Marin County · CA
Can you keep backyard chickens in Marinwood, CA?
Yes, up to 12. Marinwood is unincorporated, so it follows the Marin County animal standards (County Code Chapter 22.32, Table 3-6): up to 12 chickens, more only with a Use Permit, and no roosters. Marinwood's flatter suburban lots make siting easy; the main planning factors are the inland summer heat and the coyotes that come down off the open-space hills behind the neighborhood.
Marinwood, CA · at a glance
- Hens allowed
- Up to 12; more only with a Use Permit (Marin County Code Ch. 22.32, Table 3-6)
- Roosters
- Not permitted (excluded under the County animal standards)
- Setback
- Set by the Marin County standards; confirm for your parcel
- Permit
- None up to 12 hens; Use Permit required beyond 12
- HOA
- Check your CC&Rs
Confirmed against Marinwood's municipal code. Your personalized report applies it to your exact parcel. Sources: sananselmo-ca.granicus.com · Marin County Code Ch. 22.32 (Standards for Specific Land Uses), Table 3-6
Marinwood is a flatter, suburban pocket of unincorporated north San Rafael, with open-space hills rising right behind it. The lots are easy to build on, but the wildland edge and the inland heat are always part of the plan. We design for both.
Setbacks and placement
Marinwood's level lots make siting easy, so we put the henhouse where summer shade and airflow are best. The catch is the open space directly behind the neighborhood: coyotes and bobcats come down off those hills at night and hawks hunt the edges by day, so a fully enclosed, covered and apron-protected run is essential despite the suburban feel. We orient for heat first.
Neighbors
Marinwood's suburban lots sit fairly close, so a clean, well-vented henhouse keeps things neighborly, and the County standards keep roosters out anyway. A quick word before you build smooths the way.
Climate
Marinwood is inland and warm, well away from the coastal fog, so summer afternoons can climb into the 90s much like neighboring San Rafael. That makes shade, cross-ventilation and dependable cool water the first priorities, with the usual mild, wet Marin winters to drain for.
Predators in Marinwood
The local predators worth planning for are Coyotes, Hawks, Raccoons, Skunks, Bobcats. 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
- Keep up to 12 hens under Marin County's standards; a Use Permit is needed beyond 12
- Read your CC&Rs if you're in an HOA
- Plan for inland heat: deep shade, cross-ventilation and cool water
- Build a fully enclosed, covered run with a buried apron for the hillside coyotes
- Use the flat lot to site the henhouse for shade and easy daily access
- Choose a heat-tolerant flock and set a summer water check
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.