Keeping backyard chickens is a wonderful way to enjoy fresh eggs daily, live sustainably, and connect with nature. They are amazing for your garden, and they are fun and easy to raise. If you are thinking about getting a few backyard chickens, or finding a home where you can fulfill your dream of having chickens in your backyard, Escambia County and Santa Rosa County both allow backyard chickens within the county limits.
Each county has its own rules and regulations and some cities within each county have more restrictive regulations. You can check out the Florida Municipal Library for codes based on the county and city you live in. I’ve outlined the county regulations below and provided cities that have set up their own rules around backyard chicken keeping.
Even if you live in these counties, if you have an HOA, their private covenants can overrule your city and county’s backyard chicken ordinance. You can verify HOA guidelines by reaching out to your county’s Property Appraiser.
Table of Contents
Escambia County
The ownership, possession, and raising of backyard chickens is allowed, except on Perdido Key and Santa Rosa Island.
If owning backyard chickens, you must follow these regulations:
- No more than 8 chickens may be kept on any lot that is 0.25 acres or less in size.
- No roosters shall be kept less than 100 yards from any neighboring residence (other than the home of the person keeping the rooster)
- Chickens may roam freely in the fenced rear yard from sunrise to sunset, during all other times the chickens shall be kept in secure coops, pens or enclosures that prevent access by predators.
- Pens, coops, or enclosures shall be minimum of 10 ft from rear and side property lines, and a minimum of 20 ft from any residence located on an adjacent lot.
Pensacola
Residents are allowed to have up to 8 backyard chickens, but no roosters. The resident must have a coop, pen or enclosure to prevent access by predators. The coop, pen or enclosure must be over 30 ft from any adjacent home, church, hospital, school, public building or park. Free ranging chickens are allowed if they are prevented from going upon the streets, parks or public places or upon the premises of neighbors.
Bellview
Backyard chickens are allowed with the following regulations:
- You must obtain a permit from the city and renew it annually through the Development Services Office. No more than six birds are allowed.
- Keeping roosters (defined as a male chicken of any age and generally characterized by an ability to crow), pea fowl (pea hens and peacocks), guinea fowl, and any other crowing or loud calling poultry) is prohibited.
- Chickens shall be always housed in pens or coops.
- All pens, coops, and other enclosures must meet the following standards:
- Enclosures shall be in the rear yard area not visible from the public road.
- Enclosures must be 25 feet from the side and rear property lines.
- Enclosures must be kept in a sanitary condition and not constitute a public nuisance due to the presence of unpleasant odors, flies, or rodents.
- Waste shall be removed and disposed of in a sanitary manner.
- Feed shall be stored in rodent-proof containers or enclosed structures.
- Odors from the backyard chickens shall not be detectable at the property boundaries.
- Chicken products and/or by-products cannot be sold on the property.
Santa Rosa County
The ownership, possession, and raising of backyard chickens is allowed if they do not meet the criteria of an animal nuisance:
- Animal nuisances are prohibited.
- Any animal or animals that habitually or continuously bark, howl, or make noise for a period of 20 minutes or longer which is audible by anyone off your property.
- Owning so many animals as to disturb by noxious or offensive odors or otherwise endanger the health and welfare of the inhabitants of Santa Rosa County are declared to be an animal nuisance.
Gulf Breeze
Backyard chickens are acceptable if they are kept in coops, pens, or enclosures to prevent the chickens from going in the streets, parks or other public place or upon neighbor’s property. The coop, pen or enclosure must be over 50 feet from any other home, church, hospital, school, public building or public park.
