Chicken and livestock rules vary by Middlesex town. Urban cities like Cambridge, Somerville, and Medford allow small flocks with permits; suburbs like Lexington and Concord allow larger flocks with setbacks.
Keeping chickens and livestock in Middlesex County is governed entirely by local zoning and bylaws under MGL c.40A (zoning) and MGL c.111 s.143 (health nuisances). Cambridge allows up to 6 hens per lot with a permit from Inspectional Services; no roosters. Somerville permits 4-6 hens with 20 to 50 foot setback and no roosters. Newton allows hens on lots 10,000 sq ft or larger. Arlington permits up to 6 hens with neighbor notification. Suburban towns: Lexington, Concord, Bedford, and Carlisle allow flocks of 10 to 25 hens on lots 40,000 sq ft or larger with coop setbacks of 25 to 50 feet. Rural western Middlesex (Ashby, Townsend, Pepperell) allows full livestock including goats, sheep, and small cattle on agricultural parcels. Right-to-Farm protections under MGL c.40 s.1A apply in communities that have adopted the bylaw, shielding existing farms from nuisance complaints. Roosters are banned in most urban/suburban Middlesex.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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See how Middlesex County's chickens & livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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