SC · verified 2026-10-21
Goose Creek, SC
Short answerYes: the City of Goose Creek code allows up to 4 birds; roosters are banned; a permit is required, but the code lists no fee; and the coop setback is 5 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Goose Creek corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Goose Creek 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: § 90.16 Keeping of domestic fowl.
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 4 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Permit required, fee not listed in the code
- Setback
- 5 ft
Code cite: § 90.16 Keeping of domestic fowl.
The rule, quoted
Word for word from § 90.16 Keeping of domestic fowl.
How many hens
“One chicken per 2,500 square feet is allowed per parcel, with a total maximum of four chickens allowed per parcel regardless of lot size.”
1 hen per 2,500 sq ft of lot, up to 4. A 7,500 sq ft lot gets 3.
§ 90.16 Keeping of domestic fowl.
Roosters
“Roosters are prohibited.”
Permit and fee
“No person shall keep hens on his or her premises within the city without first obtaining a completed and approved application (renewable annually) along with an annual compliance inspection and payment of a fee as set by the City Council.”
A building permit is also needed for the coop. Ask Animal Control for the fee.
Setback / screening
“Pens, coops, and enclosures shall be at least five feet from any property line.”
Coop and run size
“Hens must be confined in a coop not less than 18 inches in height and with a minimum square feet of floor area of two square feet per hen over four months of age, connected to a pen of not less than nine square feet for one bird; 12 square feet for two birds; 16 square feet for three birds; or 20 square feet for four birds, which shall be fully enclosed.”
Also in this section
“Coops and pens shall not exceed six feet in height measured from the ground.”
“Coops and pens must be located in the backyard of a single-family residence and must be screened from the front, side, and rear property lines by shrubbery or a privacy fence so as not to be visible from adjoining properties and from the street.”
“A building permit shall be obtained from the city for the construction of shelter structures and perimeter fences.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Charleston, SC metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to South Carolina via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists South 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 — Summerville West (#2715)
Summerville — 10524 Dorchester Rd, Summerville, SC 29485. (843) 376-7063. Has a Feed Center. Store page lists livestock feed and farm supplies, including chicken coops, waterers and feeders.
Coop
OverEZ Medium Chicken Coop (coop only; the OverEZ 8 ft run is 6 ft 3 in tall, over the city's 6 ft limit)
Dimensions: Coop 50¼ in L × 52½ in W × 62¼ in H (includes nesting box), sized by OverEZ for up to 10 chickens.
Price: Coop $1,699.00 (Classic or Coastal finish; the Farmhouse finish was out of stock), as shown on overezchickencoop.com on 2026-10-21. OverEZ lists its smaller 5-chicken coop as out of stock.
Coops and pens shall not exceed six feet in height measured from the ground.
The coop footprint is about 4.2 ft × 4.4 ft and it stands 62¼ in (about 5 ft 2 in), under the 6 ft cap. Goose Creek also requires an attached, fully enclosed pen (20 sq ft for 4 hens) no taller than 6 ft, screened from neighbors and the street. OverEZ ships by freight to the end of your driveway.
Vet
Exotic Vet Care
Mount Pleasant — 814 Johnnie Dodds Blvd A, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464. Its backyard poultry page says it cares for chickens, turkeys and other domestic poultry, plus ducks and geese. Call (843) 216-8387.
Verified 2026-10-21 against § 90.16 Keeping of domestic fowl. at https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/goosecreek/latest/goosecreek_sc/0-0-0-12687. Read the live code before you build or order birds.