Can I keep backyard chickens in Cumberland, Maine?
Yes. Cumberland allows up to 6 hens on a single-family detached home's property with an annual chicken license from the Town Clerk, issued after an Animal Control inspection. Roosters are not allowed, and the henhouse and pen must be in the rear yard at least 10 feet from the side and rear property lines.
| Max number of hens | 6 per single-family detached dwelling property [1] |
| Duplexes and multifamily | No chickens allowed (ordinance text; see state-law note) [1] |
| Roosters | Not allowed; hens only [2] |
| Coop and pen location | Rear yard only (side yard allowed on a corner lot); never the front yard [4] |
| Henhouse setback | At least 10 ft from rear and side property lines [10] |
| License (lots under 2 acres) | Required; expires annually on the last day of April; issued by Town Clerk after Animal Control inspection [7] |
| Lots over 2 acres | Chicken house at least 100 ft from any property line [6] |
| Other livestock | Minimum 2-acre lot (10 acres in VMU, LDR and MDR areas) [9] |
| Penalty | Civil fine up to $100; each day is a separate offense [8] |
How many and what kind
Cumberland's domesticated chickens section (§ 315-39) allows no more than six chickens per single-family detached dwelling property, and says no chickens are permitted in multifamily complexes, including duplexes [1]. Only hens are allowed, so no roosters [2]. Chickens must be kept for personal use; advertising egg sales, breeding and fertilizer production are prohibited, as is outside slaughtering. Maine law since September 2025 bars towns from prohibiting hens on residential property, so state law may override the duplex/multifamily ban.
Coop and pen
Chickens must stay in a secure henhouse or attached chicken pen at all times and be shut in the henhouse at night [3]. They may not be kept inside the house or attached structures. The enclosure may not be in the front yard [4], and henhouses and pens go in rear yards (a side yard is allowed on a corner lot) [5] at least 10 feet from the side and rear property lines [10]. Pen walls must be sturdy wire fencing (not chicken wire) buried at least 12 inches, odors must not be noticeable at the property line, and only motion-activated exterior lighting is allowed.
Larger lots
Subsection I carries over the general animal rules for lots greater than two acres: chickens may be kept for personal use, poultry may not roam off your property, and no chicken house may be nearer than 100 feet to any property line [6]. The ordinance doesn't clearly say whether the six-hen cap also applies on these larger lots.
License
On lots under two acres you need a chicken license, which expires each year on the last day of April and is issued by the Town Clerk after a favorable inspection by the Animal Control Officer [7]. The fee is set by Town Council order and doubles once a license has been expired for more than 30 days. Violations can bring a civil fine of up to $100, with each day counted as a separate offense [8], and an order to remove the chickens.
Other animals
Animals other than horses and household pets need a lot of at least two acres, or 10 acres in the Village Mixed-Use, Low-Density Residential and Medium-Density Residential areas [9]. Horses need one acre of containment area for the first horse.
Amendments to Chapter 315 adopted in 2026 may not yet be reflected in the online text we reviewed.
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Next steps
- Confirm your lot size and zoning with the Cumberland Code Enforcement Office (207-829-2207); the rules differ for lots over two acres.
- Plan a henhouse and attached pen in the rear yard, at least 10 feet from side and rear lot lines (100 feet from all lines on lots over two acres).
- Apply for a chicken license at the Town Clerk's office (the town posts a Chicken Permit Application form) and schedule the Animal Control Officer inspection.
- Renew the license before the last day of April each year to avoid late fees.
Common questions
- Can I have chickens in Cumberland, Maine?
- Yes. Cumberland allows up to 6 hens on a single-family detached home's property with an annual chicken license from the Town Clerk, issued after an Animal Control inspection. Chickens aren't permitted in duplexes or multifamily complexes by the ordinance text, though state law may override that.
- How many chickens can I have in Cumberland, Maine?
