Keeping Chickens in the City

Fresh Eggs From Your Backyard

For years, City residents have been planting gardens and raising their own vegetables, keeping our area's rich agricultural heritage alive, well before terms like "slow food" had worked their way into the lexicon. Now, residents looking to expand their backyard food selection have the option of adding fresh eggs to the mix. Beginning in 2011, the City of Spartanburg started allowing its residents to keep laying hens on their property, setting the local bar for urban agriculture at a new high.

For those wishing to keep laying hens, here are a few general rules:

  • No more than six female chickens may be kept at any residence; no roosters are allowed.
  • Chickens must be kept in a fully enclosed coop with a solid floor, must be made of a suitable, washable material, and must be placed in a backyard.
  • Chicken coops must be placed at least 50 feet from any neighboring residence.
  • Fenced enclosures and chicken coops must be properly ventilated, and must be kept clean, dry, and odor-free.
  • Written permission to keep chickens must be obtained from all abutting property owners.
  • An annual permit to keep hens must be obtained.

For more information, please see the city ordinance (PDF) and a full list of requirements (PDF) for keeping chickens in the City of Spartanburg.

Getting Started

Are you ready to get started on that backyard chicken project? Download our permit application below, fill it out, and return it to Spartanburg City Hall, 145 W Broad Street.

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