Briefly Noted, Columns

The Scoop on the Coop

By Staff

As everyone with a flock of hens knows, every day brings presents (“oh, for me!?”) when it’s time to gather eggs.

That pleasure is more or less available, depending where you live. If you live by the rules, looks like only the landed gentry can have hens in some parts of town. Murray is still an outlier:

Salt Lake City—Allows a maximum of 15 chickens, no roosters; coop must have minimum of two sq. ft. per chicken (six sq. ft. per bird if not allowed out of coop); chickens should be kept at least 25 ft from any dwelling.

South Salt Lake—Up to four hens on lots zoned single-family residential (R1) with a minimum area of 4,500 sq. ft.; one additional hen (up to six total birds) is permitted for every additional 1,500 ft.; a Domestic Poultry Permit is required; coop allowed only in rear of property, 25 ft. from any residence and not within 20 ft. of any street or within 5 ft. of any property line.

Holladay City—Up to 25 chickens on residential lots up to 1/2 acre; permit required at no cost.

West Valley City—Allows as household pets: hens, rabbits, ducks; pot-bellied pig if spayed or neutered (not for food purposes) and must be less than 150 lbs. with tusks removed or trimmed.

Murray—No chickens on any residential property. Beekeeping is allowed, with a $100 city permit and adherence to technical elements such as a fence. (For bees? Really?)

Taylorsville—Hens are allowed in residential zones for family food production; permit required; number of chickens determined by lot size; no roosters.

This article was originally published on May 4, 2017.