Can I keep chickens in Keene, NH?
No — Keene does not allow backyard chickens in residential zones. (Land Development Code §§ 3.1, 8.3.6.D (amended November 2025), verified June 2026)
The full rules
| Chickens allowed | No |
|---|---|
| Code section | Land Development Code §§ 3.1, 8.3.6.D (amended November 2025) |
Keene does not permit chickens in residential zones. Farming is allowed only in the Rural district on lots of at least 2 acres. A proposed residential chicken ordinance was presented to the Planning Board in May 2025 but had not been adopted as of the November 2025 Land Development Code revision.
Common questions
Can I keep chickens in Keene?
No — chickens are not allowed in Keene (Land Development Code §§ 3.1, 8.3.6.D (amended November 2025)).
What law covers backyard chickens in Keene?
Land Development Code §§ 3.1, 8.3.6.D (amended November 2025). Read the official text at the source linked on this page.
The actual law
Land Development Code §§ 3.1, 8.3.6.D (amended November 2025) — read the official code
“Farming is a permitted use only in the Rural (R) district (§ 3.1, minimum 2-acre lots). Standard residential districts (RP, LD, LD-1, MD, HD, HD-1) do not list Farming or any poultry, chicken, or livestock use. Search of full LDC for terms chicken, poultry, hen, livestock returned no results in residential zone chapters.” source
Last verified June 14, 2026. Always confirm with your municipality — HOA rules can be stricter than city code. How we verify →
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