Can I keep backyard chickens in York, Maine?
York's ordinances have no backyard-chicken rules: no hen limit, rooster ban, coop setback or chicken permit. The Zoning Ordinance allows "General Purpose Farm, Agriculture" (which includes poultry raised for sale) in RES-1, RES-2, RES-3 and RES-7 but expressly prohibits it in RES-4, RES-5, RES-6 and several village and business zones. State law now bars towns from banning hens on residential property.
| Chicken-specific rules | None found (no hen limit, rooster rule, coop setback or permit) [1] |
| Agriculture definition | Keeping plants/animals for sale or lease, including poultry [1] |
| RES-1, RES-2, RES-3, RES-7 | Farm/agriculture permitted, excluding uses injurious, noxious or offensive to the neighborhood [2] |
| RES-4, RES-5, RES-6 | Farm/agriculture expressly prohibited [3] |
| Large livestock threshold | "Animal husbandry" = more than 5 animal units (1 unit = 1,000 lb live weight) [4] |
| Noise | Domestic animals (including fowl) may not make loud, unreasonable noise that disturbs other properties [6] |
No hen-specific rules
Neither the Zoning Ordinance nor the Animal Control Ordinance sets a number of hens, bans roosters, sets coop setbacks or requires a chicken permit. The closest rules are general agriculture and nuisance provisions.
Agriculture by zone
The Zoning Ordinance defines agriculture as producing or keeping plants or animals for sale or lease, including poultry and poultry products [1]. In RES-1A/1B (and likewise RES-2, RES-3 and RES-7), "General Purpose Farm, Agriculture and Nurseries" is a permitted use, excluding any use "injurious, noxious, or offensive to the neighborhood" [2]. In RES-4 (and likewise RES-5 and RES-6), farming and agriculture are expressly prohibited [3]. Several business and village-center zones also prohibit it. Because the definition is tied to sale or lease, it's unclear whether a few hens kept only for your own eggs count as "agriculture" or as an accessory use customarily incidental to a home. Ask the Code Enforcement Officer how they treat a personal flock in your zone.
Larger animals
"Animal husbandry" means keeping more than 5 animal units, with one unit equal to 1,000 lb of live animal weight [4]. A backyard flock is far below that.
Noise and nuisance
The Animal Control Ordinance's definition of "domestic animal" includes fowl [5]. It prohibits keeping any domestic animal that frequently or continuously makes loud, unreasonable sounds that disturb other properties [6]. This is most relevant to roosters.
State law
Since September 2025, Maine law bars towns from adopting ordinances that prohibit keeping hens on residential property. To the extent York's RES-4, RES-5 and RES-6 agriculture prohibition were applied to backyard hens, state law may override it.
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Next steps
- Find your zoning district on the York zoning map (RES-4, RES-5 and RES-6 prohibit agriculture).
- Ask York Code Enforcement whether a personal hen flock is treated as agriculture or an accessory use on your lot, and whether any building permit is needed for a coop.
- Site the coop to meet the district's accessory-structure setbacks and avoid odor and noise problems for neighbors.
- Skip the rooster if neighbors are close; the Animal Control Ordinance's noise rule covers fowl.
Common questions
- Can I have chickens in York, Maine?
- It depends on your zone. York has no backyard-chicken rules, but the Zoning Ordinance permits agriculture, which includes poultry raised for sale, in RES-1, RES-2, RES-3 and RES-7 and expressly prohibits it in RES-4, RES-5 and RES-6. State law since September 2025 may override that for hens.
- How many chickens can I have in York, Maine?
- The ordinances set no hen limit, no rooster ban, no coop setback and no chicken permit.
- Can I keep roosters in York, Maine?
- York has no rooster ban, but the Animal Control Ordinance's definition of domestic animal includes fowl, and it prohibits animals that frequently or continuously make loud, unreasonable sounds that disturb other properties.
- Is my backyard flock "agriculture" in York, Maine?
- It's unclear. Agriculture is defined as keeping animals for sale or lease, so it's uncertain whether hens kept only for your own eggs count. Ask the Code Enforcement Officer how they treat a personal flock in your zone.
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
- Art. 2, Definitions: Agriculture, Zoning Ordinance (Revised through May 16, 2026), p. 15
AGRICULTURE: The production, keeping or maintenance for sale or lease, of plants and/or animals, including but not limited to: forages and sod crops; grains and seed crops; dairy animals and dairy products; poultry and poultry products; livestock; fruits and vegetables; and ornamental and green-house products.
- §4.1.1, Rural & Agricultural Use Category (RES 1-A & RES 1-B), Zoning Ordinance (Revised through May 16, 2026), p. 43
• General Purpose Farm, Agriculture and Nurseries – Excluding any use injurious, noxious, or offensive to the neighborhood.
- §4.1.1, Rural & Agricultural Use Category (RES-4), Zoning Ordinance (Revised through May 16, 2026), p. 49
• EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED: Mineral Exploration; Sand/Gravel Pits, Quarries, etc.; General Purpose Farm, Agriculture and Nurseries; Sale of Produce Raised on Same Premises; Animal Breeding (Small Domestic Animals); Commercial Stables.
- Art. 2, Definitions: Animal Husbandry, Zoning Ordinance (Revised through May 16, 2026), p. 15
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY: The keeping of more than 5 animal units (1 animal unit represents 1,000 pounds of live animal weight).
- Section 2(11), Definitions: Domestic Animal, Animal Control Ordinance, p. 5
DOMESTIC ANIMAL: animals that normally and customarily share human habitat and are normally dependant on humans for shelter and/or food, such as, but not limited to, dogs, cats, cattle, horses, swine, fowl, sheep and goats.
- Section 8 – Animal Noise, Animal Control Ordinance, p. 7
Owning, possessing, or harboring any domestic animal that frequently or for continued duration, makes loud and unreasonable sounds such that it creates a disturbance on other properties shall be prohibited.