NC · verified 2026-10-21
Ayden, NC
Short answerYes: the Town of Ayden code allows up to 6 birds; roosters are banned; the cited code does not mention a permit; and the coop setback is 10 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the Town of Ayden corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the Town of Ayden 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: § 91.01 KEEPING CERTAIN ANIMALS WITHIN TOWN LIMITS PROHIBITED.
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 6 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Code does not mention a permit
- Setback
- 10 ft
Code cite: § 91.01 KEEPING CERTAIN ANIMALS WITHIN TOWN LIMITS PROHIBITED.
The rule, quoted
Word for word from § 91.01 KEEPING CERTAIN ANIMALS WITHIN TOWN LIMITS PROHIBITED.
How many hens
“(1) No more than six hens shall be allowed for each single-family lot.”
§ 91.01 KEEPING CERTAIN ANIMALS WITHIN TOWN LIMITS PROHIBITED.
Roosters
“Roosters are not permitted.”
Permit and fee
Code does not mention a permit. Ask the city whether a permit is needed before you buy birds.
Setback / screening
“(6) Chicken coops must be situated at least ten feet from all property lines and must be situated in the back yard of the residence at all times.”
Also in this section
“(4) Chicken coops must be a minimum of four square feet in area for each chicken; maximum size of a single chicken coop shall be 30 square feet.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Greenville (Pitt County), NC area list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to North Carolina via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists North Carolina 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 — Winterville (#501)
Winterville — 3985 South Memorial Dr, Winterville, NC 28590. (252) 353-7400. 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
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 2026-10-21 against § 91.01 KEEPING CERTAIN ANIMALS WITHIN TOWN LIMITS PROHIBITED. at https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/aydennc/latest/ayden_nc/0-0-0-2567. Read the live code before you build or order birds.