A Florida homeowner’s backyard hens have turned into a citywide debate over whether Casselberry residents should be allowed to keep chickens inside city limits.
Lindsay Feist said a code compliance complaint gave her 10 days to remove four hens she had raised for years, according to ClickOrlando. Instead of giving them up, she started a petition and asked city leaders to reconsider the rules.
The petition has grown to more than 750 signatures, and the issue was scheduled for discussion at the June 22 City Commission meeting. City staff was expected to present research and findings about backyard chickens.
The Casselberry dispute is a clear example of how local backyard rules can split across city lines, county lines, and HOA boundaries. A homeowner may be allowed to keep hens in one neighborhood and face code enforcement a few miles away.
The Dispute Started With Four Hens
Feist said she believed she was following the rules when she began keeping hens. ClickOrlando reported that Casselberry City Manager Randy Newman said backyard hens are currently prohibited under city code.
Supporters have pointed to nearby areas where hens are already allowed. Unincorporated Seminole County allows backyard hens under its program, and Longwood has its own backyard chicken rules.
Earlier this month, commissioners directed staff to draft an ordinance for consideration and agreed to pause enforcement while the city reviewed the issue, according to ClickOrlando.
Supporters Are Asking for Hens, Not Roosters
Feist told ClickOrlando that many concerns she has heard involve roosters, but supporters are asking only for hens.
Her petition proposes allowing up to four hens on occupied detached single-family residential properties. It would prohibit roosters, ducks, geese, turkeys, peafowl, and other poultry unless specifically authorized.
The proposal also calls for permits, secure coops, enclosed runs, rear-yard placement, setbacks, sanitation standards, nuisance enforcement, and HOA authority to impose stricter rules.
Nearby Communities Already Regulate Backyard Chickens
Feist said she hopes Casselberry looks at nearby communities such as Maitland, Altamonte Springs, Longwood, and unincorporated areas where backyard hens are already allowed under local rules.
Orange County’s residential backyard chicken program allows a maximum of four hens for personal egg consumption. Roosters and other poultry are prohibited, and the county requires a permit, owner-occupied detached residential property, coop and pen standards, and training through UF/IFAS Extension Orange County.
Those details are important for homeowners who see backyard chickens as a simple lifestyle choice. In many places, approval depends on the number of birds, the property type, coop location, sanitation, setbacks, and whether an HOA has stricter limits.
Check the Rules Before Building a Coop
UF/IFAS Extension says local ordinances commonly limit the number of birds, establish setbacks from neighboring property, prohibit roosters, and restrict roaming poultry.
That is the first check for any homeowner thinking about backyard hens. City code, county code, zoning, permitting rules, nuisance rules, and HOA documents can all affect whether chickens are allowed.
In Casselberry, Feist said city staff agreed to hold off on enforcing the ban while the issue is under review. The next decision belongs to city leaders, who must decide whether four backyard hens should remain a code violation or become part of a new local ordinance.