Backyard chickens in Santa Maria, California

Yes. The City of Santa Maria's Zoning Ordinance permits hen-keeping as an accessory, hobby-scale use in the R-1 (Single-Family Residential) district. Santa Maria Municipal Code (SMMC) § 12-6.03(e) lists "keeping of household pets, aviaries and greenhouses for domestic or hobby use" as a permitted use, but specifically states that "the keeping of roosters, goats, sheep, pigs, horses, cows or similar animals is specifically prohibited" in single-family residential zones. This zoning amendment (Ord. 2017-21) followed a 2018 Planning Commission action that allowed up to six hens within city limits for single-family residential properties, for personal (non-commercial) use only, with roosters banned and coops required to be kept 40 feet from any door or window of an adjoining residence.

Santa Maria enjoys a mild, coastal-influenced Mediterranean climate with cool, foggy mornings, moderate summer highs, and rare frost. This is generally favorable for keeping chickens year-round, though coastal fog and wind can increase dampness in coops, making good ventilation and dry bedding important.

Santa Maria's mix of agricultural land, riparian corridors along the Santa Maria River, and suburban edges supports populations of raccoons, opossums, skunks, coyotes, and hawks, all of which can prey on backyard flocks. Secure, fully-enclosed coops with hardware cloth (not chicken wire) and covered runs are recommended to deter climbing and digging predators as well as aerial hawks.