Backyard chickens in Yuba City, California

Yes — hens are allowed in Yuba City. According to city zoning information cited by chicken-law directories, Yuba City, California Chicken Ordinance Are Chickens Allowed in this location yes Max Chickens Allowed 12 over 6 months, unlimited under 6 months of age Roosters Allowed Not over 6 months Permit Required none Coop Restrictions none. This 12-hen cap specifically For properties less than ½ acre in Yuba City, you can keep up to 12 chickens. A separate summary of the same rule confirms that Yuba City's chicken ordinance stipulates that one may keep a maximum of 12 chickens over the age of 6 months, while There is no specified limit for chickens under the age of 6 months. Full-grown roosters are effectively restricted — the ordinance only allows roosters that are not yet 6 months old — and a local newspaper letter-writer separately confirms this rooster-specific enforcement gap, noting complaints have gone nowhere due to the currently enacted ordinance pertaining only to roosters.

Yuba City sits in California's Sacramento Valley, where summers are long, dry, and often exceed 100°F, while winters are mild and wet with only occasional light frost. Chicken keepers should prioritize heat management — shade, ventilation, and cool water — over cold protection for most of the year.

Backyard flocks in the Yuba City area should be secured against common Central Valley predators including raccoons, foxes, coyotes, hawks, opossums, and skunks. A fully enclosed run with hardware cloth (not chicken wire) and a secure, locking coop door are strongly recommended, especially since the area also has a large population of free-roaming feral chickens that can attract predators to residential neighborhoods.