Can I keep backyard chickens in Lexington, Massachusetts?
Yes, for a small flock. Lexington's Board of Health regulations require a permit only to keep more than five small animals such as chickens, and that permit needs at least two acres. Any fowl whose crowing disturbs neighbors is prohibited, which in practice rules out most roosters.
| Hens allowed without a Board of Health permit | Up to 5 small animals (fowl, rabbits, etc.) [1] |
| More than 5 chickens | Board of Health permit required [1] |
| Minimum lot for a permit | 2 acres [1] |
| Roosters / noisy fowl | No fowl whose crowing disturbs the peace [6] |
| Coop (shelter for more than 5) from a neighbor's dwelling | At least 25 feet [4] |
| Manure storage | At least 100 ft from property lines, wetlands and wells [3] |
| Coop (shelter for more than 5) from wetlands | At least 100 feet [9] |
| Permit fee | $10 per animal; renew by February 1 (2001 regulation) [7] |
How many hens
These rules come from the town's PDF of Board of Health Article VI (adopted 1998, amended 2001); check with the Office of Public Health for any later changes, including the fee.
Lexington regulates chickens through the Board of Health's animal regulations (Code Chapter 155, Article VI). Chickens are "small animals" (under 20 pounds). The Board of Health requires a permit for anyone keeping any large animal or more than five small animals, such as ducks, fowl, poultry, pigeons or rabbits, and a permit requires at least two acres [1]. So on a typical lot you can keep up to five hens without a Board of Health permit, while a larger flock needs a permit and a two-acre lot. Note the five-animal count includes rabbits and other small animals together.
Manure
The manure rule applies to everyone, permit or not: no manure may be stored within 100 feet of any property line, wetland or well [3].
Roosters
No one may keep a bird or fowl that disturbs the peace and quiet of any person by screeching, crowing or other noise [6]. The rules don't ban roosters outright, but a crowing rooster that bothers neighbors violates this rule.
Permit conditions (more than five)
Permits are issued only to someone who lives at the property, after an Animal Inspector or Board of Health officer visits the site [2]. Permitted keepers must:
- keep shelters at least 100 feet from a wetland [9]
- keep a small animal shelter at least 25 feet from any dwelling other than their own [4]
- confine animals to their property and meet zoning rules for structures [5]
- pay $10 per animal and renew by February 1 each year [7]
Coop location (zoning)
The Zoning Bylaw's small-shed exception that allows one accessory building within 5 feet of a side or rear lot line specifically excludes chicken coops, so a coop must meet the normal building setbacks for the district [8] (15 feet from side and rear lot lines in RO and RS).
Other animals
Any large animal (over 20 pounds, such as goats, sheep or horses) needs a Board of Health permit and the two-acre minimum. Two or more pigs require a piggery permit.
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Next steps
- Keep five or fewer hens (counting rabbits and other small animals) if you don't have two acres.
- Site the coop to meet zoning setbacks: not within the 5-foot small-shed exception, so at least 15 feet from side and rear lot lines in RO/RS.
- For more than five birds, apply to the Board of Health / Office of Public Health (781-698-4533) for an animal permit and schedule the site inspection.
- Avoid roosters or any birds whose noise could draw neighbor complaints.
Common questions
- Can I keep chickens in Lexington, Massachusetts?
- Yes, for a small flock. Board of Health regulations require a permit only to keep more than five small animals such as chickens, and that permit needs at least two acres.
- Can I have a rooster in Lexington, Massachusetts?
- Any fowl whose crowing disturbs neighbors is prohibited, which in practice rules out most roosters.
- How far must a chicken coop be from neighbors in Lexington, Massachusetts?
- For a shelter housing more than 5 birds, at least 25 feet from a neighbor's dwelling and 100 feet from wetlands, with manure stored at least 100 ft from property lines, wetlands and wells.
Massachusetts state rules on backyard poultry
Massachusetts has no statewide right to keep backyard hens. Whether you can keep chickens, how many, and where the coop goes are set locally, through your town's zoning bylaw and Board of Health regulations.
- Board of Health power: under M.G.L. c. 111, §31, local boards of health may adopt "reasonable health regulations", and many use this power to require a permit to keep poultry. Violations can bring fines of up to $1,000. In towns with an agricultural commission, the board must send that commission any proposed rule affecting the non-commercial keeping of poultry, livestock or bees for a 45-day review.
- Agricultural zoning protection is for farms, not most backyards: c. 40A, §3 stops zoning from banning or requiring a special permit for commercial agriculture. Towns may limit that protection to parcels of 5 acres or more, or 2 acres or more if the land produces at least $1,000 per acre a year in sales. A typical backyard flock doesn't qualify.
- Annual barn inspections: your town's animal inspector, working under the state Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), does annual barn inspections and a census of livestock and poultry. Backyard flock owners may be contacted.
- Nuisance rules still apply: a board of health may also regulate or prohibit an activity that causes a nuisance or offensive odors (c. 111, §143).
What the bylaw says
- §155-45A(1), Board of Health Regulations Ch. 155 Article VI - Animals (adopted 4-7-1998; amended 5-8-2001), p. 1
The Board of Health requires all persons who wish to maintain any large animal (including but not limited to swine, horses, cattle, goats and sheep) or more than five small animals (including but not limited to ducks, fowl, poultry, pigeons and rabbits) to obtain a permit for the keeping of such animals. A minimum of two acres is required to obtain a permit for the keeping of such animals from the Board of Health.
- §155-45A(6)-(7), Board of Health Regulations Ch. 155 Article VI - Animals (adopted 4-7-1998; amended 5-8-2001), p. 2
6. A permit will be issued only to someone who resides at the location for which the permit is requested. 7. Before a permit will be granted, an Animal Inspector or officer of the Board of Health is to visit the property to determine fitness and suitability of the site.
- §155-45A(9), Board of Health Regulations Ch. 155 Article VI - Animals (adopted 4-7-1998; amended 5-8-2001), p. 2
9. No person shall store manure within 100 feet of any property line, wetland or well.
- §155-45A(13), Board of Health Regulations Ch. 155 Article VI - Animals (adopted 4-7-1998; amended 5-8-2001), p. 2
No small animal shelter shall be located within 25 feet of a dwelling (excluding an owner-occupied dwelling).
- §155-45A(11), Board of Health Regulations Ch. 155 Article VI - Animals (adopted 4-7-1998; amended 5-8-2001), p. 2
11. All structures must comply with applicable zoning regulations.
- §155-46A, Board of Health Regulations Ch. 155 Article VI - Animals (adopted 4-7-1998; amended 5-8-2001), p. 3
no person shall own or keep within the limits of this town any bird or fowl which, by screeching or crowing or by any other noise, disturbs the peace and quiet of any person.
- §155-48A-B, Board of Health Regulations Ch. 155 Article VI - Animals (adopted 4-7-1998; amended 5-8-2001), p. 3
A. Fees. A fee of $10 shall be paid for each permit to keep an individual animal.
- Zoning Bylaw §4.2.6, Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 135 (incorporating amendments through Annual Town Meeting 2025), p. 12
4.2.6 Accessory Buildings in Setbacks. One accessory building, including tool or storage sheds for household equipment or other similar accessory use, but, for the purposes of this section, not including garages or chicken coops, may be located in a side or rear yard, but no closer than five feet to a lot line, provided that the accessory building covers less than 150 square feet and that neither the height nor the length of such accessory building is greater than 12 feet.
- §155-45A(12), Board of Health Regulations Ch. 155 Article VI - Animals (adopted 4-7-1998; amended 5-8-2001), p. 2
12. No stable or small animal shelter shall be built within 100 feet of a wetland.