Durham, NC Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

UDO Sec. 12, "Domestic chickens (City only)," authorizes keeping a small number of chickens on a noncommercial basis in Durham. Under paragraph C, "The maximum number of chickens allowed is 10 per lot, regardless of how many dwelling units are on the lot. Only female chickens are allowed. " Paragraph D limits the birds to personal use: eggs, chicks, adult chickens, processed chickens, chicken manure, compost made with the manure, and any produce grown using that manure or compost may not be sold or distributed.

A chicken coop and a separate chicken pen are both required; chickens must be secured in the coop during non-daylight hours, and during the day they can be in the pen or, if supervised by an adult, in a securely fenced yard or a portable chicken tractor. Placement is fixed by paragraph F: coops must sit at least 15 feet from any property line or public right-of-way, and pens at least five feet, overriding the ordinary accessory-structure setback in Sec. 1. The coop must be enclosed on all sides with solid material and have a solid roof and doors (an existing shed or garage qualifies), while the pen must be built of wood or metal posts with wire fencing and covered with wire, aviary netting, or solid roofing.

Paragraph G requires the coop, pen, and surrounding area to stay sanitary, manure and uneaten feed to be removed promptly, and slaughter to follow North Carolina Cooperative Extension small-flock guidance and stay out of view of neighbors or the right-of-way. Paragraph H caps on-site unprocessed manure storage at two cubic feet in a waterproof container. Because the section is marked "City only," it governs chicken-keeping inside Durham's city limits specifically, not the unincorporated county.