How many hens can I keep in Spokane, WA?

By lot size: 1 birds (per 1,000 sq ft of lot); 10 birds (on a 10,000 sq ft lot, the code’s example). The code says: “One animal or fowl, other than small livestock, per one thousand square feet of lot area.”

Are roosters allowed in Spokane, WA?

Banned. The code says: “Roosters and peacocks are only allowed in RA zone within the City.”

WA · verified 2026-10-30

Spokane, WA

Q: Is a permit required to keep chickens in Spokane, WA?

No permit required. The code says: “The keeping of small domestic animals is permitted outright in the RA, R1, R2, RMF, and RHD zones and any zone that permits dwelling units.”

Q: What is the coop setback in Spokane, WA?

Not verified yet. The code says: “A structure or enclosure for animals or fowl shall meet the setback requirements for accessory structures.”

Short answerYes: the City of Spokane code sets a birds limit by lot size (up to 1 on per 1,000 sq ft of lot and up to 10 on on a 10,000 sq ft lot, the code’s example); roosters are banned; no permit is required; and the setback is not verified yet.

Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Spokane corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.

Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Spokane 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: Spokane Municipal Code § 17C.310.115 Keeping of Small Domestic Animals (ORD C35087).

At a glance

Hen cap: By lot size: 1 birds (per 1,000 sq ft of lot); 10 birds (on a 10,000 sq ft lot, the code’s example)
Roosters: Banned
Permit & fee: No permit required
Setback: Not verified yet

Code cite: Spokane Municipal Code § 17C.310.115 Keeping of Small Domestic Animals (ORD C35087).

The rule, quoted

Word for word from Spokane Municipal Code § 17C.310.115 Keeping of Small Domestic Animals (ORD C35087).

How many hens

“One animal or fowl, other than small livestock, per one thousand square feet of lot area.”

One chicken per 1,000 sq ft of lot, so 10 on a 10,000 sq ft lot. Rabbits, miniature goats and other small domestic animals share the same lot-area budget.

Spokane Municipal Code § 17C.310.115 Keeping of Small Domestic Animals (ORD C35087).

Roosters

“Roosters and peacocks are only allowed in RA zone within the City.”

Roosters only in the RA (Residential Agriculture) zone.

Permit and fee

“The keeping of small domestic animals is permitted outright in the RA, R1, R2, RMF, and RHD zones and any zone that permits dwelling units.”

No permit for chickens. The WSU animal-keeping certificate required for other small domestic animals excludes chickens.

Setback / screening

“A structure or enclosure for animals or fowl shall meet the setback requirements for accessory structures.”

Coops follow the accessory-structure setbacks for residential zones (SMC 17C.111.240), which were not checked.

Also in this section

Chickens exempt from WSU certificate

“Owners of small domestic animals, including small livestock as defined in SMC 17A.020.040(AI)(2)(c) but excluding chickens, shall obtain animal keeping certification from Washington State University prior to keeping the animal”

Enclosure on a home lot

“An animal enclosure in a zone other than RA shall only be allowed to be constructed on a lot that contains a primary residential structure or on an adjacent lot when the two lots are occupied by the same owner or tenant.”

What to buy

Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.

Shared Spokane, WA metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.

Hatchery

Cackle Hatchery

Ships live chicks to Washington via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists Washington 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.

Order chicks

Feed store

Tractor Supply — Spokane Valley (#2772)

Spokane Valley — 13414 E Sprague Ave Ste 102, Spokane Valley, WA 99216. (509) 808-2755. Store page lists a livestock department.

Store page

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.

Coop product · Runs

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 Spokane Municipal Code § 17C.310.115 Keeping of Small Domestic Animals (ORD C35087). at https://my.spokanecity.org/smc/?Section=17C.310.115. Read the live code before you build or order birds.