OH · verified 2026-10-29
Toledo, OH
Short answerYes: the City of Toledo code allows up to 6 birds; roosters are banned; no permit is required; and the coop setback is 25 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Toledo corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Toledo 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: Toledo Municipal Code § 1705.11 Keeping of chickens (Ord. 290-15).
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 6 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- No permit required
- Setback
- 25 ft
Code cite: Toledo Municipal Code § 1705.11 Keeping of chickens (Ord. 290-15).
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Toledo Municipal Code § 1705.11 Keeping of chickens (Ord. 290-15).
How many hens
“Number. No more than six (6) hens shall be allowed for each single-family dwelling.”
Up to six hens per single-family home. Anything outside § 1705.11 needs a variance permit from the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department.
Toledo Municipal Code § 1705.11 Keeping of chickens (Ord. 290-15).
Roosters
“Roosters. It is unlawful for any person to keep roosters.”
Permit and fee
“Permit. A permit shall not be required if the above conditions are met.”
A yearly variance permit from the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department is only needed to keep chickens outside these rules. Zoning (Part Eleven) was not checked.
Setback / screening
“Setbacks. Coops or cages housing chickens shall be kept at least twenty-five (25) feet from the door or window of any dwelling or occupied structure other than the owner's dwelling. Coops and cages shall not be located within five (5) feet of a side-yard lot line, nor within eighteen inches of a rear-yard lot line. Coops and cages shall not be located in the front yard.”
Coop at least 25 ft from the doors and windows of any neighbor’s home or occupied building, 5 ft from side lot lines, 18 in from the rear lot line, and never in the front yard.
Coop and run size
“The coop shall allow at least one square foot per hen.”
Also in this section
Covered, predator-proof coop
“Hens shall be provided with a covered, predator-proof coop or cage that is well-ventilated and designed to be easily accessed for cleaning.”
Fenced outdoor area
“Hens shall have access to an outdoor enclosure that is adequately fenced to contain the birds on the property.”
Slaughter out of sight
“Slaughtering. There shall be no outdoor slaughtering in the line of vision of any neighboring properties.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Toledo, OH metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to Ohio via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists Ohio 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 — Toledo (#145)
Toledo — 7718 West Central Ave, Toledo, OH 43617. (419) 841-5113. Store page lists a livestock department.
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 2026-10-29 against Toledo Municipal Code § 1705.11 Keeping of chickens (Ord. 290-15). at https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/toledo/latest/toledo_oh/0-0-0-154222. Read the live code before you build or order birds.