Colorado Backyard Chicken Laws
Colorado has no statewide chicken law — every city sets its own rules. Find your city below.
6
Cities allow chickens
0
Cities ban chickens
6
Cities covered
Important: Colorado delegates all backyard chicken rules to local municipalities. Your city's ordinance is what matters — not state law. HOA covenants can also override city rules on your specific property.
Easiest cities
Strictest cities
Aurora
Up to 8 hens. Chicken housing rules apply; review Aurora's permit packet and site drawing requirements before placing the structure
Boulder
No fixed max. Boulder animal care and zoning rules apply; confirm neighborhood zoning and enclosure placement before building
Colorado Springs
Up to 10 hens. Chicken or rabbit shelters must provide at least 4 sq ft per animal; structures must also comply with zoning, building, and accessory-structure rules.
Denver
Up to 8 hens. Check zoning and structure rules before building; Denver's food-producing animal materials include enclosure and predator-proofing expectations rather than a simple citywide backyard setback.
Fort Collins
Up to 8 hens. Poultry house and outdoor enclosure must be at least 15 ft from abutting property lines unless affected abutting owners give written consent.
Lakewood
No fixed max. Lakewood zoning standards apply to animal keeping and coop placement; verify the current zoning article for your parcel
About Colorado Chicken Laws
Like most US states, Colorado does not have a single statewide law governing backyard chickens. Each city, village, and county sets its own rules about flock size, roosters, permits, coop setbacks, and sanitation.
Always verify rules directly with your city clerk or planning department before purchasing birds or building a coop. Laws change — our pages include a last-verified date and link directly to the municipal code for each city.
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