- No more than 6 per single-family detached dwelling property. On lots over two acres, the ordinance doesn't clearly say whether the six-hen cap also applies.
- Are roosters allowed in Cumberland, Maine?
- No. Only hens are allowed.
- Where can I put a chicken coop in Cumberland, Maine?
- In the rear yard, never the front yard, with a side yard allowed on a corner lot. The henhouse and pen must be at least 10 feet from the side and rear property lines. On lots over two acres, no chicken house may be nearer than 100 feet to any property line.
- What happens if I keep chickens without a license in Cumberland, Maine?
- Violations can bring a civil fine of up to $100, with each day counted as a separate offense, and an order to remove the chickens. The license expires each year on the last day of April.
Maine's backyard chicken law
Towns can't ban hens outright. Since September 24, 2025, state law (7 M.R.S. §219-D, from LD 1655) says a town or county may not adopt an ordinance that prohibits a person from keeping chickens on their own residential property.
- The law defines "chicken" as a female domesticated bird raised for meat or eggs. Fully mature roosters aren't covered, so towns can still ban or limit them.
- The law also says it does not limit a town's "home rule" authority. In practice towns appear to keep the power to regulate how hens are kept, such as how many, coop location and setbacks, and sanitation, as long as the rules don't amount to a ban. The law is new, and courts haven't yet tested how far towns can go.
- Older ordinances that ban chickens in some zones may still be on the books but conflict with this law. Ask your town how it's applying them.
Right to Farm. Maine's Right to Farm law (7 M.R.S. §151 et seq.) protects farm operations connected to the commercial production of agricultural products from nuisance claims. A small flock kept just for your own eggs likely isn't covered.
Private deed covenants or HOA rules aren't addressed by the law and may still limit chickens.
What the ordinance says
- § 315-39C(1), Chapter 315 Zoning, Article VI General Regulations
No more than six chickens shall be allowed per single-family detached dwelling property. No chickens shall be permitted within multifamily complexes, including duplexes.
- § 315-39C(2), Chapter 315 Zoning, Article VI General Regulations
Only hens are permitted, with no restriction on chicken species.
- § 315-39D(1), Chapter 315 Zoning, Article VI General Regulations
Chickens must be kept in a secure henhouse or chicken pen area at all times. At no time shall chickens be kept in a residence, including attached structures.
- § 315-39D(4), Chapter 315 Zoning, Article VI General Regulations
An enclosure shall not be located in the front yard.
- § 315-39E(4), Chapter 315 Zoning, Article VI General Regulations
Henhouses shall only be located in rear yards. In the case of a corner lot, a side yard may be used in accordance with applicable zoning district setbacks, but in no case shall the henhouse be closer than 10 feet to the side property line.
- § 315-39I(3), Chapter 315 Zoning, Article VI General Regulations
No chicken house and no piggery shall be permitted nearer than 100 feet to any property line.
- § 315-39J, Chapter 315 Zoning, Article VI General Regulations
The license shall expire annually on the last day of April. The license shall be issued by the Town Clerk after favorable inspection by the Cumberland Animal Control Officer or designee.
- § 315-39K, Chapter 315 Zoning, Article VI General Regulations
In addition to any other enforcement action which the Town may take, violation of any provision of this section shall be a civil violation and a fine not exceeding $100 may be imposed. Each day that a violation continues will be treated as a separate offense.
- § 315-38C, Chapter 315 Zoning, Article VI General Regulations
Animals other than horses and household pets may be kept for noncommercial purposes, provided that the minimum lot size for keeping such animals shall be two acres in all districts, except that the minimum lot size for keeping such animals on properties within the Village Mixed-Use (VMU) District, Low-Density Residential (LDR) District and the Medium-Density Residential (MDR) District as designated in the Town of Cumberland's Comprehensive Plan shall be 10 acres for purposes of this chapter.
- § 315-39E(5), Chapter 315 Zoning, Article VI General Regulations
No henhouse shall be located within 10 feet of a rear or side property line.