chickens sitting on the back of a wooden bench

Community » Household » Animals & Pets

Poultry Keeping Rules

Keeping Poultry in Salem

In Salem, you can keep domesticated birds for eggs or meat, including chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, pheasants, pigeons, quail, partridges, doves, and similar birds for personal use, as long as you follow city guidelines. However, geese, turkeys, emus, ostriches, and similarly sized birds are prohibited. No permit or license is needed to keep poultry, but you must maintain your poultry facility to prevent noise or odors that could disturb your neighbors.

Property Types

You can keep poultry in the following locations:

  • Your home
  • A community garden
  • School-owned property
  • Property owned by a religious organization

How Many Poultry You Can Have

  • You may have a maximum of twelve poultry total per property.
  • Roosters are not allowed.

Poultry Facilities

A “poultry facility” includes both a coop and a runway:

  • Coop: A roofed shelter that cannot exceed 120 square feet.
  • Runway: A fully enclosed fenced area connected to the coop, providing an indoor and outdoor environment for the birds.
baby ducks in a basket

Special Requirements for Ducks

If you keep ducks, your facility must include a water source. This can be a clean supply of water in a pond, wading pool, tub, or other container large enough for the duck to fit its entire body and deep enough for it to submerge its head.

Confinement and Space Requirements

  • Poultry must remain confined within the facility at all times, except when under the control of an owner or custodian.
  • The facility must not produce noise or odors that create a nuisance for neighbors.
  • Facilities for quails and similar-sized small poultry must provide one square foot of coop space per bird.
  • Facilities for all other poultry, including chickens and ducks, must provide at least six square feet of run space and at least three square feet of coop space per bird.

Location of Your Poultry Facility

Your poultry facility must be located:

  • In the rear yard.
  • At least three feet away from any other building on the property.
  • At least 25 feet away from a residence on an adjacent property.
  • Chicken and duck coops must comply with these distance requirements and zoning standards.

Guideline Exemptions

You do not have to follow these guidelines if your property meets one of the following criteria:

  • Zoned Residential Agriculture (RA) with a lot size of at least 10,000 square feet.
  • Zoned Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) of any size.

To check your property zone, you can look it up online or call the Planning Information Desk at 503-588-6213. By following these guidelines, you can responsibly keep poultry while ensuring the comfort of your neighbors and the well-being of your birds.

Additional Information