Haverford, PA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Section 49-10C of the Haverford Township Code is the backyard chicken rule for lots under one acre. It allows up to four chickens maintained as pets for the noncommercial production of eggs, kept in a backyard. Roosters (male chickens) are prohibited, and § 49-8 separately lists roosters among the animals no one can keep anywhere in the Township. Chickens cannot be slaughtered on a residential property.

The coop and attached pen cannot be placed or constructed within a required front or side yard, and must be set back a minimum of 20 feet from any dwelling or property line. Perceptible noise at the property boundary must conform with Article III, Noise Nuisance. Odors from chickens, manure or other chicken-related substances cannot be perceptible at the property boundaries. Waste and bedding cannot be composted under Chapter 138, Article IV, and must be sealed in a rodentproof and flyproof container for collection. The coop needs regular cleaning, leftover feed cannot remain past dusk where rodents can reach it, and eggs must be removed daily. A dead chicken is disposed of promptly in a sanitary manner under Chapter 138, Article II, Control of Rodents.

Two paperwork duties apply. The coop must be posted with the Centers for Disease Control safe handling guidelines poster, and tenants must obtain the written consent of the property owner. Under § 49-12A(2), anyone keeping chickens under § 49-10C must obtain a Township license for the current year, no license issues until the applicant shows compliance with the maintenance rules, and every license expires at the end of the calendar year.

Larger livestock follow a different rule. Under § 49-10A, large and farm animals cannot be kept or housed on a lot less than one acre, and animals kept on larger lots must be confined at least 100 feet from any dwelling or property line. The Director of Code Enforcement inspects any coop or yard after a complaint under § 49-10G.