If you live in Kansas and are considering keeping backyard chickens on your residential property, you may be in luck. The good news is that Kansas is chicken-friendly! The bad news is: Not every municipality in Kansas allows urban chicken keeping. That's why I said you may be in luck. In Kansas, as in many other states, animal ordinances vary from one city to another. While many Kansas municipalities allow chickens, some do not. This makes it important to review your local animal-keeping laws before bringing chickens into your backyard.
Then again, there are HOA laws and regulations that often prohibit chickens even if a city allows them. If you live in an HOA community, you might not be in luck when it comes to raising backyard chickens. That's because HOA laws usually override city or state laws. In this article, I've put together a list of a few Kansas cities where Backyard Chickens are allowed. Contact your city clerk or local animal control office if your city is not listed below.
1. Wichita, KS
You can have backyard chickens within the city limits of Wichita, Kansas! But the question is how many chickens can you have in Wichita, KS? According to the city's website, you may keep up to 3 chickens without a permit. But if you wish to have more than that, you must obtain a $25 Animal Maintenance Permit. With this permit, you can have no more than 12 chickens. The keeping of roosters, guinea cocks, and peacocks is not allowed in Wichita, KS. Your chicken enclosure must be located 10 feet from the property line and within 50 feet of an adjacent dwelling.
2. Overland Park, KS
Overland Park, Kansas residents are required to apply for and obtain a permit to have chickens. According to the city's website, chickens must be kept in the backyard, not in the front or side yard. Chicken enclosures must be located within a specific distance from property lines and homes. Only female chickens are allowed — no roosters — and the number of hens you can have depends on the size of your property. For example, up to three hens are allowed on smaller lots. On a half-acre or full-acre lot, up to six hens may be kept.
3. Kansas City, KS
In Kansas City, KS, the keeping of backyard chickens is legal. But if you don't live in an area zoned agricultural, you must first obtain a permit to keep chickens. This permit can be obtained from the office of the director of animal control. The permit is non-transferable and must be renewed once every two years. Under the permit, you must keep your chicken coop in such a manner that it does not emit any deleterious or offensive odor. Regardless of the size of your property, you can have up to six female chickens with the permit, according to the city code.
4. Olathe, KS
You can have backyard chickens in the city of Olathe, KS without a permit, provided your property is 3 acres or more in size. Residents on properties less than 3 acres are required to obtain a permit to keep no more than 10 female chickens. The number and type of chickens that can be kept on properties of 3 acres or more aren't restricted. Chicken coops and runs must be located at least 6 feet from the property line and have at least 12 square feet of living space per chicken. For more information, please refer to the city's municipal code.
5. Topeka, KS
The keeping of backyard chickens for personal use on residential properties is allowed in the city of Topeka, KS, subject to certain restrictions. According to the city code, you mustn't keep chickens within 50 feet of any dwelling other than yours. You must also not keep chickens in a manner or condition that constitutes a public nuisance. Furthermore, the city code requires that chickens be kept within a fenced area and inside a fully enclosed pen.
6. Lawrence, KS
In the city of Lawrence, KS, the keeping of ducks and female chickens is allowed on residential properties. The number of ducks or hens you can have depends on the size of your property. According to the city's animal ordinance, one chicken or duck is permitted per 500 square feet of lot size, up to a maximum of 20 birds. Your chicken coop must provide at least 3 square feet of space per chicken or duck if the birds have a fenced outdoor run. If your birds don't have access to a fenced outdoor run, a minimum of 10 square feet of living space per chicken or duck is required.
7. Shawnee, KS
With a permit, you can have up to 10 backyard chickens in the city of Shawnee, KS. However, roosters are not allowed in the City, due to noise and other nuisance concerns. Chicken Coops and runs are required to be situated at least 10 feet from the nearest property line and 40 feet from any adjacent residential dwelling. Chicken runs and tractors must maintain a minimum of 2 square feet per chicken, but must not exceed 100 square feet total. Before acquiring your birds, your coops, run, and/or tractor must be inspected by a Community Service Officer, according to the city's website.
8. Lenexa, KS
According to the city of Lenexa, KS' website, backyard chickens are allowed in three zoning districts. These include Planned Residential Estate (RPE), Residential Estate (RE), and Agricultural (AG). You are not allowed to own chickens if you live in a zoning district other than AG, RE, or RPE. The number of chickens allowed per property is based on the size of the lot. In the RE and RPE zoning districts, no more than 4 chickens are allowed on property less than 1 acre. On property between 1-3 acres, 5 chickens are allowed per acre, up to a maximum of 15 chickens. Chicken coops must not be located within 25 feet of any side or rear property line. They must also not be situated within 100 feet of any adjacent dwelling. You must obtain a special livestock permit if you wish to deviate from the number of chickens, lot size, or setback limits.
9. Salina, KS
In Salina, KS, a maximum of 15 chickens is allowed per residence without a permit. The city code requires chicken coops to be fully enclosed by a fence and located in the rear yard area. In addition, your coop must be located at least 50 feet from neighboring dwellings.
10. Leavenworth, KS
You can have up to 14 backyard chickens if you live in Leavenworth, KS. However, none of the chickens may be roosters. Aside from hens, you may also keep ducks, geese, turkey, guineas, and pigeons in the city. However, the total number of domestic birds on your property must be less than 15. As per the city's municipal code, you must keep your hens at least 75 feet from neighboring dwellings.
Related: How many pets can you own in Kansas?
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