CA · verified 2026-10-22
San Diego, CA
Short answerYes: the City of San Diego code allows up to 5 birds; roosters are banned; the cited code does not mention a permit; and the setback is not verified yet.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of San Diego corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of San Diego 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: §42.0709 Fowl, Rabbits, Racing or Homing Pigeons or Fancy Pigeons, Maintenance—Regulations and Exceptions
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 5 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Code does not mention a permit
- Setback
- Not verified yet
The rule, quoted
Word for word from §42.0709 Fowl, Rabbits, Racing or Homing Pigeons or Fancy Pigeons, Maintenance—Regulations and Exceptions
How many hens
“Up to five chickens may be kept on a premises, provided that the coop is located outside of all required setbacks as established by Chapter 13, Article 1 of this Code;”
Five is the base limit on a single-dwelling lot. Up to 15 are allowed if the coop is also at least 15 ft from the property line, and up to 25 if the coop and run are at least 50 ft from any home.
§42.0709 Fowl, Rabbits, Racing or Homing Pigeons or Fancy Pigeons, Maintenance—Regulations and Exceptions
Roosters
“No rooster shall be permitted on the premises.”
Permit and fee
Code does not mention a permit. Ask the city whether a permit is needed before you buy birds.
Setback / screening
“Up to five chickens may be kept on a premises, provided that the coop is located outside of all required setbacks as established by Chapter 13, Article 1 of this Code;”
For up to five hens the coop must sit outside the zone’s required setbacks in Chapter 13, Article 1, which vary by zone. Check your zone before you pick a spot.
Coop and run size
“A minimum of six square feet of area per chicken.”
Also in this section
Up to 15 hens
“Up to fifteen chickens may be kept on a premises, provided that the coop is located outside of all required setbacks, as established by Chapter 13, Article 1 of this Code, or 15 feet from the property line, whichever is greater; and”
Up to 25 hens
“Up to twenty-five chickens may be kept on a premises, provided that the coop and the enclosure are a minimum of 50 feet from any structure used for residential purposes.”
Run size
“A minimum of ten square feet of ground area per chicken.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared San Diego, CA metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to California via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists California 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 — El Cajon (#2010)
El Cajon — 14140 Olde Hwy 80, El Cajon, CA 92021. (619) 561-1230. 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 2026-10-22 against §42.0709 Fowl, Rabbits, Racing or Homing Pigeons or Fancy Pigeons, Maintenance—Regulations and Exceptions at https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter04/Ch04Art02Division07.pdf. Read the live code before you build or order birds.