Are Chickens Allowed in Oklahoma City?

BySusan Medlin

Yes — as of early March 2022, Oklahoma City officially allows residents to keep backyard chickens and quail under specific rules. There’s no need for a permit or fee, but you do have to follow guidelines about how many animals, coop location, space, and other care requirements. Here’s the breakdown of what’s allowed, what’s not, and what you should check before getting started.

What the Ordinance Allows

  • Up to six chickens or quail per lot (hens/quail only; no roosters allowed).
  • Coops must be kept clean and protect the animals from predators. Food and water must always be available.
  • Each chicken/quail must have at least 4 square feet of space inside the coop.
  • The animals must be in the coop from dusk to dawn.
  • There must be roaming/run space: each bird requires at least 8 square feet of outdoor roaming space.

Setback & Coop Location Rules

  • Coops must be at least 5 feet away from a side property line.
  • At least 10 feet away from the back property line.
  • At least 30 feet from any adjacent dwelling.

What’s Not Allowed / Other Key Restrictions

  • No roosters.
  • No outdoor slaughter of chickens or quail.
  • No permits or fees are required; enforcement is complaints-based.
  • All electrical or heating installations for the coop must comply with city building codes.

What to Check / Do Before You Keep Chickens in OKC

  1. Confirm that your lot meets the required setbacks (side, back, and adjacent dwellings) so your coop can be legally placed.
  2. Ensure your coop provides enough space inside (4 sq ft per bird) and outdoors (8 sq ft per bird) for roaming.
  3. Make sure feed/water access, predator protection, and clean coop maintenance are feasible.
  4. Check if your neighborhood has HOA or covenant rules that forbid chickens — those private rules might override city code.
  5. Prepare for the “cooped from dusk to dawn” requirement — that means no roaming at night.
  6. Understand that enforcement is complaint-based; you may need to respond to neighbor complaints or city inspections.

Conclusion

To sum up: Yes, chickens are allowed in OKC, under the ordinance effective March 4, 2022. You can have up to six hens or quail, subject to size, coop location, setback, and other care rules. As long as you follow those regulations, getting backyard chickens is legal.

If you like, I can pull together an HTML guide specific to your neighborhood in OKC — showing coop-design suggestions, example layouts, cost estimates, etc. Want me to prepare that for you?