSnakeOpossumSkunk

San Antonio's mix of urban and brushy greenbelt terrain supports raccoons, opossums, and skunks that raid coops at night, hawks that hunt free-ranging birds by day, and coyotes and snakes common along the many creeks and undeveloped lots throughout the city. Secure, buried-wire coop bottoms and hardware-cloth (not chicken wire) enclosures are recommended.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

Leghorn, Easter Egger, Rhode Island Red, Australorp, Naked Neck (Turken)

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

Questions people ask about San Antonio

▸How many chickens can I have in San Antonio without a permit?

Up to eight (8) domestic fowl per residence, and only one of those may be a rooster, per Section 5-107 of the Municipal Code.

▸Can I keep a rooster in San Antonio?

Yes, one rooster is allowed within your base flock of eight fowl. If you obtain an Excess Animal Permit for a larger flock, you may keep one rooster for every ten authorized fowl.

▸Do I need a permit to keep backyard chickens in San Antonio?

No permit is required for up to eight domestic fowl. If you want more than eight, you must apply for a $25 Excess Animal Permit (1-year validity) from Animal Care Services.

▸Is there a setback distance for my chicken coop?

For a base flock of eight or fewer fowl, the ordinance does not set a minimum distance from a neighbor's home. If you have an Excess Animal Permit, setbacks apply: 50 ft for 9-25 fowl, 75 ft for 26-50 fowl, and 100 ft for 51+ fowl (plus a business license).

▸Can my chickens free-range in my yard?

Yes — up to eight fowl may roam outside the coop and run, as long as they stay within your fenced property boundaries and only between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with San Antonio or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked August 28, 2026.