TX · verified 2026-10-21
Austin, TX
Short answerYes: the City of Austin code allows backyard hens, but the cited section sets no number; the cited code does not mention roosters; the cited code does not mention a permit; and the coop setback is 30 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Austin corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Austin 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: § 3-2-16 Enclosure for fowl.
At a glance
- Hen cap
- No number set in the cited code section
- Roosters
- Not addressed in the cited code
- Permit & fee
- Code does not mention a permit
- Setback
- 30 ft
Code cite: § 3-2-16 Enclosure for fowl.
The rule, quoted
Word for word from § 3-2-16 Enclosure for fowl.
How many hens
“A person shall keep fowl in an enclosure that meets the requirements of Section 3-2-11 (Enclosure Required) and has four secure sides with overhead cover.”
§ 3-2-16 sets rules for the enclosure but no number of birds.
§ 3-2-16 Enclosure for fowl.
Roosters
The cited code section does not mention roosters. Ask the city before you keep one.
Permit and fee
Code does not mention a permit. Ask the city whether a permit is needed before you buy birds.
Setback / screening
“An enclosure used to keep fowl must be located at least 30 feet from an adjacent residence or business structure, excluding the residence or business of the fowl's owner or handler.”
The 30 feet is measured to a neighbor's house or business, not the lot line. It rises to 50 feet if the fowl or enclosure creates a health hazard.
Also in this section
“An enclosure used to keep fowl must be located at least 50 feet from an adjacent residence or business structure if the fowl or the enclosure creates a health hazard.”
“An enclosure cannot exceed the height restrictions of a fence located on the owner or handler's property.”
Chickens count as fowl
“FOWL includes a chicken, turkey, goose, guinea hen, or duck.”
§ 3-1-1 Definitions.
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Austin, TX metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to Texas via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists Texas 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 — Buda (#1600)
Buda — 15555 Interstate Hwy 35, Buda, TX 78610. (512) 295-5169. 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 or Coastal finish; the Farmhouse finish was out of stock); Wooden 8 ft run $1,899.00. Prices as shown on overezchickencoop.com on 2026-10-21. OverEZ lists its smaller 5-chicken coop as out of stock.
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 islands or on roads a truck cannot reach may need to pick up at a freight terminal.
Vet
North Austin Animal Hospital
Austin — 5608 Burnet Road, Austin, TX 78756. Its exotic vet page lists chickens and ducks and mentions barnyard avians. Call (512) 459-7676; it asks for a deposit for most exotic appointments.
Verified 2026-10-21 against § 3-2-16 Enclosure for fowl. at https://library.municode.com/tx/austin/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT3ANRE_CH3-2REAN_ART2ENRE_S3-2-16ENFO. Read the live code before you build or order birds.