Can I keep chickens in Decatur, GA?
Yes — Decatur allows backyard chickens with no permit required. Coops must be at least 75 ft from neighboring lines/homes. (Decatur Code Secs. 14-8 to 14-12 (Keeping of fowl and small domesticated animals); setback at Sec. 14-8(2) (Code 1967 Sec. 5-8; Ord. No. O-12-Z-22, 12-3-12; Ord. No. O-22-11, 10-17-22), verified August 2026)
The full rules
| Chickens allowed | Yes |
|---|---|
| Maximum hens | No numeric cap |
| Permit required | No |
| Coop setback | 75 ft |
| Home slaughter | Not allowed |
| Coop rules | No numeric hen cap. Housing must be adequate and sanitary with a solid floor approved by the county health officer and a minimum of 4 square feet of floor space per bird over one month old. Enclosures may not be nearer to any house where people reside, other than the owner residence, than a distance equal to the lot width, or a minimum of 75 feet where the lot is 75 feet or more wide. Chickens must be kept under fence and may not run on other property. Live slaughter prohibited. |
| Code section | Decatur Code Secs. 14-8 to 14-12 (Keeping of fowl and small domesticated animals); setback at Sec. 14-8(2) (Code 1967 Sec. 5-8; Ord. No. O-12-Z-22, 12-3-12; Ord. No. O-22-11, 10-17-22) |
Decatur sets no numeric limit on hens, but the practical constraint is the setback: enclosures must be at least as far from a neighbor dwelling as the lot is wide, with a 75-foot minimum on lots 75 feet or wider. No permit is required. Coops need a solid health-officer-approved floor with 4 square feet per bird, and live slaughter is prohibited.
Common questions
Can I keep chickens in Decatur?
Yes — chickens are allowed in Decatur (Decatur Code Secs. 14-8 to 14-12 (Keeping of fowl and small domesticated animals); setback at Sec. 14-8(2) (Code 1967 Sec. 5-8; Ord. No. O-12-Z-22, 12-3-12; Ord. No. O-22-11, 10-17-22)).
How many chickens can I keep in Decatur?
Decatur sets no numeric cap on hens.
Do I need a permit to keep chickens in Decatur?
No — no permit is required for the base allowance in Decatur.
How far must a chicken coop be from the property line in Decatur?
75 feet minimum. No numeric hen cap. Housing must be adequate and sanitary with a solid floor approved by the county health officer and a minimum of 4 square feet of floor space per bird over one month old. Enclosures may not be nearer to any house where people reside, other than the owner residence, than a distance equal to the lot width, or a minimum of 75 feet where the lot is 75 feet or more wide. Chickens must be kept under fence and may not run on other property. Live slaughter prohibited.
Can I slaughter chickens at home in Decatur?
No — slaughter is not permitted under Decatur's code.
What law covers backyard chickens in Decatur?
Decatur Code Secs. 14-8 to 14-12 (Keeping of fowl and small domesticated animals); setback at Sec. 14-8(2) (Code 1967 Sec. 5-8; Ord. No. O-12-Z-22, 12-3-12; Ord. No. O-22-11, 10-17-22). Read the official text at the source linked on this page.
The actual law
Decatur Code Secs. 14-8 to 14-12 (Keeping of fowl and small domesticated animals); setback at Sec. 14-8(2) (Code 1967 Sec. 5-8; Ord. No. O-12-Z-22, 12-3-12; Ord. No. O-22-11, 10-17-22) — read the official code
“Sec. 14-8. - Keeping of fowl and small domesticated animals-General regulations. Small domesticated animals, such as rabbits and guinea pigs and fowl, such as chickens, ducks, geese, guineas, turkeys and the like may be kept within the city subject to the following regulations:” source
“(3) Every person owning or keeping chickens or any other domestic fowl in the city is hereby required to keep such fowl and chickens under fence and not allow such chickens or fowl to run on any property other than said person's own property. (4) Live slaughter shall be prohibited.” source
“shall not be nearer to any houses wherein human beings reside... than a distance equal to the width of the lot upon which the animals are kept, or a minimum distance of 75 feet should the lot be 75 feet or more in width.” source
“[Enclosures] shall not be nearer to any houses wherein human beings reside, other than the residence of the person who is the owner of such animals, than a distance equal to the width of the lot upon which the animals are kept, or a minimum distance of 75 feet should the lot be 75 feet or more in width.” source
Last verified August 23, 2026. Always confirm with your municipality — HOA rules can be stricter than city code. How we verify →
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