Are Chickens Allowed in Lexington, KY?

BySusan Medlin

Yes — Lexington, Kentucky does allow backyard chickens, but there are rules you’ll need to follow. The ordinances focus mainly on things like roosters, animal welfare, noise, and restricted animals. Whether hens, roosters, and where you live (agricultural zone vs. residential/urban) matter. Below is a detailed look at what’s permitted, what’s restricted, and what to check if you want to keep chickens in Lexington.

What Lexington’s Laws Say

  • Grace in Lexington: You may own chickens in many areas — hens are generally okay. Lexington’s Fayette County / Urban County Code doesn’t place strict numeric limits on hens in many zones.
  • New rooster rule: As of a recent ordinance, households in Lexington’s “growth boundary” (basically city / urban service areas) will be limited to one rooster per household. This limit doesn’t apply in agricultural zones. The ordinance takes effect November 1, 2025.
  • Noise, shelter, food, water: Chicken owners must meet basic standards — animals need adequate shelter, water, food, and clean conditions. Lexington’s ordinances also say chickens (and other fowl) must be contained to the owner’s property (they can’t roam at large).
  • Restricted animals & fines: The new rooster ordinance increases fines for keeping restricted animals. Violations can incur penalties up to $100 per animal per day in certain zones.
  • Selling / dyed / treated animals: State law prohibits the sale or exchange of baby chicks, ducklings, or other fowl that have been dyed, colored, or treated so as to have artificial color.

Where Rules Differ: Zones & Rooster Limits

A big part of whether you have more flexibility depends on your zone (residential / urban vs agricultural). Here are key distinctions:

  • Agricultural zones: More permissive. The rooster limit does not apply in these zones. If your property is zoned agricultural or outside the urban service boundary, you likely have more leeway.
  • Residential & business / urban service boundary areas: That’s where the new rooster restriction kicks in — only one rooster allowed per household. Other aspects (like noise ordinances) also come into play more strictly in these zones.

What’s Not Strictly Regulated / Open Questions

  • Number of hens: Lexington’s code doesn’t appear to impose a specific maximum number of hens for residential properties (as of the latest available information). However, practical limits might be imposed by property size, HOA rules, or complaints.
  • Permits: There is no widely cited special permit requirement just for keeping hens (unless other restricted animals or specific uses are involved). But if you have roosters, or you’re in a zone with restrictions, you may need to ensure compliance with local regulations.
  • Free roaming: It is not permitted to let chickens / fowl leave your property. They must be contained.

Things to Check Before You Keep Chickens

  1. Check your zoning and property classification — Are you inside Lexington’s urban service area? Is your lot agricultural? Zones matter for rules like rooster limits and fines.
  2. Check local ordinances / city code updates — Laws change. The rooster ordinance was passed recently (2025) and takes effect Nov 1. Be sure you’re looking at currently adopted rules.
  3. Ensure proper shelter, water, food, and maintenance — Poorly maintained coops often lead to complaints and may violate health or nuisance ordinances.
  4. Know your neighbor & noise rules — Even if roosters are allowed (one), noise ordinances still apply. Roosters are often the issue. If your chickens are quiet hens, often less concern.
  5. Check HOA / deed restrictions — Even if city law allows chickens, private covenants may forbid them or limit their use. These are enforceable by homeowners associations or private agreements.

Summary & Practical Verdict

In short: yes, you can keep chickens in Lexington, KY. Hens are generally allowed without strict numeric limits, but there are limits on roosters — especially in urban or business zones. Starting November 1, 2025, only one rooster per household will be allowed in those zones. Agricultural zones have fewer restrictions. If you follow the city code (shelter, containment, cleanliness, noise), you are likely to stay legal.

If you want, I can put together a full HTML-formatted guide for Lexington: how to set up a compliant chicken coop, sample layouts, estimation of costs, and a comparison table of coops that satisfy Lexington’s rules. Would you like me to create that next?