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Can I keep backyard chickens in Wakefield, Massachusetts?

Wakefield, Middlesex County · Bylaws checked 2026-10-20 · Reviewed · 11 cited sections

Allowed with a permit

Yes, with a Board of Health license. Wakefield bans roosters, requires you to notify abutters by certified mail before the Board acts, and requires the henhouse and pen to be at least 50 feet from any dwelling (including your own), 50 feet from an abutter and 20 feet from any street. The number of hens depends on coop space (2 sq ft per chicken), and the license costs $50 to start and $15 a year to renew.

LicenseRequired from the Board of Health for poultry (and cows, goats, pigs, sheep, horses, pigeons, reptiles) [1]
RoostersNot allowed anywhere in Wakefield [5]
Number of hensSet by coop space: 2 sq ft of henhouse per chicken, 4 sq ft of pervious pen per chicken [6]
Coop and pen setbacks50 ft from any dwelling (including yours), 20 ft from any way, 50 ft from an abutter [7]
Abutter noticeRegistered or certified mail; Board acts no sooner than 14 days after application [2]
Fees$50 initial, $15 renewal; licenses expire each fiscal year (June 30) [3]
ResidencyProperty owner must live on the property [4]

License required

Wakefield's Board of Health regulation (adopted August 17, 2022) requires a license before anyone keeps poultry, along with cows, goats, pigs, sheep, horses, pigeons, game birds or reptiles [1]. Licenses are issued per species for a stated maximum number, aren't transferable, and don't run with the land.

Applying

Your application must include the source of the birds, written plans for food storage, waste disposal and disposal of dead animals, a picture or sketch of the coop and pen, and a plot plan showing setbacks, wells, septic, fences and structures on abutting lots. You must notify each abutter by registered or certified mail; they have a right to be heard, and the Board meets no sooner than 14 days after you apply [2]. A Board agent must examine the animals within 30 days of the license being issued. Fees are $50 initial and $15 renewal, and licenses expire at the end of each fiscal year [3]. The owner of the property must live there [4].

Chicken rules

  • No roosters anywhere in town [5].
  • Flock size follows coop space: at least 2 sq ft of henhouse and 4 sq ft of pervious pen per chicken [6].
  • Setbacks: henhouse and enclosures at least 50 feet from any dwelling, including your own, 20 feet from any public or private way, and 50 feet from an abutter [7]. On a typical small lot this can be hard to meet; the Board of Health can grant variances [11].
  • Birds must come from NPIP pullorum-clean sources, stay confined at all times, and new birds must be quarantined 14 days.
  • The coop must be predator- and rodent-proof, with a hardware-cloth floor or hardware cloth buried two feet on all sides, and cleaned at least weekly.
  • No slaughtering on residential property [8].

Zoning

The Zoning Bylaw treats a noncommercial poultry pen or coop as an accessory building, subject to accessory-building yard rules; a commercial one must be 100 feet from every lot line [9]. Commercial agriculture is allowed by right only on parcels of 5 acres or more, or 2 qualified acres [10].

See how Wakefield compares with 8+ other Massachusetts towns on backyard chickens →

Next steps

  1. Measure your lot: the coop and pen must be 50 ft from every house (yours and neighbors'), 50 ft from abutters and 20 ft from any street.
  2. Prepare the Board of Health application with your plot plan, coop sketch, bird source and food, waste and disposal plans.
  3. Send notice to each abutter by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, and attend the Board of Health meeting (no sooner than 14 days later).
  4. Pay the $50 license fee, have the Board's agent inspect the birds within 30 days, and renew each year ($15).

Common questions

Can I have backyard chickens in Wakefield, Massachusetts?
Yes, with a Board of Health license. You must notify abutters by certified mail before the Board acts, and the henhouse and pen must meet strict setbacks.
Are roosters allowed in Wakefield, MA?
No. Wakefield's Board of Health regulation says no rooster may be kept within town limits.
How far does a chicken coop have to be from houses in Wakefield, Massachusetts?
The henhouse and pen must be at least 50 feet from any dwelling, including your own, 50 feet from an abutter and 20 feet from any public or private way. On a small lot this can be hard to meet; the Board of Health can grant variances.
How many chickens can I keep in Wakefield, MA?
There's no fixed cap. Flock size follows coop space: at least 2 sq ft of henhouse and 4 sq ft of pervious pen per chicken.
How much is a chicken license in Wakefield, Massachusetts?
The Board of Health license costs $50 initially and $15 to renew, and licenses expire at the end of each fiscal year. The property owner must live on the property.

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).

State sources: M.G.L. c. 111, §31 (board of health regulations) · M.G.L. c. 111, §143 (noisome trades, nuisances) · M.G.L. c. 40A, §3 (agricultural use protection) · MDAR, Municipal Animal Inspector Resources (barn inspections, backyard flock biosecurity)

What the bylaw says

Exact text from Wakefield's published bylaws. Section numbers are as printed in the source.

