Backyard chicken laws in Massachusetts

9 of the 16 Massachusetts cities we’ve verified allow backyard chickens outright; the rest allow them conditionally by zone or lot size. Select your city for hen limits, permits, setbacks, and the official code.

How many hens can you keep?Your city

All Massachusetts cities

Click your city for hen limits, permits, setbacks, and the official code — verified and cited.

Boston✓ Allowed · 6 hens Brockton✓ Allowed Cambridge✓ Allowed · 6 hens Fall River✓ Allowed Haverhill✓ Allowed · 6 hens Lowell✗ Not allowed Lynn✓ Allowed · 4 hens Malden✗ Not allowed Medford◐ Conditional New Bedford✓ Allowed Newton◐ Conditional Revere✓ Allowed · 6 hens Somerville✓ Allowed · 6 hens Springfield? Unclear Taunton◐ Conditional Worcester✗ Not allowed

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