Can I keep chickens in Burlington, VT?
Yes — Burlington allows backyard chickens with no permit required. Roosters are prohibited, and coops must be at least 10 ft from neighboring lines/homes. (Code of Ordinances Ch. 17 Art. 17-2 §§17-15, 17-33, 17-34(a)-(b), 17-19(g), 17-14(a); Art. 17-3 §17-73 (slaughter); §17-72 (roosters), verified June 2026)
The full rules
| Chickens allowed | Yes |
|---|---|
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit required | No |
| Coop setback | 10 ft |
| Home slaughter | Allowed with restrictions |
| Coop rules | Chickens must be confined in an outdoor pen during daylight (min 3 sq ft per bird) and secured in a coop at night (min 1.5 sq ft per bird). All enclosures must be at least 10 feet from property lines (reducible to 5 ft with written neighbor consent per §17-19(g)). Rodent-proof food storage required. Owners of 5 or more chickens must register biennially with the City Health Officer ($25 fee per §17-14(a)). |
| Code section | Code of Ordinances Ch. 17 Art. 17-2 §§17-15, 17-33, 17-34(a)-(b), 17-19(g), 17-14(a); Art. 17-3 §17-73 (slaughter); §17-72 (roosters) |
Burlington allows chickens in all residential zones with no fixed hen cap — bird count is limited only by enclosure size (min 3 sq ft per bird in the outdoor pen, 1.5 sq ft per bird in the coop per §§17-33 to 17-34). Roosters are prohibited except in districts where agriculture is permitted or conditionally permitted (§17-72). Enclosures must be at least 10 feet from property lines, reducible to 5 feet with written neighbor consent (§17-19(g)). Owners of 5 or more hens must register biennially with the City Health Officer and pay a $25 fee (§17-14(a)). Home slaughter permitted under §17-73. Primary text read from codepublishing.com June 2026.
Common questions
Can I keep chickens in Burlington?
Yes — chickens are allowed in Burlington (Code of Ordinances Ch. 17 Art. 17-2 §§17-15, 17-33, 17-34(a)-(b), 17-19(g), 17-14(a); Art. 17-3 §17-73 (slaughter); §17-72 (roosters)).
How many chickens can I keep in Burlington?
It depends on your lot. No fixed cap; hen count limited by enclosure size: min 3 sq ft outdoor pen space per bird (daylight) / min 1.5 sq ft coop space per bird (night) per §§17-33 to 17-34. No lot-size-based limit..
Do I need a permit to keep chickens in Burlington?
No — no permit is required for the base allowance in Burlington.
Are roosters allowed in Burlington?
No — roosters are prohibited in Burlington.
How far must a chicken coop be from the property line in Burlington?
10 feet minimum. Chickens must be confined in an outdoor pen during daylight (min 3 sq ft per bird) and secured in a coop at night (min 1.5 sq ft per bird). All enclosures must be at least 10 feet from property lines (reducible to 5 ft with written neighbor consent per §17-19(g)). Rodent-proof food storage required. Owners of 5 or more chickens must register biennially with the City Health Officer ($25 fee per §17-14(a)).
Can I slaughter chickens at home in Burlington?
Yes, with restrictions — see the city's rules in Code of Ordinances Ch. 17 Art. 17-2 §§17-15, 17-33, 17-34(a)-(b), 17-19(g), 17-14(a); Art. 17-3 §17-73 (slaughter); §17-72 (roosters).
What law covers backyard chickens in Burlington?
Code of Ordinances Ch. 17 Art. 17-2 §§17-15, 17-33, 17-34(a)-(b), 17-19(g), 17-14(a); Art. 17-3 §17-73 (slaughter); §17-72 (roosters). Read the official text at the source linked on this page.
The actual law
Code of Ordinances Ch. 17 Art. 17-2 §§17-15, 17-33, 17-34(a)-(b), 17-19(g), 17-14(a); Art. 17-3 §17-73 (slaughter); §17-72 (roosters) — read the official code
“The City of Burlington allows chickens, goats, sheep, or rabbits to be raised and kept for both personal and commercial purposes (§17-15). The maximum number of chickens allowed per lot shall be determined by square footage of the animal enclosure (§17-33). Minimum space requirement for each chicken is three (3) square feet of pen space (§17-34(a)).” source
“$25 for 5 or more chickens — biennial registration fee with City Health Officer (§17-14(a)).” source
“All enclosures and fenced areas shall be kept no less than ten (10) feet from all property lines. This requirement may be reduced to five (5) feet from a property line with written approval from the neighboring property owner (§17-19(g)).” source
Last verified June 15, 2026. Always confirm with your municipality — HOA rules can be stricter than city code. How we verify →
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