CA · verified 2026-10-30
Santa Clarita, CA
Short answerYes: the City of Santa Clarita code sets a small animals limit by lot size (up to 3 on 15,000–20,000 sq ft, up to 4 on 20,001–25,000 sq ft, up to 5 on 25,001–30,000 sq ft, up to 6 on 30,001–35,000 sq ft, up to 7 on 35,001 sq ft–1 acre and up to 8 on per acre over 1 acre); roosters are banned; the cited code does not mention a permit; and the coop setback is 50 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Santa Clarita corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Santa Clarita 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: Santa Clarita Municipal Code § 17.62.030 Keeping of Small Animals (Ord. 13-8).
At a glance
- Hen cap
- By lot size: 3 small animals (15,000–20,000 sq ft); 4 small animals (20,001–25,000 sq ft); 5 small animals (25,001–30,000 sq ft); 6 small animals (30,001–35,000 sq ft); 7 small animals (35,001 sq ft–1 acre); 8 small animals (per acre over 1 acre)
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Code does not mention a permit
- Setback
- 50 ft
Code cite: Santa Clarita Municipal Code § 17.62.030 Keeping of Small Animals (Ord. 13-8).
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Santa Clarita Municipal Code § 17.62.030 Keeping of Small Animals (Ord. 13-8).
How many hens
“Goats, sheep, miniature horses, potbellied pigs, poultry (excluding roosters) and other similar animals.”
Hens count as “other small animals” in the § 17.62.030 table, shared with goats, sheep and similar animals. Lots up to 15,000 sq ft get zero, so most standard lots cannot keep hens. More than the table allows needs a minor use permit.
Santa Clarita Municipal Code § 17.62.030 Keeping of Small Animals (Ord. 13-8).
Roosters
“Roosters shall be permitted on lots or parcels of land greater than one (1) acre in area, at a ratio of one (1) rooster per acre.”
Roosters only on lots over 1 acre, one per acre.
Permit and fee
“A minor use permit is required for the keeping of small animals in excess of the numbers permitted by this section.”
No permit within the table numbers. Above them you need a minor use permit (fee not checked).
Setback / screening
“In addition to Los Angeles County Health Department requirements, all buildings or structures, including, but not limited to, barns, corrals, training arenas, etc., used in conjunction with the keeping of small animals shall be located a minimum of fifty (50) feet from any street or highway or any building used for human habitation.”
Coop at least 50 ft from any street and from any home. The code does not exempt your own house.
Also in this section
Coop is an accessory structure
“In addition, all such structures or other enclosures shall be classified as an accessory structure and are subject to the development standards of the underlying zone in which it is located.”
Egg sales allowed
“Sale of eggs, honey or similar products shall be permitted on lots or parcels of land where the keeping of such animals is permitted.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Los Angeles, 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 — Canyon Country (#2264)
Canyon Country — 16904 West Sierra Hwy, Canyon Country, CA 91351. (661) 252-1656. 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 2026-10-30 against Santa Clarita Municipal Code § 17.62.030 Keeping of Small Animals (Ord. 13-8). at https://ecode360.com/48597667. Read the live code before you build or order birds.