Colorado Lawns: Can you have Chickens?
If you’re looking to start your own egg production right in your own backyard then checking your county and state regulations is a must! Here, we’ll break down the counties of the Denver Metro Area to let you know if your feathered friends can make their way into your own backyard.
Why Chickens?
Many find themselves looking into their county and neighborhood regulations after discovering the conditions of many factory farms. Unless you’re lucky enough to have a neighbor who already owns their own coop and sells their eggs. Residents all over Colorado are interested in producing their own!
If you’re looking for a more sustainable life, chickens can help you pave the way. Chickens are omnivores and will eat just about anything, including your kitchen scraps! Reduction of food waste is a great way to lead a more sustainable life and their waste provides for your own compost or garden. Naturally working through the grass, they also eat pests and insects in your yard.
Chickens come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, as do their eggs! While most suburban and city limits don’t allow roosters, laying hens make a great addition to the backyard.
A 2010 Cambridge University study discovered that personally-owned chickens raised in well-met living conditions produced more nutritious eggs with twice as much vitamin E and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.
Boulder
In Boulder County residents in a Suburban Residential Zone are allowed up to 8 hens (no roosters). However, before you go out to build your coop, double check your covenants. Covenants are privately enforced by your neighborhood and may hold tighter restrictions than Boulder County regarding non-domestic animals on your
properties.
Broomfield
In Broomfield County According to Broomfield.org, “Up to five chickens are allowed in single-family areas but must meet restrictions, and a license is required. BMC 6-24-010 A license can be obtained from the Planning Division of the Community Development Department for $25”. Once again in single-family residences, your neighborhood may have further restrictions depending on the subdivision you reside in.
Denver
Denver County also allows the ability to own chickens but a permit must be obtained and renewed annually. The conditions the chickens are kept in must be maintained and free from anything that may be reported as a nuisance. This includes excessive odor, unclean conditions, rodent-accessible structures, excessive noise, or any other issue where a neighbor might report a nuisance.
It’s important to remember that adding a new or additional animal to your home is a big decision that requires several forms of research and work to give your new feathered friends a home. Structures and fences on your property may require structure permits based on the size and height and ventilation for Colorado’s weather conditions are an absolute must.
Always be sure to check your own neighborhood HOA and Covenant guidelines to avoid breaking policy.
Sources
https://assets.bouldercounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/p29-keeping-animals-in-boulder-county.pdf
https://www.broomfield.org/Faq.aspx?QID=523#:~:text=Up%20to%20five%20chickens%20are,Community%20Development%20Department%20for%20%2425.
https://farmlandinfo.org/law/denver-colorado-urban-livestock-ordinance/
https://www.denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/682/documents/Animal%20Protection/FoodProducingAnimals_InfoPacket.pd