Backyard Chickens in Sunnyvale, California

Can you keep chickens in Sunnyvale?

Thinking about keeping hens in Sunnyvale? The city's Municipal Code allows backyard chickens as regulated "small animals" — no permit needed — but caps flocks at six small animals total, bans adult roosters, and requires a 20-foot setback from neighboring homes. Here's what Peggy's Happy Chickens found when we read the actual ordinance.

Yes – with conditions

Yes. Sunnyvale's Municipal Code Title 6 (Animals), Chapter 6.09 "Small Animals and Livestock," defines chickens as a regulated "small animal" (§6.01.010) and permits them on residential property, subject to the following limits: no more than six small animals total may be kept on a property (§6.09.010(c)), and any rooster over four months of age is unlawful to keep or maintain (§6.09.010(b)). Coops/structures housing the birds must be at least 20 feet from any inhabitable dwelling unit other than the owner's/custodian's own home (§6.09.020(b)), and must otherwise comply with applicable zoning setbacks (§6.09.020(a)). The chapter does not establish any permit or fee requirement for keeping backyard chickens.

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: 6
Roosters: conditional
Permit required: No
Permit cost: Not specified
Setback from property line: 20 ft.

Peggy knows Sunnyvale

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Overall cap: No more than six "small animals" (a category that explicitly includes chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, pigeons and other fowl) may be kept on one property at a time (§6.09.010(c)).
Roosters: Unlawful to keep or maintain any rooster over four months of age (§6.09.010(b)) — young roosters may temporarily be kept but must be re-homed before that age.
Setback: Structures housing small animals must sit at least 20 feet from any inhabitable dwelling unit other than the keeper's own, and must otherwise meet zoning setback rules (§6.09.020).
Shelter/enclosure: Enclosures must give the birds shade, shelter, adequate space to stand/turn/lie down, protection from noise/teasing/injury, regular light cycles, and clean dry bedding (§6.09.080).
Sanitation: Enclosures must be kept clean and pest-controlled, with manure/waste/debris removed often enough to prevent odor and disease, and floors must be smooth/tight or an appropriately maintained wire floor to prevent standing waste (§6.09.090).
Waste storage: Manure, debris or other fly-attracting material must be kept in a fly-proof container until removed or buried as fertilizer (§6.09.100).
Food, water & vet care: Birds must have clean water at all times (refreshed every 24 hours unless on an automatic system), wholesome food stored in vermin-proof metal containers, and veterinary treatment from a California-licensed veterinarian when needed (§§6.09.030–6.09.050).
Confinement: Property must be fenced so animals cannot stray onto public streets, other private property, or shared common areas of a planned development/condo project (§6.09.070).
No livestock in residential districts: Chickens are classified as "small animals," not "livestock" (which covers larger domesticated bovine/equine/etc. species), so the separate ban on livestock in R districts (§6.09.010(a)) does not block backyard chickens.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Sunnyvale

🌡️ Climate

Mediterranean / USDA Hardiness Zone 9b-10a

Sunnyvale enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers typical of the South Bay/Silicon Valley. Summer highs regularly reach the mid-80s°F with occasional heat spikes into the 90s-100s, so coops need good cross-ventilation and shade. Winters are mild (rarely near freezing), so cold-hardiness is a minor concern compared to heat management and fire-season air quality in late summer/fall.

🦝 Who's after your hens

RaccoonHawkCoyoteOpossumSkunk

Raccoons are the most persistent nighttime coop raiders in Sunnyvale's tree-lined residential neighborhoods, and red-tailed hawks and other raptors pose a daytime threat to free-ranging birds, especially near parks, creeks, and the Baylands. Coyotes are increasingly seen in and around Sunnyvale's greenbelts and open-space areas bordering the Baylands and can access yards after dark, while opossums and skunks are drawn to feed and can raid poorly secured coops. Predator-proof wire, secure latches, and nightly lock-up are strongly advised given the 20-foot setback and enclosure requirements in §6.09.080.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

Leghorns, Australorps, Plymouth Rocks, Orpingtons, Easter Eggers, and other heat-tolerant, calm dual-purpose breeds do well in Sunnyvale's warm, dry summers and mild winters.

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

Questions people ask about Sunnyvale

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

No. Chapter 6.09 of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code, which governs the keeping of chickens as "small animals," does not impose any permit or fee requirement — it only sets care, sanitation, and setback standards.

▸How many chickens can I keep in Sunnyvale?

Up to six small animals total may be kept per property under §6.09.010(c). Since chickens fall under Sunnyvale's "small animal" definition along with other birds like ducks, geese, and pigeons, that six-animal cap applies to your combined flock of small animals, not chickens alone.

▸Can I have a rooster in Sunnyvale?

Only temporarily. Section 6.09.010(b) makes it unlawful to keep or maintain any rooster over four months of age, so mature crowing roosters are effectively not allowed within city limits.

▸How far from my neighbor's house does my coop need to be?

At least 20 feet from any inhabitable dwelling unit other than your own, per §6.09.020(b), and the structure must also comply with any additional zoning setbacks that apply to your property.

▸What sanitation rules apply to my coop?

Coops and enclosures must be kept clean and pest-controlled, with manure, food waste, and debris removed often enough to prevent odor, pests, and disease (§6.09.090), and any waste that could attract flies must be stored in a fly-proof container until removed or buried as fertilizer (§6.09.100).

City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Sunnyvale or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked August 6, 2026.