The City of Albany allows residents to keep up to 6 hens (no roosters) in their backyard with a permit. Keeping a coop in your backyard offers significant neighborly opportunities. Perhaps you and your neighbors can share a coop (and the eggs the hens produce). Or maybe you provide the coop, and a neighbor provides the range. Either way, six hens produce 28 eggs on average per week, and you form a closer bond with your neighbors. With extra eggs you might make a quiche for the family down the street or start a monthly brunch for the block. That’s good for community in Albany.

To obtain a permit for chickens please read the instructions from the City of Albany Municipal Code:

10-6.10 Chickens (Hens), Rabbits.

It shall be unlawful to keep chickens or rabbits within the City limits unless a proper permit has been issued by the Community Development and Environmental Resources Department. A permit allows an individual to own up to six (6) female chickens or rabbits. Roosters are expressly forbidden. The following conditions must be met in order to secure a permit:

     a. The proposed housing and animals' premises must be separate from the guardian's/owner's house and at least fifty (50') feet from any residence or business not owned by the guardian/owner or, alternatively, every party whose properties border on the area affected by the animal premises must give their unanimous written consent to the City for this permit to be granted.

     b. The design of the proposed housing will provide a safe and humane facility for the chickens or rabbits as described in subsection 10-2.1.

10-2.1

All animals and all premises, enclosures or structures wherein animals are kept shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary and secure condition, free from all obnoxious odors and substances. All animals and all premises, enclosures or structures wherein animals are kept shall be thoroughly cleaned, and all debris, refuse, manure, urine, waste food, or other removable material shall be removed therefrom every day or more often as necessary. (Ord. #98-02, §1; Ord. #04-03, §1)

Required permits are obtained from the Community Development Department.

If you would like to learn more about raising backyard chickens please visit: www.backyardchickens.com