What if you wanted to raise your own chickens, but lived in the big city of Dallas, Texas? Are you allowed to have chickens there? 

You are allowed to have chickens in Dallas, Texas. In fact, there are very few restrictions for owning chickens in this area. 

It is the few restrictions that can be the problem. Read on to make sure you are following the law in Dallas. 

Dallas, TX Allows Chickens, But Has Regulations On Roosters

If you only want to raise chickens, without roosters, then there are no local restrictions at all. However, if you live in an HOA, there may be a disallowance of owning chickens. 

But what if you want to also own roosters, to truly create a sustainable and reproductive chicken environment? This is where things can get tricky.

Regulations Regarding Roosters In Dallas, TX

If you truly want to raise chickens, you will need to have a rooster or two. Dallas has several very specific regulations regarding the ownership of roosters. 

Roosters are big and noisy. As such, Dallas highly regulates the conditions in which a person can have a rooster on their property. 

There are 5 ways you can own a rooster in Dallas, Texas: 

  • You have received a permit that allows you to engage in animal production 
  • You have received a permit to raise a rooster for competition purposes in the State Fair
  • You own the rooster as a part of a government entity OR own the rooster because it is participating in study sanctioned by a government entity 
  • You own the rooster as a research facility, in compliance with all local and state regulations
  • You own the rooster in a slaughterhouse or peat processing facility, in compliance with all local and state regulations

If you do not meet at least one of the above listed reasons for owning a rooster, you are not allowed to have one in Dallas, Texas. 

If you do meet one of the reasons for owning a rooster, there are additional regulations for housing the rooster. 

Dallas, TX Regulations for Eligible Rooster Owners

You received your permit and are allowed to own a rooster. Great! Now you have to become compliant with the regulations for housing the rooster. 

There are 4 key restrictions for housing a rooster once you are allowed to own one:

  • The rooster must be confined at all times. It is not allowed to roam freely. The structure in which the rooster is confined must be of sufficient size for the rooster to essentially live in the space. 
  • The coop must be at least 20 feet away from any property line. This measurement must be done in a straight line, to the wall nearest the property line in question. 
  • The mode of confinement must reduce the chance of both public nuisance and public health concerns. These include but are not limited to things such as bad odors and the production of dangerous insects.
  • The coop must be designed and placed in such a way that it does not violate noise pollution regulations of Dallas. 

If you meet any of the requirements to own a rooster and meet the regulations related to housing a rooster – then you are on your way to truly raising chickens!

The Cost of Owning Chickens In Dallas, TX

Raising and owning chickens can be a great hobby, but there is also a cost involved. 

There are several items to consider regarding:

  • Food, housing
  • The chickens themselves
  • Medicine
  • Pest control

The following gives average costs for setting up everything you need to own chickens in Dallas, TX.

The Chickens

Unless someone gives you chickens for free, you will have to buy them. A single chicken can cost as little as $3 with some of the more expensive chickens reaching prices of $30. 

Chicken Coops

You can use recycled materials to build the coop, which would be free. You can also buy a premade coop, which can cost up to $1500-2000. The average coop cost is about $400-500. 

Chicken Feed

Depending on the number and age of your chickens will determine the amount of food they eat. A 50lb. bag of feed costs about $15. 

A chick can eat about 1lb. of food per week, whereas a mature chicken eats closer to 1.5lbs. per week. 

Miscellaneous

You will need things like warming lamps, access to clean water, bedding (for example, wood chips), pest control, and even medicine. 

The total cost of these items will vary, and some will only be one-time costs. You can consider an average of an additional $10-30 per month to spread out the costs of these items. 

Conclusion

If you just want to own chickens in Dallas, Texas, there are no city regulations or restrictions keeping you from starting that adventure. You may need to also check your local neighborhood or HOA guidelines. 

If you want to produce additional chickens with a rooster, there are several criteria that must be met. Knowing these can help you on your way to having your farm in the city.