Backyard Chickens in Tumwater, Washington

Can you keep chickens in Tumwater?

Thinking about keeping backyard hens in Tumwater, Washington? The Capital Region city allows female chickens on virtually any residential lot under two acres, with hen limits that grow with your lot size — but roosters are off the table everywhere in city limits, a rule the city has shown it will enforce with steep fines.

Yes – with conditions

Yes. Tumwater's municipal code allows female chickens (hens) as a matter of right on lots smaller than two acres, and larger allotments on bigger properties. Under Tumwater Municipal Code (TMC) §6.08.010(B)(1), lots one acre and larger are allowed up to ten female chickens plus one additional female chicken for every additional one thousand square feet of lot area beyond one acre. Smaller residential lots have their own caps: lots one-quarter acre or smaller may keep up to 5 hens, and lots between one-quarter acre and one acre may keep up to 9 hens. Roosters, however, are prohibited citywide — the code states plainly that roosters, geese, peacocks and other similar loud fowl are prohibited for larger acreage, and separately for smaller lots that roosters are prohibited and the chickens must be confined to the property. Enforcement is real: in 2021 a Tumwater family was fined nearly $10,000 for keeping roosters in a single-family zoned neighborhood, illustrating that the city actively enforces the no-rooster rule even on larger residential parcels.

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: 5
Roosters: No
Permit required: No
Permit cost: Not specified
Setback from property line: 5 ft.

Peggy knows Tumwater

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Tumwater's hen limits scale with lot size (TMC §6.08.010(B)(1)(b)): up to 5 hens on lots one-quarter acre or smaller, up to 9 hens on lots between one-quarter acre and one acre, and up to 10 hens (plus 1 more per additional 1,000 sq ft) on lots one acre or larger. Coop/enclosure placement rules for lots under two acres: suitable sanitary enclosures (chicken coops) must be provided. The enclosures may not be located within five feet of rear or side property lines. Enclosures are not allowed within fifteen feet of the front property line. Through-lots get an exception allowing an enclosure within 5 feet of a property line on one front yard, provided that yard is at the back or side of the structure. For larger properties (2+ acres), animal structures such as coops generally may not sit within 50 feet of a property line, except for smaller-lot allowances. Roosters, geese, peacocks, and other loud fowl are prohibited everywhere in the city, and free-roaming/'running at large' is separately banned under TMC §6.08.020. No permit or license is specified in the ordinance for keeping the allowed number of hens — the rules function as standards rather than a permitting scheme, though normal building permits could apply to larger coop structures under the city's general building code.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Tumwater

🌡️ Climate

USDA Hardiness Zone 8a/8b (Pacific Northwest Marine/Mediterranean climate)

Tumwater sits in the mild, wet Puget Sound lowlands. Winters are cool and rainy (rarely below freezing for long) while summers are mild and relatively dry. Chicken keepers generally don't need supplemental heat in winter but should prioritize dry, well-ventilated, weatherproof coops and covered runs to manage the region's heavy fall-to-spring rainfall and prevent mud and mold.

🦝 Who's after your hens

RaccoonHawkCoyoteOpossumWeasel

Western Washington's mix of urban-edge woodland and waterways supports healthy populations of raccoons, opossums, and weasels that target coops at night, plus hawks and coyotes that pose daytime and dusk risks, especially on larger, semi-rural Tumwater lots. Secure, buried-wire runs and hardware-cloth screening (not chicken wire) on all coop openings are strongly recommended.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

Orpington, Australorp, Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, Wyandotte

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

Questions people ask about Tumwater

▸How many hens can I keep in Tumwater?

It depends on lot size: up to 5 hens on lots a quarter-acre or smaller, up to 9 hens on lots between a quarter-acre and one acre, and up to 10 hens (plus 1 more per additional 1,000 sq ft) on lots one acre or larger, per TMC §6.08.010(B)(1)(b).

▸Are roosters allowed in Tumwater?

No. TMC §6.08.010 prohibits roosters on all lots regardless of size, along with geese, peacocks, and other loud fowl. The city has fined residents thousands of dollars for keeping roosters in violation of this rule.

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

The livestock ordinance (TMC Ch. 6.08) does not require a specific animal-keeping permit or license for the allowed number of hens — it sets standards on numbers, confinement, and coop placement instead.

▸How far from my property line does my coop need to be?

On lots under two acres, chicken enclosures cannot be within 5 feet of side or rear property lines, or within 15 feet of the front property line (with a limited exception for through-lots).

▸Can chickens free-range in my Tumwater yard?

Chickens must be confined to the owner's property, and TMC §6.08.020 separately makes it unlawful to let any animal, including chickens, run at large off the owner's property.

City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Tumwater or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked September 30, 2026.