Marin County · CA
Can you keep backyard chickens in Mill Valley, CA?
Yes. Mill Valley allows up to 12 mature hens, kept at least 40 feet from any dwelling on adjacent property, and crowing roosters are prohibited (Mill Valley Municipal Code 6.12.120). On Mill Valley's tight, wooded hillside lots the 40-foot setback is usually the real constraint, not the hen count, so where the henhouse goes matters more than how many birds you keep.
Mill Valley, CA · at a glance
- Hens allowed
- Up to 12 mature hens
- Roosters
- Not permitted (crowing roosters prohibited)
- Setback
- At least 40 ft from any dwelling on adjacent property
- Permit
- No special permit for a backyard hen flock within these limits
- HOA
- Check your CC&Rs
Confirmed against Mill Valley's municipal code. Your personalized report applies it to your exact parcel. Sources: cityofmillvalley.gov · library.municode.com
Keeping a few hens suits Mill Valley, between the oak-shaded canyons and the cool coastal air. The puzzle here is rarely the rules and almost always the lot: steep ground, big trees and a 40-foot setback from the neighbors' homes. We design around exactly that.
Setbacks and placement
Most Mill Valley lots are hillside, so we start with a level pad or a small retaining step to give the henhouse stable, well-drained footing. We hold the 40-foot setback from neighboring homes, aim for dappled afternoon shade under the oaks and route winter runoff around the structure rather than through it. On a tight canyon lot the right spot is often the one flat corner you weren't using.
Neighbors
Skip the rooster, which the code requires anyway, and a small clean flock barely registers next door. A quick word with the neighbors and the offer of a few eggs goes a long way on close hillside parcels.
Climate
Mill Valley sits in the fog shadow of Mount Tam, so summers stay mild and the coast-cooled air rarely bakes a flock. The real climate factor is winter: heavy rain, deep tree shade and slow-draining hillside soil, which makes a dry, well-vented henhouse and good drainage the priority.
Predators in Mill Valley
The local predators worth planning for are Raccoons, Coyotes, Hawks, 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
- Confirm the rules for your exact address with a personalized regulatory report
- Map the 40-foot setback from neighboring homes before you choose a spot
- Level a well-drained pad on the hillside, ideally under dappled oak shade
- Plan predator-proofing for raccoons first, then coyotes, bobcats and hawks
- Choose up to 12 hens suited to cool, damp Marin weather
- Set a simple daily routine and a wet-winter drainage 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.