Backyard chickens in Valley Stream, New York
Everything you need to know before you start a backyard flock in Valley Stream – the rules, the climate and the neighbors with teeth.
Can you keep chickens in Valley Stream?
Thinking about keeping backyard hens in Valley Stream, New York? The Village doesn't ban chickens outright, but it treats them as a special-permission use: you must apply to and receive approval from the Board of Trustees before raising any poultry, and enforcement has historically been strict. Here's what Peggy's Happy Chickens found in the actual Village Code.
Yes – with conditions
Backyard chickens are technically permitted in the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream, but only with special discretionary approval — not as a right. Under the Village Code, "No person shall breed, raise, harbor or maintain any poultry, chickens, turkeys, ducks or any other fowl… without first obtaining the approval of the Board of Trustees" (§ 4-1). Every application must be submitted in writing with a $100 fee (§ 4-2), and "No permit shall be issued… in any case in which, in the judgment of the Board of Trustees, such purpose would create conditions likely to impair the health, peace, quiet and order of the Village" (§ 4-3) — giving the Board broad discretion to reject applications. Local reporting confirms that in practice "chicken ownership is legal by permit in the village, but applications have been summarily denied in recent years," and a Village Trustee has floated (but not yet enacted) friendlier guidelines. Because approval is case-by-case, prospective keepers should not assume chickens will be approved and must apply to the Board of Trustees before acquiring any birds.
The rules at a glance
- Hens in city limits
- Allowed
- How many hens
- No Set Limit
- Roosters
- Not Specified
- Permit required
- Yes
- Permit cost
- $100
- Setback from property line
- Not specified
Peggy knows Valley Stream
The rules, straight from the municipal code.
The Village Code does not set a numeric hen limit, rooster ban, or specific setback distance for poultry — instead it regulates fowl-keeping entirely through discretionary Board of Trustees approval. Once a permit is granted, "all yards or pens… shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition, and all filth accumulating in or about the same shall be removed with such frequency and in such a manner as the Village Board shall direct" (§ 4-4). A permit "may be revoked and annulled by the Board of Trustees upon proof of a violation" of the animal-keeping article (§ 4-5), and violations are treated as disorderly conduct punishable by "a penalty or fine of not more than $500 and/or 15 days in jail" (§ 4-6). Note: a Village Trustee has proposed (but as of the last reporting had NOT yet enacted) supplemental guidelines that would cap flocks at four chickens per half-acre, require rodent-proof feed containers, and mandate coops of at least four square feet placed at least 10 feet from any property line — treat these as pending, not current, law.
Keeping a flock happy in Valley Stream
🌡️ Climate
USDA Hardiness Zone 7a/7b
Valley Stream sits on the South Shore of Long Island in Nassau County, placing it in a mild coastal climate zone. Long Island falls in USDA hardiness zones 7a and 7b, some of the warmest in New York State, with average annual minimum winter temperatures generally between 0°F and 10°F. Coop insulation needs are moderate compared to upstate New York, but coastal humidity and occasional nor'easters mean good ventilation and moisture control are still important for flock health.
🦝 Who's after your hens
In dense suburban Nassau County villages like Valley Stream, the most common threats to backyard flocks are raccoons, opossums, and skunks raiding at night, along with red-tailed hawks and other birds of prey during the day. Foxes are occasionally reported in Long Island suburbs as well. Secure, predator-proof coop construction with hardware cloth (not chicken wire) and a fully enclosed run are strongly recommended.
🐔 Breeds that do well here
Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock, Orpington, Wyandotte, Australorp
Our package comes with two Rhode Island Reds – hardy in heat and cold, and friendly with kids.
Questions people ask about Valley Stream
▸Are backyard chickens legal in Valley Stream, NY?
Only with prior approval. Village Code § 4-1 states that "no person shall breed, raise, harbor or maintain any poultry, chickens… without first obtaining the approval of the Board of Trustees." There is no automatic right to keep chickens.
▸How much does a chicken-keeping permit cost in Valley Stream?
Applications must be submitted in writing with a permit fee of $100, per § 4-2 of the Village Code.
▸Can the Village deny my chicken permit application?
Yes. Under § 4-3, the Board of Trustees may refuse to issue a permit if, in its judgment, keeping the animals would "create conditions likely to impair the health, peace, quiet and order of the Village." Local news reporting notes that applications have been frequently denied in recent years.
▸Does Valley Stream specify a maximum number of hens or address roosters?
No — the current codified ordinance does not set a numeric hen cap or specifically address roosters; it instead regulates all fowl-keeping through case-by-case Board of Trustees approval. A Village Trustee has discussed proposed guidelines (e.g., a four-chickens-per-half-acre limit), but these were not confirmed as enacted law.
▸What happens if I keep chickens without a permit in Valley Stream?
Violating the animal-keeping article is treated as disorderly conduct, subject to a fine of "not more than $500 and/or 15 days in jail… for each violation" (§ 4-6), and any existing permit can be revoked for a violation (§ 4-5).
City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Valley Stream or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked September 7, 2026.
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