Can I keep chickens in Yonkers, NY?
No — Yonkers does not allow backyard chickens in residential zones. (Yonkers City Code Sec. 65-23 (Keeping of poultry or other birds), verified September 2026)
The full rules
| Chickens allowed | No |
|---|---|
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Coop rules | Exceptions exist only for live-poultry markets selling birds commercially, and for small caged pet birds (lovebirds, canaries, parakeets) kept as pets — not for personal backyard chicken-keeping. |
| Code section | Yonkers City Code Sec. 65-23 (Keeping of poultry or other birds) |
Yonkers bans keeping poultry, fowl, or other birds on any premises, with narrow exceptions for live-poultry markets and small caged pet birds. There is no personal backyard chicken-keeping allowance.
Common questions
Can I keep chickens in Yonkers?
No — chickens are not allowed in Yonkers (Yonkers City Code Sec. 65-23 (Keeping of poultry or other birds)).
Are roosters allowed in Yonkers?
No — roosters are prohibited in Yonkers.
What law covers backyard chickens in Yonkers?
Yonkers City Code Sec. 65-23 (Keeping of poultry or other birds). Read the official text at the source linked on this page.
The actual law
Yonkers City Code Sec. 65-23 (Keeping of poultry or other birds) — read the official code
“No person shall keep, cause or allow to be kept on, in or about any premises or property any poultry, fowl or other birds, except as hereinafter provided:” source
“It shall be lawful to keep for purposes of sale live poultry in a live poultry market.” source
“It shall be lawful to keep lovebirds, canaries, parakeets and other birds of similar variety as domestic pets where the keeping of such does not constitute a health nuisance.” source
“No person shall keep, cause or allow to be kept on, in or about any premises or property any poultry, fowl or other birds, except as hereinafter provided” source
Last verified September 27, 2026. Always confirm with your municipality — HOA rules can be stricter than city code. How we verify →
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