Where in Florida can you have Backyard Chickens? Raising backyard chickens is increasingly becoming popular in many American States including Florida. While many Americans raise backyard chickens for eggs for personal consumption, others launch it as a small farm business.
----
However, whether or not you are allowed to raise chickens in your backyard in Florida depends on where in the Sunshine State you live. And the number of chickens you can have in your backyard also depends on where you live in Florida. So in this article, you will discover some Florida cities that allow backyard chickens and how many chickens are allowed per residence in these cities.
1. Orange County, Florida
If you live in Orange County, Florida, you can have four chickens (hens only) in your backyard. However, you need to apply for a Backyard Chicken Permit which is issued after certain requirements are met. First of all, you must live in a single-family home to have backyard chickens in Orange County, Florida. Second of all, there are also coop requirements including the location and size of the coop. Third of all, you will need to take a $20 University of Florida Agricultural Extension Office class, covering egg production, proper coop construction, chicken nutrition, chicken breeds, and biosecurity.
Furthermore, your chickens must be kept for personal use and you must not allow them to run free in Orange County. The City of Orlando issues no more than a hundred Backyard Chicken Permits in approved areas.
2. Hillsborough County, Florida
In 2020, the Hillsborough County Commission adopted an ordinance permitting residents to have a limited number of backyard chickens in single-family homes and duplexes. If you live in the City of Tampa, for instance, you can keep up to ten chickens in your backyard. Roosters are not allowed in Tampa, according to the city's municipal code. The city of Brandon allows no more than 6 hens per residential lot. Rooster and chicken breeding are not allowed in Brandon, Florida.
3. Osceola County, Florida
In Osceola County, FL, the City of Kissimmee allows the keeping of three backyard chickens. The City of St. Cloud, FL, allows up to four chickens in the backyards of single-family homes and duplexes. However, residents must obtain a Backyard Chicken Keeping Permit after participating in St. Cloud's "Chicken Keeping" class. Furthermore, chickens must be kept for personal use only in the City of St. Cloud.
Florida Cities That Allow Backyard Chickens
You can keep as many chickens as you can if you live in an area zoned for agriculture in the City of Oviedo, Seminole County, Florida. Residents of Jacksonville, Duval County, must obtain a permit to have up to five backyard chickens. The cities of Bonita Springs and Fort Myers in Lee County offer their residents a permit to raise backyard chickens. The City of St Petersburg in Pinellas County, Florida, allows the keeping of up to ten backyard chickens on each property. Miami residents must obtain a permit from the county health unit to keep and maintain live poultry.
Other Florida cities that allow backyard chickens include:
- Winter Haven: 5 Chickens
- Deltona: 5 Chickens
- Titusville
- Cocoa Beach: 4 Chickens
- Tallahassee
- Gainesville: 10 Chickens
- Clearwater: 4 Chickens
- Davie: 3 Chickens
Getting a constant supply of fresh eggs is one of the most well-known benefits of keeping chickens. According to the University of Florida, you can sell up to 30 dozen eggs in a week if you obtain a Limited Poultry and Egg Permit in the state of Florida. If you are considering raising backyard chickens in Florida, I suggest you check your local animal ordinances as many Florida cities including Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs, and West Palm Beach do not allow backyard chickens.