  1. Board of Health Animal Regulations, Section 4(1), Board of Health - Rules and Regulations for Keeping of Animals in the Town of Wakefield (chickens, swine, horses, goats, sheep, pigeons, reptiles), p. 2
    No person shall keep within the limits of this Town, in any building, or on any premises of which he may be the owner, lessee, tenant, or occupant, any cows, cattle, goats, pig, swine, sheep, poultry, game birds, horses, reptiles, or pigeons, without first obtaining a license from the Board of Health, in accordance with Chapter III, Section 155 of the Massachusetts General Laws and these regulations.
  2. Board of Health Animal Regulations, Section 5(2), Board of Health - Rules and Regulations for Keeping of Animals in the Town of Wakefield (chickens, swine, horses, goats, sheep, pigeons, reptiles), p. 3
    The applicant shall notify each abutter by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, of the filing of such application and stating that they have the right to be heard prior to, or at the meeting of the Board at which the application will be acted upon, which shall be no sooner than fourteen (14) days of the date of application.
  3. Board of Health Animal Regulations, Section 7(2), Board of Health - Rules and Regulations for Keeping of Animals in the Town of Wakefield (chickens, swine, horses, goats, sheep, pigeons, reptiles), p. 4
    Licenses shall expire at the end of each current fiscal year, unless revoked by the Board for violation of said regulations. Initial permit fee of $50, renewal fee of $15.
  4. Board of Health Animal Regulations, Section 8(4), Board of Health - Rules and Regulations for Keeping of Animals in the Town of Wakefield (chickens, swine, horses, goats, sheep, pigeons, reptiles), p. 4
    The owner of the property must reside on the property that houses such animals.
  5. Board of Health Animal Regulations, Section 10(1)(b), Board of Health - Rules and Regulations for Keeping of Animals in the Town of Wakefield (chickens, swine, horses, goats, sheep, pigeons, reptiles), p. 5
    No rooster shall be kept within Wakefield town limits.
  6. Board of Health Animal Regulations, Section 10(3)(c), Board of Health - Rules and Regulations for Keeping of Animals in the Town of Wakefield (chickens, swine, horses, goats, sheep, pigeons, reptiles), p. 5
    An enclosed henhouse must have a minimum of two (2) square feet per chicken of space unless the applicant can demonstrate that the space proposed is consistent with generally acceptable agricultural practices. An enclosed pen must have a minimum of four (4) square feet of pervious surface per chicken.
  7. Board of Health Animal Regulations, Section 10(3)(d), Board of Health - Rules and Regulations for Keeping of Animals in the Town of Wakefield (chickens, swine, horses, goats, sheep, pigeons, reptiles), p. 5
    Henhouse structures and enclosures shall be not less than fifty (50) feet from any dwelling (including the applicant’s), no less than twenty (20) feet from any public or private way, and no less than fifty (50) feet from an abutter.
  8. Board of Health Animal Regulations, Section 10(8), Board of Health - Rules and Regulations for Keeping of Animals in the Town of Wakefield (chickens, swine, horses, goats, sheep, pigeons, reptiles), p. 6
    Chickens may not be slaughtered on a residential property within town limits.
  9. Zoning Bylaw §4.2.10 Commercial Agricultural Use, Wakefield Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 190 (recodified; approved by Town Meeting Nov 8, 2025, amended per Attorney General decision April 2026), p. 12
    No structure intended for commercial agricultural use, such as a greenhouse or a building, structure or pen for poultry or other livestock, shall be less than 100 feet from any lot line. If such structure is for a noncommercial use, then it shall be deemed an accessory building and subject to the yard requirements applicable thereto.
  10. Zoning Bylaw Appendix A, Table 1, C.1, Wakefield Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 190 (recodified; approved by Town Meeting Nov 8, 2025, amended per Attorney General decision April 2026), p. 151
    1. Agriculture, as defined in M.G.L. c. 40A, s. 3, on Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y a parcel of 5 acres or more or 2 qualified acres
  11. Board of Health Animal Regulations, Section 16 Variances, Board of Health - Rules and Regulations for Keeping of Animals in the Town of Wakefield (chickens, swine, horses, goats, sheep, pigeons, reptiles), p. 8
    The Board of Health may vary the application or any provision of these regulations in any particular case when, it is opinion, the enforcement would manifest an injustice, provided that the decision of the Board shall not conflict with the spirit of the regulations.
This page summarizes Wakefield's posted bylaws as of 2026-10-20. Bylaws are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with Inspectional Services & Zoning (Building Inspector Benjamin DeChristoforo enforces the State Building Code and the Zoning Bylaw, s.10.1), Town Hall, 1 Lafayette Street, Wakefield MA 01880; building permits submitted in person Mon-Thu 8-9:30 AM or 1-2 PM, Fri 8-9:30 AM (781-246-6388) before you build. Spot an error?