| Are chickens allowed in Waterloo? | Yes |
| How many chickens can you have? | 2 to 8 (depending on lot size) |
| Can you have roosters in Waterloo? | No |
| Chicken coop placement rules: | Coops 25 feet from other homes and 5 feet from property lines. |
| Application process: | Neighbor consent required |
| More information: | Waterloo City Code |
You’re going to have to get some buy-in from your neighbors, but if you do, you can keep some chickens in Waterloo as long as your yard is big enough.
To learn more about raising backyard chickens in Waterloo, keep reading the following.
- Chickens permitted. Waterloo, Iowa, allows residents to keep up to two to eight backyard chickens, depending on property size. If you have 10,000 square feet of fenced backyard, you can keep up to two chickens. And you can keep an additional chicken for every additional 2,500 square feet of backyard, up to a total of eight birds.
- Rooster ban. To mitigate noise disturbances, roosters are not allowed within city limits.
- Requirement of neighbors’ consent. Residents are required to obtain the consent of all of their abutting neighbors and at least 60 percent of those within 250 feet of their property to keep chickens.
- Coop and run criteria. Chicken coops must be well-ventilated, predator-proof, and designed for easy cleaning. Each chicken should have a minimum of 3 square feet of space in the coop and at least 10 square feet of space in the run.
- Coop placement and setbacks. Chicken coops need to be situated at least 25 feet away from any neighboring residential dwelling and a minimum of 5 feet away from property lines.
- Cleanliness and maintenance. Keeping chicken coops and runs clean and sanitary is essential, with proper waste disposal and regular cleaning required.
- Slaughter restrictions. Slaughtering chickens is not permitted on residential properties within the city limits.
- Homeowners’ Association (HOA) considerations. Residents should check with their HOA to find out if backyard chickens are allowed under their community’s specific guidelines. In some cases, HOA rules may supersede city regulations.
It’s advisable to check with the appropriate local authorities to ensure that you have accurate and current information on keeping backyard chickens in Waterloo.
Start Raising Chickens
See other Iowa chicken ordinances.
Last updated: 4/26/24