Can I keep backyard chickens in Pasadena, California?
Yes, hens are allowed if you register with the city poundmaster. Keep chickens at least 35 feet from any neighbor's home and out of zoning setbacks, give each bird at least 10 sq ft of permeable enclosure, and keep no more than 10 fowl and rabbits in total. Roosters are banned citywide.
| Registration | Required with the poundmaster (self-certification of compliance) [3] |
| Coop distance from others' dwellings | 35 ft, and not in a zoning-code setback [1] |
| Roosters | Prohibited in Pasadena [1] |
| Enclosure size | At least 10 sq ft of permeable land per chicken [2] |
| Max number | 10 total chickens, other fowl, rabbits and parrots [4] |
| Ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons | 50 ft from street and property lines; 100 ft from others' dwellings [5] |
| Goats | Max 2; no male goats over 6 months [6] |
| Hogs and cattle | Prohibited [7] |
Hens are allowed with registration
Pasadena lets residents keep chickens on residential property, but you must first register with the poundmaster and submit a self-certification that you meet the chapter's requirements [3]. Chickens may not be kept within 35 feet of any dwelling, church, school, hospital or food business other than one you occupy, and the coop can't sit in a required zoning setback [1]. The same sentence bans keeping any rooster in the city [1].
Coop and enclosure
You need fencing or an enclosure that keeps the birds on your property, with at least 10 square feet of permeable land per chicken, plus shelter that protects them from weather and keeps predators out [2]. Chickens may not run at large or go onto neighbors' property, and any animal or fowl whose noise disturbs the neighborhood is a nuisance.
How many
No premises may have more than 10 in all of chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, pigeons and similar fowl, rabbits or parrot-family birds [4].
Other birds and livestock
Ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons, other fowl and rabbits face stricter distances: 50 feet from any street or property line and 100 feet from others' dwellings [5], which rules them out on most city lots. Goats are limited to two per property, with no male goats over 6 months [6]. Cattle are banned, and hogs are declared a nuisance and barred [7]. Horses need city registration and must be stabled 100 feet from street lines and others' homes.
Exemptions
The poundmaster can grant an exemption from the distance requirements after a noticed public hearing, if strict enforcement would cause unnecessary hardship and the exemption won't harm the neighborhood. Decisions can be appealed to the city manager within 15 days.
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Next steps
- Measure your planned coop location: at least 35 ft from any neighbor's house and outside the zoning setbacks for your lot.
- Build an enclosure with at least 10 sq ft of permeable ground per hen and predator-proof shelter.
- Register with the city poundmaster and submit the self-certification form before getting birds.
- If your lot can't meet the distances, petition the poundmaster in writing for an exemption hearing.
Common questions
- Can I have chickens in Pasadena, California?
- Yes, if you register with the city poundmaster. Keep chickens at least 35 feet from any neighbor's home and out of zoning setbacks, with at least 10 sq ft of permeable enclosure per bird.
- Are roosters allowed in Pasadena, California?
- No. Roosters are banned citywide in Pasadena.
- How many chickens can I have in Pasadena, California?
- No more than 10 total chickens, other fowl, rabbits and parrots. Each chicken needs at least 10 sq ft of permeable land in its enclosure.
- Do I need a permit for backyard chickens in Pasadena, California?
- You must register with the city poundmaster and submit a self-certification of compliance before getting birds. If your lot can't meet the distances, you can petition the poundmaster in writing for an exemption hearing.
California state rules on backyard chickens
California has no statewide right to keep backyard chickens, and no state law sets hen limits, rooster bans or coop setbacks for homes. Those rules come from your city or county, usually in the zoning code, the animal-control ordinance or both. Some cities allow a few hens by right, some require a permit, some ban poultry in residential zones, and many ban roosters.
A few state laws still matter:
- Right-to-farm protection is for commercial farms: Civil Code §3482.5 shields commercial agricultural operations that have run for more than three years from new nuisance claims. It doesn't protect a backyard flock from local rules or neighbor complaints.
- Cockfighting is a crime: under Penal Code §597b, making roosters fight for amusement or gain, or allowing it on your property, is a criminal offense. That's one reason some cities limit roosters.
- Bird flu (H5N1): the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) asks all poultry and livestock owners to practice biosecurity (limit contact with wild birds, monitor flock health) and to report sick birds. The CDFA bird flu line is 1-866-922-2473.
- Hen housing standards (Prop 2 / Prop 12, Health & Safety Code §25990 et seq.) set minimum space for egg-laying hens. They're aimed at commercial egg production and sales, not typical backyard flocks.
- Nuisance and health rules still apply: cities and counties can address odor, noise, flies and rodents under local nuisance and health ordinances.
Check your city's municipal code, and any HOA rules, before getting birds.
What the ordinance says
- Sec. 6.20.030(B), Municipal Code Chapter 6.20 - Fowl and Livestock Restrictions, p. 1
It is declared to be a nuisance, and no person shall keep chickens owned or controlled by him or it within 35 feet of any dwelling house or structure used as a dwelling, church, school, hospital or place where food products are kept, stored, manufactured or served to the public, unless such house or structure is occupied by him or it, and not within a required setback as prescribed in the zoning code, or to keep any rooster inside the city limits of Pasadena.
- Sec. 6.20.031, Municipal Code Chapter 6.20 - Fowl and Livestock Restrictions, p. 1
Adequate enclosure or fencing shall be required sufficient to contain live chickens on the property to prevent escape. The enclosure shall be a minimum size of ten (10) square feet of permeable land per chicken.
- Sec. 6.20.032, Municipal Code Chapter 6.20 - Fowl and Livestock Restrictions, p. 1
No person shall have, keep, maintain, or have custody or control of live chickens on residential property within the city without first registering with the poundmaster, and submitting a completed self-certification which verifies that the owner complies with the requirements of this chapter.
- Sec. 6.20.040, Municipal Code Chapter 6.20 - Fowl and Livestock Restrictions, p. 1
It is declared to be a nuisance and no person shall keep on any premises more than 10 in all of chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, pheasants, doves, pigeons, squabs or similar fowls, rabbits, or birds of the psittacinae family; provided, however, that this provision shall not apply to veterinary hospitals, pet shops, or medical and research laboratories.
- Sec. 6.20.030(A), Municipal Code Chapter 6.20 - Fowl and Livestock Restrictions, p. 1
It is declared to be a nuisance, and no person shall keep geese, ducks, turkeys, pheasants, doves, pigeons, squabs or similar fowls or rabbits, owned or controlled by him or it within 50 feet of any street line or within 50 feet of any property line, or within 100 feet of any dwelling house or structure used as a dwelling, church, school, hospital or place where food products are kept, stored, manufactured or served to the public, unless such house or structure is occupied by him or it.
- Sec. 6.20.100(B)-(C), Municipal Code Chapter 6.20 - Fowl and Livestock Restrictions, p. 1
It is declared to be a nuisance and no person shall keep or maintain more than two goats on any premises within the city of Pasadena.
- Sec. 6.20.110, Municipal Code Chapter 6.20 - Fowl and Livestock Restrictions, p. 1
It is declared to be a nuisance, and no person shall keep or maintain any hog or hogs within the city of Pasadena.