SC · verified 2026-08-30
West Columbia, SC
Short answerYes: the City of West Columbia code allows up to 4 birds; roosters are banned; the code lists a permit fee of Zoning permit plus $20.00 inspection; and the coop setback is 25 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of West Columbia corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of West Columbia 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: Sec. 6-3-20 Keeping of domestic chickens.
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 4 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Zoning permit plus $20.00 inspection
- Setback
- 25 ft
Code cite: Sec. 6-3-20 Keeping of domestic chickens.
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Sec. 6-3-20 Keeping of domestic chickens.
How many hens
“No more than a total of four (4) domestic chickens may be kept or maintained on a single premises. No roosters shall be allowed;”
Sec. 6-3-20 Keeping of domestic chickens.
Roosters
“No roosters (mature male domestic chickens) shall be permitted within the city limits;”
Permit and fee
“A certificate of inspection from the animal services department, issued pursuant to this section, for which an inspection fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be paid;”
You need a zoning permit for the coop as an accessory structure, plus a $20 inspection certificate from animal services. If the lot is in an HOA, the city also wants written HOA approval (or a written statement that no covenants apply). A city permit does not override covenants.
Setback / screening
“Coops must be located in the rear yard and at least twenty-five (25) feet from all property lines. A coop must be screened from side or rear lot lines with shrubbery or a privacy fence if any portion of the coop or run is located within thirty (30) feet of a structure or pool on an adjacent property.”
25 feet from every property line is a hard minimum, rear yard only. Also screen from public rights-of-way, and keep the coop or run at least 5 feet from a house on the same lot.
Coop and run size
“Coops must have a minimum height of eighteen (18) inches. Coops shall contain at least two (2) square feet in bottom surface area per chicken over four (4) months of age and must be connected to a run of not less than nine (9) square feet for one (1) bird; twelve (12) square feet for two (2) birds; sixteen (16) square feet for three (3) birds; or twenty (20) square feet for four (4) birds over four (4) months of age, which shall be fully enclosed.”
Also in this section
“The keeping of domestic chickens (excluding roosters) is permitted only as an accessory use for a single family detached house in a residential zoning district.”
“Chickens shall not be kept or used for commercial purposes. No person may sell eggs laid by chickens kept in the corporate limits of the city;”
“Slaughter is prohibited within public view, within view of private property, or within view of public rights-of-way. Slaughter is permitted only for personal consumption by persons at the property on which the coop and run are located;”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to South Carolina (and most U.S. states) via USPS Priority Mail, typically Monday and Wednesday hatches. West Columbia bans roosters, so order sexed pullets, not straight-run. Cap is four hens, so a 3- or 4-pullet order is the legal flock.
Feed store
Tractor Supply, Columbia Southeast (#2329)
Columbia — 7831 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC 29209. Across the river from West Columbia. Stocks livestock/poultry feed, chick starter, layer pellets, waterers, and coops.
Coop
OverEZ Medium Chicken Coop (coop only; pair it with a run no taller than 6 ft)
Dimensions: Coop 50¼ in L × 52½ in W × 62¼ in H (includes nesting box), sized by OverEZ for up to 10 chickens. OverEZ's Wooden 8 ft run is 8 ft W × 8 ft L × 6 ft 3 in H, which is taller than West Columbia allows.
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.
West Columbia requires at least 18 in coop height, 2 sq ft of coop floor per chicken (8 sq ft for four), a 20 sq ft fully enclosed run for four birds, six-sided construction, and no part of the coop or run over 6 ft high. This coop is 62¼ in (about 5 ft 2 in) tall, has a floor and a roof, and its outside footprint including the nesting box is about 18 sq ft (OverEZ does not list the interior floor area separately). Do not use OverEZ's 6 ft 3 in wooden run here: it is over the 6 ft cap. Use a fully enclosed run of at least 20 sq ft that stays at or under 6 ft.
The coop footprint is about 4.2 ft × 4.4 ft. West Columbia requires 25 ft from every property line in the rear yard, so the limiting factor is lot size, not the coop. Screen from public rights-of-way, and if any part of the coop or run is within 30 ft of a neighbor's building or pool, screen the side or rear lot line. OverEZ rates the coop for up to 10 chickens, but West Columbia's cap is still four.
Vet
Sunset Animal Clinic
West Columbia — 127 Professional Avenue, West Columbia, SC 29169. Lists chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys among exotic and barnyard avian patients. Call (803) 791-5575 to confirm they are accepting poultry before you need an emergency visit.
Verified 2026-08-30 against Sec. 6-3-20 Keeping of domestic chickens. at https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/westcolumbia/latest/wcolumbia_sc/0-0-0-4846. Read the live code before you build or order birds.