CA · verified 2026-10-28
Anaheim, CA
Short answerYes: the City of Anaheim code allows up to 24 birds per acre; roosters are banned; the cited code does not mention a permit; and the coop setback is 50 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Anaheim corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Anaheim corporate limits only. An HOA or neighborhood covenant can still ban hens. Those private rules are usually not public, so HenCheck does not look them up.
Primary source: Anaheim Municipal Code § 18.38.030 Animal Keeping (.020 confinement, .050 poultry).
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 24 per acre
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Code does not mention a permit
- Setback
- 50 ft
Code cite: Anaheim Municipal Code § 18.38.030 Animal Keeping (.020 confinement, .050 poultry).
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Anaheim Municipal Code § 18.38.030 Animal Keeping (.020 confinement, .050 poultry).
How many hens
“The number of poultry, birds, rabbits, and rodents shall not exceed one (1) animal per each eighteen hundred (1,800) square feet of the area of the lot upon which the animal is to be maintained;”
One bird for every 1,800 sq ft of lot (round up at 0.5), about 24 per acre. A 7,200 sq ft lot gets 4. Rabbits and pet birds count toward the same total.
Anaheim Municipal Code § 18.38.030 Animal Keeping (.020 confinement, .050 poultry).
Roosters
“roosters and peacocks shall not be permitted in any residential zone, unless otherwise specified in the underlying zone”
Permit and fee
Code does not mention a permit. Ask the city whether a permit is needed before you buy birds.
§ 18.38.030 lists no permit for poultry within these limits. Anaheim also adopts Orange County animal control rules (Chapter 8.24), which were not checked.
Setback / screening
“No equine, bovine, sheep, swine, goat or bird shall be kept, stabled, tethered, corralled or confined in any manner within fifty (50) feet of any structure used for human habitation, other than that of the owner, or within twenty (20) feet of any property line, except when kept in the dwelling.”
Keep the coop at least 50 ft from any neighbor’s home and at least 20 ft from every property line. On many city lots that rules out a coop entirely, so measure first.
Also in this section
Confinement
“Animals shall be tethered or maintained in coops, corrals, stables, or by other means of confinement satisfactory to the Planning Department.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Los Angeles, CA metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to California via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists California among the states it ships to, with chicks going out Mondays and Wednesdays from February to August and Wednesdays only from August to late October. Order sexed pullets if your city bans roosters or does not address them.
Feed store
Tractor Supply — Canyon Country (#2264)
Canyon Country — 16904 West Sierra Hwy, Canyon Country, CA 91351. (661) 252-1656. Store page lists livestock feed and farm supplies, including chicken coops, waterers and feeders.
Coop
OverEZ Medium Chicken Coop with Wooden 8 ft Chicken Run
Dimensions: Coop 50¼ in L × 52½ in W × 62¼ in H (includes nesting box), sized by OverEZ for up to 10 chickens; Wooden 8 ft run 8 ft W × 8 ft L × 6 ft 3 in H
Price: Coop $1,699.00 (Classic, Farmhouse or Coastal finish); Wooden 8 ft run $1,899.00. Prices as shown on overezchickencoop.com on 2026-10-22.
The coop footprint is about 4.2 ft × 4.4 ft and the run is 8 ft × 8 ft, so with the coop at the end of the run plan on roughly 8 ft × 12.5 ft. Measure your setback from the cited code before you pick a spot, and check any height limit: the run is 6 ft 3 in tall. OverEZ ships coops and runs by tractor-trailer freight to the end of your driveway; homes on roads a truck cannot reach may need to pick up at a freight terminal.
Vet
No verified poultry vet yet
We have not confirmed a clinic here that says it treats chickens. Call local vets and ask before you need one.
Verified 2026-10-28 against Anaheim Municipal Code § 18.38.030 Animal Keeping (.020 confinement, .050 poultry). at https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/anaheim/latest/anaheim_ca/0-0-0-105469. Read the live code before you build or order birds.