Chattanooga, TN Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Hens allowed
- up to 8 per lot
- Roosters
- banned outside A-1 zones
- Setback
- 5 ft from property line
- Use
- noncommercial only
Summary
Chattanooga lets residential lots keep up to eight female laying hens in a fenced rear-yard enclosure, bans roosters outside agricultural zones, and requires a predator-proof henhouse set back from property lines.
Only female chickens (hereinafter "laying hens") are allowed. No roosters shall be allowed to be kept in any zone other than an A-1 agricultural zone. There is no restriction on urban chicken breeds of the species gallus domesticus. However, it shall be unlawful for any person to keep ducks, geese or other fowl and poultry, other than laying hens which are allowed subject to the limitations of this section;2)Up to eight (8) laying hens are allowed on any single family residential lot or other residential zones with designated rear yards for dwellings.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 40 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Chattanooga City Code § 7-145 allows up to eight laying hens on a single-family residential lot with a rear yard (ten per multifamily complex, twenty per acre in A-1 zones). Only female chickens are permitted, no roosters outside A-1 agricultural zoning, and no ducks, geese or other fowl. Hens must stay in a fenced, predator-resistant enclosure with a henhouse at least five feet from any property line, providing two square feet per hen indoors and six outdoors. Keeping is noncommercial only, no egg sales or breeding for profit, and violations are civil penalties before an Administrative Hearing Officer.
Violations & Fines
Urban-chicken violations are civil penalties imposed by an Administrative Hearing Officer under § 7-145(i); each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense, enforced by Animal Services and Land Development.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens can I keep in Chattanooga?
Can I keep a rooster in the city?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chattanooga
How Chattanooga compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Chattanooga to another location·View the Tennessee animal ordinances overview
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