Nashua, NH Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Chicken limit
- Up to 6 adult females per lot
- Roosters
- Prohibited
- Coop/run setback
- 20 feet from property line
- Excluded zones
- R-40 and R-30 districts
- Commercial use
- Egg sales and breeding banned
Summary
Nashua allows up to six female chickens per lot in a coop, but bans roosters, egg sales, and free-roaming birds outside R-40 and R-30 zones.
Up to six adult chickens may be kept on a lot. Only female chickens are allowed to be kept. Adult male or crowing male chickens (roosters) are prohibited. ... The coop and any run must be located in side or rear yards and cannot be located within 20 feet of a property line.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4805762; v29 updated 2026-02-10; through 02-10-2026).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 190-31.1 lets homeowners keep up to six adult female chickens as an accessory use to a single-family or two-family home, for personal use only: no roosters, no breeding, no selling eggs. Birds must be penned in a coop at night and housed in a coop/run kept at least 20 feet from any property line, sited in a side or rear yard. The rule doesn't apply in the city's R-40 and R-30 low-density residential zoning districts.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 190 is enforced through the City's zoning enforcement process; a nonconforming coop, roaming chickens, roosters, or commercial egg sales are all standards violations subject to code enforcement action and correction orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep roosters in Nashua?
Can I sell eggs from my backyard chickens?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashua
How Nashua compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Nashua to another location·View the New Hampshire animal ordinances overview
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