MD · verified 2026-10-26
Baltimore, MD
Short answerYes: the City of Baltimore code allows up to 4 birds; roosters are banned; a permit is required, but the code lists no fee; and the coop setback is 15 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Baltimore corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Baltimore 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: COBRA 13.03.01.04 Conditions for Keeping Allowed Wild, Exotic, Hybrid, and Livestock Animals, I. Hens (and 13.03.01.03 Prohibited animals).
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 4 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Permit required, fee not listed in the code
- Setback
- 15 ft
The rule, quoted
Word for word from COBRA 13.03.01.04 Conditions for Keeping Allowed Wild, Exotic, Hybrid, and Livestock Animals, I. Hens (and 13.03.01.03 Prohibited animals).
How many hens
“Four hens over the age of 1 month on a lot less than 2,000 square feet; and”
Four hens on a lot under 2,000 sq ft. Bigger lots get one more hen for every extra 1,000 sq ft, up to 10 hens in all.
COBRA 13.03.01.04 Conditions for Keeping Allowed Wild, Exotic, Hybrid, and Livestock Animals, I. Hens (and 13.03.01.03 Prohibited animals).
Roosters
“Fowl other than domesticated hens and pigeons.”
The prohibited-animals list in 13.03.01.03 bans all fowl other than domesticated hens and pigeons, so roosters are not allowed.
Permit and fee
“A permit is obtained from the Office of Animal Control;”
You also need a Maryland Poultry Premises Registration from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, plus any zoning or building approvals for the coop.
Setback / screening
“Is not within 15 feet of a residence;”
The coop must be at least 15 ft from any home, including your own.
Coop and run size
“Allows a minimum of 2 square feet per hen.”
Also in this section
State registration
“A Maryland Poultry Premises Registration is obtained through the Maryland Department of Agriculture; and”
Stay home
“Does not perch or roam on the property of others.”
Up to 10 hens
“One additional hen over the age of 1 month for every additional 1,000 square feet of lot area over 2,000 square feet, not to exceed a total of 10 hens.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Baltimore–Washington metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists Maryland and Virginia among the states it ships to, but its list does not name the District of Columbia, so DC residents should confirm with Cackle before ordering. Chicks go 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 — Glen Burnie (#1839)
Glen Burnie — 7994 Crain Hwy South, Glen Burnie, MD 21061. (410) 969-8900. 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 2026-10-26 against COBRA 13.03.01.04 Conditions for Keeping Allowed Wild, Exotic, Hybrid, and Livestock Animals, I. Hens (and 13.03.01.03 Prohibited animals). at https://codes.baltimorecity.gov/us/md/cities/baltimore/cobra/13.03.01.04. Read the live code before you build or order birds.