GA · verified 2026-10-21
Douglasville, GA
Short answerYes: the City of Douglasville code allows up to 10 birds; the cited code does not mention roosters; the cited code does not mention a permit; and the hen section sets no numeric setback.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Douglasville corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Douglasville 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: Sec. 18-42. Confinement of animals generally, vicious animals, etc. (i)
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 10 hens
- Roosters
- Not addressed in the cited code
- Permit & fee
- Code does not mention a permit
- Setback
- No numeric setback in the hen section
Code cite: Sec. 18-42. Confinement of animals generally, vicious animals, etc. (i)
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Sec. 18-42. Confinement of animals generally, vicious animals, etc. (i)
How many hens
“No more than ten chickens shall be permitted per lot.”
Sec. 18-42. Confinement of animals generally, vicious animals, etc. (i)
Roosters
The cited code section does not mention roosters. Ask the city before you keep one.
Sec. 18-42 does not mention roosters, but it bars any fowl that is a menace or nuisance to neighbors.
Permit and fee
Code does not mention a permit. Ask the city whether a permit is needed before you buy birds.
Setback / screening
No numeric setback in the hen section.
Sec. 18-42 sets no coop distance. Accessory-structure setbacks for your zoning district still apply, so check with Community Development.
Also in this section
“Chickens kept for personal, non-commercial purposes may be permitted provided the following requirement is met:”
“It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having control of any chickens, ducks, horses, cows, goats, pigs or any other type of animal, livestock or other fowl within the city to permit them to run at large or be a menace or nuisance to such person's neighbors or the public in general.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Atlanta, GA metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to Georgia via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists Georgia 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 — Fairburn (#2627)
Fairburn — 8015 Senoia Rd, Fairburn, GA 30213. (770) 964-2082. Has a Feed Center. 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
Shepherd's Heart
Atlanta (mobile, house calls) — Mobile vet serving Atlanta and metro Atlanta, with no clinic address. Its services page says it sees chickens, ducks and other farm animals. Book through its website.
Verified 2026-10-21 against Sec. 18-42. Confinement of animals generally, vicious animals, etc. (i) at https://library.municode.com/ga/douglasville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH18AN_ARTIVRE_S18-42COANGEVIANET. Read the live code before you build or order birds.