Backyard chickens in Austin: coop rules, roosters, rebates

Short answer

Austin's animal code (Chapter 3-2) lets you keep up to 10 fowl on a residential lot with no permit. The one rule that matters most is placement: the coop or enclosure must sit at least 50 feet from any dwelling that is not yours, reduced to 20 feet if the enclosure meets the enclosed-coop requirements the city adopted in 2022. Roosters are legal, but crowing is enforced under the noise code (Chapter 9-2) and repeated complaints can force removal, so most keepers skip them. Hens lay without a rooster. Austin Resource Recovery has offered a $75 rebate to residents who complete a free chicken-keeping class; check ARR's current rebate offerings before counting on it. Bigger animals are a different game: goats and miniature livestock need at least an acre with 100-foot setbacks, and cattle, horses, and hogs need two acres. Slaughtering livestock inside the city is prohibited except poultry at permitted facilities.

Who this is for

Austin residents planning a backyard flock, and anyone whose neighbor's rooster or coop is too close.

The steps, in order

1. Count the flock: up to 10 fowl (hens are the practical choice) need no permit in Austin.
2. Site the coop at least 50 feet from any neighboring dwelling, or 20 feet if it is a fully enclosed coop under the 2022 rules.
3. Skip the rooster. They are legal, but crowing complaints are enforced under the noise code.
4. Check Austin Resource Recovery for the current chicken-keeping class and $75 rebate offer.
5. Keep the coop clean and dry; odor and pest complaints are what bring code officers out.
6. Neighbor's coop too close or rooster crowing at dawn? Document dates and times, then report through Austin 311.

Have this ready

• A tape measure: 50 feet from the neighbors' dwellings, 20 if enclosed
• A plan for 10 or fewer fowl
• The ARR class signup if you want the $75 rebate
• For complaints: dates, times, and photos for a 311 report

Common mistakes to avoid

• Measuring to the property line instead of the neighbor's dwelling. The 50-foot rule is about the house, not the fence.
• Getting a rooster for eggs. Hens lay without one, and crowing is the top complaint trigger.
• Assuming the $75 rebate is automatic. It has required completing the city's chicken-keeping class - confirm ARR's current offer first.
• Adding goats on a standard lot. Miniature livestock need at least an acre and 100-foot setbacks.
• Letting the coop smell. Most enforcement starts with an odor or pest complaint, not a headcount.

Common questions

How many chickens can I have in Austin?

Up to 10 fowl on a residential lot with no permit, under City Code Chapter 3-2.

How far does the coop have to be from my neighbor's house?

At least 50 feet from any dwelling you do not own, or 20 feet if the enclosure meets the enclosed-coop requirements adopted in 2022.

Are roosters legal in Austin?

Yes, but crowing is enforced under the Chapter 9-2 noise rules and repeated complaints can force removal.

Is the $75 chicken rebate real?

Austin Resource Recovery has offered a $75 rebate to residents who complete its free chicken-keeping class. Check ARR's current rebate offerings before planning around it.

What about goats or other livestock?

Goats and miniature livestock need at least a one-acre lot with 100-foot setbacks; cattle, horses, and hogs need two acres.

Official sources

• Austin City Code Title 3: Animal Regulation
• 2022 Fowl Enclosure Amendment

Checked August 26, 2026. Recheck the official page monthly and when the official page changes.

Related

• Austin freeze prep: pipes, water, power, alerts
• Report a noise problem in Austin