ZONING CORNER
Chickens are a popular way to provide various benefits for a property owner. While chickens can be beneficial in a number of ways, there are some rules to follow to prevent them from becoming nuisances to your neighbors.
Chickens are covered under Section 315 – Noncommercial Keeping of Livestock, in the West Pennsboro Township Zoning Ordinance. Below is a quick summary of requirements for keeping chickens on your property (see Section 315 in the Zoning Ordinance for more detail):
- Chickens kept at home are only permitted in certain zoning districts of the Township.
- Chickens fall under Group 1 animals, and you are permitted up to 50 chickens, depending on animal density. The permitted animal density is 12 animals per acre, so if you have 1 acre of land, you can have 12 chickens.
- Any structure housing up to 25 chickens can be no closer than 25’ to a property line. Structures housing more than 25 chickens can be no closer than 50’ to a property line. These structures cannot be located in a front yard.
- All outdoor pasture areas used for the animals shall be enclosed with fencing to prevent the escape of the animals.
- The animals, their housing, and their outdoor pasture area shall be maintained so as not to become a nuisance to adjoining properties, and all animal wastes shall be properly stored and disposed of.
