(a) 
The owner or occupant of an individual property that is zoned single-family residential with a permanent dwelling unit that has been issued a permit in accordance with section 14-601 of this article (the "property"), may keep backyard chickens in the rear yard of the primary dwelling unit subject to the requirements set forth in this article and all other applicable provisions of this chapter.
(b) 
The keeping of roosters or fowl, other than backyard chickens, under this article is prohibited.
(c) 
It shall be the responsibility of the person keeping backyard chickens as defined in section 14-2 to protect the backyard chickens from predators and to keep the backyard chickens enclosed in the rear yard of their own residence.
(d) 
The director of neighborhood services, or his or her designee, shall be authorized to enforce this article.
(Ordinance 3825, § 4, adopted 11/13/2023)
(a) 
Application.
A person desiring to keep backyard chickens pursuant to this article must first apply for a backyard chicken permit from the neighborhood services department. The applicant shall:
(1) 
Submit a completed permit application on a form provided by the neighborhood services department;
(2) 
Provide floorplans and side elevations for the proposed chicken coop or if a commercially available chicken coop is acquired, provide the manufacturer, model, and size of the chicken coop;
(3) 
Provide a site drawing showing the proposed location for the chicken coop and attached exercise area that includes all property lines, building lines, setbacks, other structures located on the property, distances to all adjacent structures on the property, and distances to all residential structures on all adjacent properties;
(4) 
If the applicant is a person other than the owner of the property on which the backyard chickens will be kept, provide written, notarized authorization from the property owner allowing backyard chickens to be kept on the property; and
(5) 
Provide proof of completion of an educational course on chicken care and sanitation.
(b) 
Any person in possession or in control of backyard chickens at the time of passage of this article shall have 60 days from passage to obtain a permit required by this article. From and after said 60-day period, any person who fails to obtain a permit shall be in violation of this article.
(1) 
Any person in possession or control of backyard chickens in excess of the allowed number under section 14-604 of this article at the time of the passage of this article shall obtain a permit, but shall be allowed to continue to house or harbor said number of backyard chickens until such time as the backyard chickens naturally reduce in number due to attrition. Once attrition occurs, any person keeping in excess of the allowed number of backyard chickens under section 14-604 shall be in violation of this article.
(c) 
A permit issued under this section shall be valid for one year, and may be renewed for each additional year thereafter upon compliance with this article, as long as such article is in effect. The neighborhood services department may conduct a compliance inspection of the property in the event of a complaint that the permit holder is in violation of this article.
(d) 
Failure to comply with the permit requirements shall constitute a violation of this article and each day of noncompliance shall constitute a separate offense. An offense may be grounds for revocation of the backyard chicken permit by the neighborhood services department.
(Ordinance 3825, § 4, adopted 11/13/2023)
(a) 
Backyard chickens shall be kept within a chicken coop and attached exercise area that is constructed and maintained in compliance with all requirements of this article.
(b) 
The chicken coop and attached exercise area shall be located at least three feet from the property line or any other structures which would require a permit for construction on the property which the backyard chickens are to be kept.
(c) 
A chicken coop and attached exercise area that sits on a lot less than one quarter acre (10,890 square feet) shall be located behind a fence that is at least six feet in height.
(d) 
Backyard chickens shall be kept within the chicken coop and attached exercise area except:
(1) 
When being removed to be transported or returned from a location off the property; or
(2) 
During daylight hours when the backyard chicken is under direct supervision of an adult and is roaming in the rear yard of the person holding a permit for backyard chickens.
(e) 
The chicken coop shall have a minimum of ten inches of roosting space for each backyard chicken kept.
(f) 
There shall be at least one nesting box for every four backyard chickens kept.
(g) 
Any chicken coop and attached exercise area that houses backyard chickens shall be designed to keep the backyard chickens fully contained within the chicken coop or exercise area.
