Can I keep chickens here?
Town-by-town backyard chicken rules in plain English. Every town page shows the hen limit, rooster rule, lot size and setbacks, whether you need a permit, and the exact words from the ordinance, with a link and the date we checked it.
Can I keep chickens?
Pick your New Hampshire town for a quick answer, with the reason and the source.
Optional. 1 acre = 43,560 sq ft.
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Nashua
Limited by zoning district
Up to 6 adult hensConcord
Allowed, with limits
Up to 5 hens (on lots under one acre)Laconia
Limited by zoning district
Up to 5 adult hens (6 or more counts as an agricultural use)Hampton
Needs approval first
Up to 8 hensLebanon
Needs approval first
Up to 4 hens on lots up to 2 acres; 10 hens on 2 to 5 acres; 2 hens per acre over 5 acresDover
Limited by zoning district
6 or fewer chickens (counted together with any sheep or goats) as "farm animals for family use"Rochester
Allowed, with limits
Fewer than 10 chickens (so up to 9)Portsmouth
Needs approval first
No fixed number in the ordinance; the Zoning Board sets one (for example, a 2024 approval allowed up to 6, no roosters)Manchester
Limited by zoning district
Up to 6 hens
Limited by zoning district
Up to 6 adult hensConcord
Allowed, with limits
Up to 5 hens (on lots under one acre)Laconia
Limited by zoning district
Up to 5 adult hens (6 or more counts as an agricultural use)Hampton
Needs approval first
Up to 8 hensLebanon
Needs approval first
Up to 4 hens on lots up to 2 acres; 10 hens on 2 to 5 acres; 2 hens per acre over 5 acresDover
Limited by zoning district
6 or fewer chickens (counted together with any sheep or goats) as "farm animals for family use"Rochester
Allowed, with limits
Fewer than 10 chickens (so up to 9)Portsmouth
Needs approval first
No fixed number in the ordinance; the Zoning Board sets one (for example, a 2024 approval allowed up to 6, no roosters)Manchester
Limited by zoning district
Up to 6 hens
What makes CluckZone different
The actual ordinance wordsWe quote the rule and link to the official town source, so you can check it yourself.
Date checked on every pageRules change. You'll always see when we last looked.
No guessingIf we haven't verified a town, we say so and show you how to check.
"Silent code" explainedMany NH towns have no chicken rule at all. Here's what that means.