Marin County · CA
Can you keep backyard chickens in Corte Madera, CA?
Yes, and the number tracks your lot size. Corte Madera adopted rules more restrictive than the County's: 6 chickens on parcels up to 5,000 square feet (with a use permit), 8 on larger lots up to half an acre, and 12 on lots over half an acre, with no roosters (town ordinance adopted 2012). Chickens must stay in an enclosure or fenced area and be secured in a coop after dark, and the coop has to meet the accessory-structure setback and lot-coverage standards for your zone.
Corte Madera, CA · at a glance
- Hens allowed
- 6 (lots up to 5,000 sq ft, use permit), 8 (up to 1/2 acre), 12 (over 1/2 acre)
- Roosters
- Not permitted
- Setback
- Coop must meet the accessory-structure setback and lot-coverage standards for your zone
- Permit
- Use permit required on parcels 5,000 sq ft and under
- HOA
- Check your CC&Rs
Confirmed against Corte Madera's municipal code. Your personalized report applies it to your exact parcel. Sources: cityhubgo.com · sananselmo-ca.granicus.com
Corte Madera is a small, walkable town between the ridge and the bay, and its chicken rules are unusually specific: how many hens you can keep depends on how big your lot is. We start a Corte Madera project by pinning down your parcel size, then design the flock and the henhouse to match.
Setbacks and placement
On the flat valley lots near the marsh we prioritize drainage, raising and leveling the pad so winter water and damp ground don't reach the henhouse floor. On the Christmas Tree Hill and Chevron Hill slopes we level first. The rules require chickens to stay enclosed and shut in the coop after dark, which lines up with how we predator-proof anyway: a buried apron and two-step latches on every build.
Neighbors
Corte Madera lots sit close together, so a rooster-free flock and a clean, well-vented henhouse are what keep neighbors happy. The use permit on smaller parcels also means a brief conversation with the town up front.
Climate
Corte Madera is mild and bay-influenced, with cool, damp winters. The town sits beside the Corte Madera Marsh, so on the flatter lots near the water, drainage and a dry henhouse floor matter as much as anything. Summers are temperate, rarely as hot as Novato or inland San Rafael.
Predators in Corte Madera
The local predators worth planning for are Raccoons, Hawks, Coyotes, Skunks. Every Modern Hen install is built to handle them: half-inch hardware cloth on every opening, a buried apron, a hardware-cloth ceiling and two-step latches a raccoon can't open.
A quick-start checklist
- Measure your parcel: it sets whether you can keep 6, 8 or 12 hens
- Plan for a use permit if your lot is 5,000 sq ft or under
- Read your CC&Rs if you're in an HOA
- Site the coop to meet your zone's accessory-structure setback and lot-coverage rules
- Keep the flock enclosed and shut in the coop after dark, with a buried apron
- Choose your flock to match your lot's hen limit
Want the exact rules for your address?
We'll read your municipal code and send a plain-language report on what's allowed at your parcel. One email, no follow-ups.