Backyard Chickens in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Can you keep chickens in Tulsa?

Thinking about starting a backyard flock in Tulsa? The city permits a small home flock without a permit, but there are specific rules on flock size, coop placement, and sanitation you'll want to follow to stay on the right side of Title 2 of the Tulsa Revised Ordinances — and to keep the peace with your neighbors if you're hoping to add a rooster.

Yes – with conditions

Yes. The City of Tulsa allows backyard chickens under Tulsa Revised Ordinances, Title 2 (Animals), Chapter 2, Ordinance 200. In areas not zoned agricultural, a household may keep hens under specific conditions, and additional (looser) rules apply in agricultural (AG) zoned areas. No permit is required to keep a backyard flock within the numerical limits.

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: 50 ft.

Peggy knows Tulsa

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Under Title 2, Chapter 2, Ordinance 200, Section E of the Tulsa Revised Ordinances, poultry kept in areas not zoned for agriculture may not exceed six (6) adult chickens and fourteen (14) chicks under 8 weeks of age. The coop/pen must be located no closer than 50 feet from any adjoining residence, floors must be of easily cleanable construction and kept sanitary by routine cleaning/droppings removal, and outside openings must be screened to prevent flies and vermin.

In property zoned agricultural (AG), poultry pens/buildings may instead be located as close as 100 feet from an adjoining property line (Section D), with more relaxed numeric limits than the non-AG rule.

Roosters are not outright banned under the currently enforced ordinance, but the City has repeatedly discussed restricting them, and rooster crowing is regulated under Tulsa's separate noise/disturbing-the-peace ordinance (Title 27, Chapter 14) — meaning a rooster can still generate a nuisance citation even though it isn't specifically prohibited by Title 2. Be aware that a 2019 city-drafted rewrite (posted on the City's own website) proposed raising the hen limit to 8, tightening the setback to 40 feet, and banning roosters over 8 weeks old, but reporting indicates these proposed changes were not fully adopted and city councilors were still debating rooster provisions as late as 2021.

Distributing baby chicks in groups of fewer than 12, or locking/tying the wings of any fowl, is separately prohibited under Title 2, Chapter 4.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Tulsa

🌡️ Climate

Humid Subtropical (Köppen Cfa) — USDA Hardiness Zone 7a

Tulsa has hot, humid summers (frequently 90–100°F) and cold winter snaps, with an annual precipitation of roughly 40+ inches and occasional ice storms. Coops should provide strong summer ventilation and shade, plus wind-blocking and supplemental heat/insulation for winter cold spells and ice events.

🦝 Who's after your hens

RaccoonHawkFoxCoyoteSnakeOpossumSkunk

Tulsa-area flocks face pressure from raccoons, opossums, and skunks raiding coops at night; hawks and owls targeting free-ranging birds by day; and coyotes and foxes on the urban fringe. Rat/king snakes are also common egg thieves in warm months. Secure, buried-wire runs and a fully enclosed, predator-proof coop are strongly recommended.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

Heat- and cold-tolerant dual-purpose breeds do well in Tulsa's variable climate, such as Australorps, Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpingtons, Wyandottes, and Easter Eggers.

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

Questions people ask about Tulsa

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

No. Multiple sources confirm that Tulsa does not require a permit to keep a backyard flock within the allowed limits.

▸How many chickens can I keep in Tulsa?

In areas not zoned agricultural, the ordinance allows up to 6 adult hens and 14 chicks under 8 weeks old per household.

▸Are roosters legal in Tulsa?

Roosters aren't explicitly banned under the current animal ordinance, but they are subject to the City's separate noise/disturbing-the-peace ordinance, so a crowing rooster can still result in a nuisance complaint. The City has considered prohibiting roosters over 8 weeks old in past ordinance rewrites, so this is worth confirming with Animal Welfare before adding one to your flock.

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

In non-agricultural zones, the poultry building/pen must be at least 50 feet from any adjoining residence. In agricultural (AG) zoned property, pens/buildings need only be 100 feet from the adjoining property line, not specifically from the residence.

▸What sanitation rules apply to my coop?

Coop floors must be of an easily cleanable construction and kept sanitary through routine cleaning and proper disposal of droppings, and outside openings must be screened to prevent the spread of flies and vermin.

City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Tulsa or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked September 3, 2026.