(Ordinance 3825, § 4, adopted 11/13/2023)
(a) 
The owner or occupant keeping or harboring any backyard chickens shall keep and maintain all yards, chicken coops or other enclosures in which such animals are confined in such a manner so as not to endanger the public health, safety or welfare, or become a public nuisance in violation of chapter 34, section 34-33 of this Code.
(b) 
All owners keeping or harboring backyard chickens shall comply with the following sanitary regulations:
(1) 
Manure and droppings shall be removed from yards, coops and other enclosures at least weekly and handled or disposed of in such a manner as to keep the premises free of any nuisance;
(2) 
Storage of droppings or manure between such removals shall only be permitted in permanent containers as defined in section 66-1 of this Code, and limited to areas that are not adjacent to neighboring properties. Such container shall be sufficient to protect against the breeding of flies or rodents, to prevent their migration into drainage easements, and to prevent the migration of fly larvae (maggots) into the surrounding soil;
(3) 
The feeding of vegetables, meat scraps, or garbage shall be done only in impervious containers or on an impervious platform;
(4) 
Watering troughs or tanks shall be provided by the owner or occupant of the property and shall be equipped with adequate facilities for draining the overflow so as to prevent the breeding of flies, mosquitoes, or other insects; and
(5) 
No putrescible material shall be allowed to accumulate on the property, and all such material used to feed backyard chickens which is unconsumed shall be removed and disposed of in compliance with chapter 66, article I of this Code.
(c) 
A violation of the provisions of this section 14-603 is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, in addition to a violation punishable by citation, and may be abated in any manner authorized by law, in addition to or in lieu of prosecution in municipal court.
(Ordinance 3825, § 4, adopted 11/13/2023)
The keeping of backyard chickens shall be limited to single-family residential properties under the following conditions (see chart included as Attachment "A"):
(a) 
For any lot size, if the distance between the exterior side of the chicken coop on the property and the exterior side of the primary residential structures on all adjacent properties is less than 30 feet, no backyard chickens may be kept on the property.
(b) 
For any lot size, if the distance between the exterior side of the chicken coop on the property and the exterior side of the primary residential structures on all adjacent properties is 30 feet or greater but less than 50 feet, six backyard chickens may be kept on the property.
(c) 
For properties in which the distance between the exterior side of the chicken coop on the property and the exterior side of the primary residential structures on all adjacent properties is 50 feet or greater:
(1) 
If the property is 8,400 square feet but less than one half (1/2) acre, no more than ten backyard chickens may be kept.
(2) 
If the property is one half (1/2) acre but less than three-quarters (3/4) of an acre, no more than 15 backyard chickens may be kept.
(3) 
If the property is three-quarters (3/4) of an acre or greater, no more than 18 backyard chickens may be kept.
(d) 
Backyard chicken by-products, including but not limited to eggs, meat, or manure may not be offered for sale by, under the direction of, or with the consent of a backyard chicken permit holder, or owner or occupant of the property, except in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
(e) 
All backyard chickens must be maintained so as to prevent them from escaping from the rear yard of the property.
(f) 
It shall be a violation of this article for a backyard chicken to be found running at large as defined in section 14-2 of this chapter.
(g) 
Backyard chickens and fowl, of any type, may not be surrendered to the North Richland Hills Animal Adoption and Rescue Center or any other city facility.
ATTACHMENT A
This chart serves as supplemental information to Section 14-604.
Number of Backyard Chickens Allowed
Lot size
Distance from adjacent residential structures
Maximum number of chickens allowed
Any lot size
Less than 30 feet
0
Any lot size
30 feet or greater but less than 50 feet
6
8,400 Square feet but less than 1/2 Acre
50 feet or greater
10
1/2 Acre but less than 3/4 Acre
50 feet or greater
15
3/4 Acre or greater
50 feet or greater
18
(Ordinance 3825, § 4, adopted 11/13/2023)
[1]
Editor’s note–Former section 14-605 pertaining to expiration and deriving from Ordinance 3825, § 4, adopted 11/13/2023, was deleted in its entirety by Ordinance 3891 adopted 2/10/2025.